两百年前，拳击比赛在英格兰非常盛行。
Boxing matches were very popular in England two hundred years ago.
在那个年代，拳击手赤拳搏击，为赢取奖金而战。
In those days, boxers fought with bare fists for prize money.
正因如此，他们被称为"职业拳击手"。
Because of this, they were known as 'prizefighters'.
然而，拳击运动极为野蛮，因为没有任何规则，一名职业拳击手在比赛中可能会受到重伤，甚至被打死。
However, boxing was very crude, for there were no rules and a prizefighter could be seriously injured or even killed during a match.
拳击史上最引人注目的人物之一就是丹尼尔·门多萨，他生于1764年。
One of the most colourful figures in boxing history was Daniel Mendoza, who was born in 1764.
直到1860年，昆斯伯里侯爵制定了第一套规则，手套的使用才得以引入。
The use of gloves was not introduced until 1860, when the Marquis of Queensberry drew up the first set of rules.
尽管从技术层面而言门多萨是一名职业拳击手，但他为将粗野的赤拳搏击转变为一项真正的体育运动做出了巨大贡献，因为他将科学引入了这项竞技。
Though he was technically a prizefighter, Mendoza did much to change crude prizefighting into a sport, for he brought science to the game.
在他活跃的那个年代，门多萨享有巨大的声望。
In his day, Mendoza enjoyed tremendous popularity.
无论贫富，人们都对他崇拜有加。
He was adored by rich and poor alike.
门多萨在一场拳击比赛后迅速成名，那时他年仅十四岁。
Mendoza rose to fame swiftly after a boxing match when he was only fourteen years old.
这引起了理查德·汉弗莱斯的注意，他当时是英格兰最杰出的拳击手。
This attracted the attention of Richard Humphries who was then the most eminent boxer in England.
他主动提出训练门多萨，而这位年轻的徒弟学得也极为迅速。
He offered to train Mendoza and his young pupil was quick to learn.
事实上，门多萨很快就变得如此成功，以至于汉弗莱斯开始与他为敌。
In fact, Mendoza soon became so successful that Humphries turned against him.
两人激烈争吵，显而易见，这场争端只能通过一场搏斗来解决。
The two men quarrelled bitterly and it was clear that the argument could only be settled by a fight.
一场比赛在斯蒂尔顿举行，两人在那里鏖战了整整一个小时。
A match was held at Stilton, where both men fought for an hour.
公众在门多萨身上押下了大量赌注，但他却败了。
The public bet a great deal of money on Mendoza, but he was defeated.
门多萨后来又在拳击台上与汉弗莱斯相遇，他第二次告负。
Mendoza met Humphries in the ring on a later occasion and he lost for a second time.
直到1790年的第三场比赛，他才终于击败了汉弗莱斯，成为英格兰冠军。
It was not until his third match in 1790 that he finally beat Humphries and became Champion of England.
与此同时，他创办了一所极为成功的学院，就连拜伦勋爵也成为了他的学生之一。
Meanwhile, he founded a highly successful Academy and even Lord Byron became one of his pupils.
他赚取了巨额财富，一次登台演出的报酬甚至高达100英镑。
He earned enormous sums of money and was paid as much as £100 for a single appearance.
尽管如此，他生性如此挥霍，以至于总是负债累累。
Despite this, he was so extravagant that he was always in debt.
在被一个名叫"绅士"杰克逊的拳击手击败之后，他很快就被人们遗忘了。
After he was defeated by a boxer called Gentleman Jackson, he was quickly forgotten.
他因拒不偿还债务而被投入监狱，并于1836年在贫困中去世。
He was sent to prison for failing to pay his debts and died in poverty in 1836.