Memoirs of the Life of Daniel Mendoza
Daniel Mendoza
1816
Few events of a similar kind ever attracted the attention of the public, in such a degree, as the contests between Mr. Humphreys and myself. The long correspondence which passed between us previous to our second contest, the skill which, as was candidly acknowledged by the friends of both parties, was mutually displayed; these and various other circumstances contributed to excite, in an extraordinary manner, the attention not only of spotting men, but of all ranks and descriptions of persons, generally; and I found, on my return to London, that our contests were the general subject of conversation all over the town. I had even the almost unprecedented honour of being frequently alluded to and mentioned in many dramatic performances; for instance, The Duenna, The Farmer, The Road to Ruin and others.
Many of my friends who had been rallied for their want of judgment in supporting me in the first contest with Mr. Humphreys, had now a fair opportunity of retorting, which they did not fail to avail themselves of. Several songs were made on the subject of the late victory; among others, the following was sung with great applause at several convivial meetings.
Song
On The Battle Fought Between Humphreys and Mendoza at Stilton in Huntingdonshire
Born in Aldgate, London, bare-knuckled pugilist Daniel Mendoza was the first Jew in England to become heavyweight champion, a title that he defended twice before losing it to John Jackson on a ninth-round knockout in 1795. Although he was a natural middleweight, Mendoza developed defensive moves and a technique of rapid rather than hard punching to fight against much heavier opponents. He has been called the father of scientific boxing. Proudly billed as “Mendoza the Jew,” he was the first boxer to receive royal patronage. He opened his own boxing academy and gave boxing exhibitions throughout the United Kingdom. In 1954, Mendoza was selected for the inaugural group in the United States Boxing Hall of Fame. This engraving depicts a fight between Mendoza and an opponent, when Mendoza was still the English heavyweight champion.
Credits
Daniel Mendoza, from The Memoirs of the Life of Daniel Mendoza (New York: Arno Press, 1975), p. 65.
Published in: The Posen Library of Jewish Culture and Civilization, vol. 6.
