Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(US) to fight as a professional boxer.

1906		Sun. Times (Perth) 18 Feb. 1/1: They say [...] that a reputed Port pugilist pugged to bad advantage on Wednesday. [...] That a closed eye and broken nose proved him sadly lacking in judgement.
1947		N. Algren ‘Depend on Aunt Elly’ in Texas Stories (1995) 103: He’d been through six managers in ten years of pugging.
1959		D. Hewett Bobbin Up (1961) 93: Kel had done a lot of pugging round the sideshows in the country towns.
1965		H. Rhodes Chosen Few (1966) 129: I’d say he’s done some pugging and a lotta street fightin’.