Today's bulldog is different from the dog that was used for bear baiting and bull in England. (usbones.com)
Bull baiting, bear baiting etc were made illegal in1835 and some of those involved turned to dog fighting instead, with bets being laid on the outcome of fights. (thehappypuppysite.com)
The Staffordshire Bull Terrier's roots lie in pre-nineteenth-century Britain, when blood sports like cock fighting, bull baiting and even bear baiting were popular pastimes. (soonervet.net)