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daniel mendoza
Daniel Mendoza
daniel mendoza was the first jewish prize-fighter to become a champion. though he stood only 5'7" and weighed 160 pounds, mendoza was england’s sixteenth he**yweight champion from 1792 to 1795. always proud of his heritage, he billed himself as mendoza the jew.
Daniel Mendoza was the first Jewish boxer to win the title. Although Mendoza was only 5 feet 7 inches tall and weighed 160 pounds, he was the sixteenth British heavyweight champion from 1792 to 1795. He was always proud of his national heritage, calling himself a Jew Mendoza.
he is the father of scientific boxing. at a time when the sport of boxing consisted primarily of barehanded slugging, mendoza introduced the concept of defense. he developed the guard, the straight left, and made use of sidestepping tactics. this new strategy, the mendoza school, also referred to as the jewish school, was criticized in some circles as cowardly. but it permitted mendoza to fully capitalize on his small stature, speed, and punching power.
He is the father of scientific boxing. While the sport of boxing was dominated by hand-to-hand strikes, Mendoza introduced the concept of defense. He developed defensive and straight-left techniques and made use of side-stepping tactics. This new strategy, known as the Mendoza School, also known as the Jewish School, was criticized in some circles for cowardice. But that allowed Mendoza to make the most of his diminutive stature, speed, and striking power.
his first recorded prizefight was a knockout of an opponent, known as harry the coalhe**er, whom he dispatched in 40 rounds. a victory in his first professional fight in 1787 won him the patronage of the prince of wales (later george iv), the first boxer to earn this honor. his acceptance by british royalty (he was the first jew ever to speak to england’s king george iii) helped elevate the position of the jew in english society and stem a vicious tide of anti-semitism that many englishmen read into shakespeare’s characterization of shylock in his play the merchant of venice.
His first recorded professional boxing bout was the elimination of an opponent known as "Harry the Coal Mover," whom he defeated in 40 rounds. In 1787, he won his first professional boxing match, winning the patronage of the Prince of Wales (later George IV), the first boxer to receive this honor. His acceptance into the British royal family (he was the first ever Jew to speak to King George III) helped to elevate the status of Jews in British society and stem the vicious tide of anti-Semitism, which many Englishmen read about in the portrayal of Shylock in Shakespeare's play The Merchant of Venice.
mendoza had a series of storied matches against rival richard humphries, one each in 1788, 1789, and 1790. he lost the first battle in 29 rounds but won the latter pair in 52 and 15 rounds. he laid claim to the english boxing title in 1791 when the prevailing champion, benjamin brain, retired. another top english boxer, bill warr, contested mendoza’s claim. in may 1792, the two met to settle the matter in croydon, england. mendoza was victorious in 23 rounds. warr and mendoza met again in november 1794, and this time it took the champion only 15 minutes to dispose of the challenger.
Mendoza played a series of legendary matches against rival Richard Humphreys in 1788, 1789 and 1790. He lost the first of 29 rounds, but beat each other in the next 52 rounds and *** matches. In 1791, when then-champion Benjamin Blaine retired, he won the British boxing title. Another top British boxer, Bill Val, has questioned Mendoza's claims. In May 1792, the two men met in Croydon, England, to settle the matter. Mendoza won in round 23. In November 1794, Val and Mendoza met again, this time with the winner beating the challenger in just 15 minutes.
mendoza, a descendant of spanish marranos (jews coerced into conversion to christianity) who had lived in london for nearly a century, became such a popular figure in england that songs were written about him, and his name appeared in scripts of numerous plays. his personal appearances would fill theaters, portraits of him and his fights were popular subjects for artists, and commemorative medals were struck in his honor.
A descendant of the Spanish Maranos (Jews who were forced to convert to the religion), Mendoza lived in London for almost a century and became such a popular figure in England that songs about him were written and his name appeared in the scripts of many plays. His solo appearance would fill the theater, his portrait and his competitions were a popular subject for artists, and his medallion was minted.
daniel mendoza was one of the inaugural group elected in 1954 to the boxing hall of fame and of the inaugural class of the international boxing hall of fame in 1990.
Daniel Mendoza was one of the inaugural members of the Boxing Hall of Fame in 1954 and one of the inaugural members of the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990.
source】
Translated by] Spark Liao (廖怀宝)
illustration】from bing
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