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

O my Dicky, my Dicky, and O my Dicky my dear,
Such a wonderful Dicky is not to be found far nor near;
For Dicky was up, up, up, and Dicky was down, down, down,
And Dicky was backwards and forwards, and Dicky was round, round, round.
My Dicky was all the delight of half the genteels in the town;
Their tables were scarcely compleat, unless my Dicky sat down;
So very polite, so genteel, such a soft complaisant face,
What a damnable shame to be spoil’d by a curst little Jew from Duke’s Place!
My Dicky he went to the school, that was kept by this Danny Mendoza,
And swore if the Jew would not fight, he would ring his Mosaical nose, Sir,
His friends exclaimed, go-it, my Dicky, my terrible, give him a derry;
You’ve only to sport your position, and quickly the Levite will sherry.
Elate with false pride and conceit, superciliously prone to his ruin,
He haughtily stalk’d on the spot, which was turf’d for his utter undoing;
While the Jew’s humble bow seem’d to please, my Dicky’s eyes flash’d vivid fire;
He contemptuously viewed his opponent, as David was viewed by Goliath.
Now Fortune, the whimsical goddess, resolving to open men’s eyes;
To draw from their senses the screen, and excite just contempt and surprise,
Produced to their view, this great hero, who promis’d Mendoza to beat,
When he proved but a boasting imposter, his promises all a mere cheat.
For Dicky, he stopt with his head,
Was hit through his guard ev’ry round, Sir,
Was fonder of falling than fighting,
And therefore gave out on the ground, Sir.
Etching of two men boxing.
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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. 

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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.

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Creator Bio

Daniel Mendoza

1764–1836

Born in Aldgate, London, bare-knuckle pugilist Daniel Mendoza was the first Jew to become an English 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. Mendoza was selected for the inaugural group in the United States Boxing Hall of Fame in 1954.

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