Gypsy culture is often synonymous with bare knuckle boxing. It has been used for generations as a way to settle disputes between individuals or oftentimes entire families. Among Irish travelers, these types of familial disputes tend to carry over as in if someone has a problem with you, they have a problem with your whole family and it very often comes to blows.

The following video clip from the 2011 documentary ‘Knuckle’ shows one of these type of family wide conflicts boiling over at the Wickham horse fair. The brawl starts when one man threatens another with what looks to be a slingshot and it escalates from there. You can also see another man whacking someone with a thin stick.

This is pretty uncommon even in gypsy culture. Usually both combatants agree to ‘fair play’ rules which is pretty much strictly boxing rules.

There is actually quite a lot of honor in the Irish traveler community so that’s why it’s rare to see them resorting to using weapons.

Shortly thereafter, they seem to put down the weapons and start brawling which is much more commonplace. There looks to be be at least three separate fights going on at once. They seem to be one on one as well for the most part, so at least they are not ganging up on one person. Eventually the police come and break it up before someone gets seriously hurt.

ABOUT KNUCKLE:

“An epic 12-year journey into in the world of an Irish Traveler community, Knuckle takes us inside their brutal, secretive and exhilarating bare-knuckle fighting lives. Chronicling a history of violent feuding between rival families, the story focuses on two brothers as they fight for their reputations and the honor of their family name. Brutal, yet captivating and ultimately moving, this unforgettable documentary offers an exclusive insight into the world of Irish Travellers and the lengths they will go to protect their family name.” [Source: Rotten Tomatoes]