[al:新概念英语（三）] [ar:MP3 同步字幕版（英音）] [ti:Daniel Mendoza] [by:更多学习内容，请到chazidian.com搜索“新概念”] [00:01.46]Lesson 21 [00:03.49]Daniel Mendoza [00:12.13]How many unsuccessful attempts did Mendoza make before becoming Champion of all England? [00:20.76]Boxing matches were very popular in England two hundred years ago. [00:25.97]In those days, boxers fought with bare fists for prize money. [00:30.96]Because of this, they were known as 'prizefighters'. [00:35.24]However, boxing was very crude, for there were no rules and a prizefighter could be seriously injured or even killed during a match. [00:45.73]One of the most colourful figures in boxing history was Daniel Mendoza, who was born in 1764. [00:54.41]The use of gloves was not introduced until 1860, when the Marquis of Queensberry drew up the first set of rules. [01:03.62]Though he was technically a prizefighter, Mendoza did much to change crude prizefighting into a sport, for he brought science to the game. [01:14.64]In his day, Mendoza enjoyed tremendous popularity. [01:19.29]He was adored by rich and poor alike. [01:23.17]Mendoza rose to fame swiftly after a boxing match when he was only fourteen years old. [01:29.74]This attracted the attention of Richard Humphries who was then the most eminent boxer in England. [01:36.62]He offered to train Mendoza and his young pupil was quick to learn. [01:41.26]In fact, Mendoza soon became so successful that Humphries turned against him. [01:47.02]The two men quarrelled bitterly and it was clear that the argument could only be settled by a fight. [01:54.65]A match was held at Stilton, where both men fought for an hour. [01:59.62]The public bet a great deal of money on Mendoza, but he was defeated. [02:05.41]Mendoza met Humphries in the ring on a later occasion and he lost for a second time. [02:11.32]It was not until his third match in 1790 that he finally beat Humphries and became Champion of England. [02:19.84]Meanwhile, he founded a highly successful Academy and even Lord Byron became one of his pupils. [02:27.40]He earned enormous sums of money and was paid as much as ￡100 for a single appearance. [02:34.49]Despite this, he was so extravagant that he was always in debt. [02:39.53]After he was defeated by a boxer called Gentleman Jackson, he was quickly forgotten. [02:46.10]He was sent to prison for failing to pay his debts and died in poverty in 1836.