[00:01.080]--- lesson 21 Daniel Mendoza
[00:06.120]--- Listen to the tape then answer the question below.
[00:11.680]--- How many unsuccessful attempts did Mendoza make before becoming Champion of all England?
[00:20.320]Boxing matches were very popular in England two hundred years ago.
[00:25.560]In those days, boxers fought with bare fists for prize money.
[00:30.520]Because of this, they were known as 'prizefighters'.
[00:34.800]However, boxing was very crude, for there were no rules and a prizefighter could be seriously injured or even killed during a match.
[00:45.320]One of the most colourful figures in boxing history was Daniel Mendoza, who was born in 1764.
[00:53.840]The use of gloves was not introduced until 1860, when the Marquis of Queensberry drew up the first set of rules.^1860
[01:03.200]Though he was technically a prizefighter, Mendoza did much to change crude prizefighting into a sport, for he brought science to the game.
[01:14.240]In his day, Mendoza enjoyed tremendous popularity. He was adored by rich and poor alike.
[01:22.720]Mendoza rose to fame swiftly after a boxing match when he was only fourteen years old.
[01:29.320]This attracted the attention of Richard Humphries who was then the most eminent boxer in England.
[01:36.200]He offered to train Mendoza and his young pupil was quick to learn.
[01:40.920]In fact, Mendoza soon became so successful that Humphries turned against him.
[01:46.680]The two men quarrelled bitterly and it was clear that the argument could only be settled by a fight.
[01:54.240]A match was held at Stilton, where both men fought for an hour.
[01:59.200]The public bet a great deal of money on Mendoza, but he was defeated.
[02:04.960]Mendoza met Humphries in the ring on a later occasion and he lost for a second time.
[02:10.920]It was not until his third match in 1790 that he finally beat Humphries and became Champion of England.
[02:19.400]Meanwhile, he founded a highly successful Academy and even Lord Byron became one of his pupils.
[02:27.000]He earned enormous sums of money and was paid as much as $100 for a single appearance.
[02:34.120]Despite this, he was so extravagant that he was always in debt.
[02:39.080]After he was defeated by a boxer called Gentleman Jackson, he was quickly forgotten.
[02:45.680]He was sent to prison for failing to pay his debts and died in poverty in 1836.