Boxing matches were very popular in England two hundred years ago. In those days, boxers fought with bare fists for prize money. Because of this, they were known as ‘prizefighters’.
两百年前，拳击运动在英国十分流行。当时，拳击手们拳拳到肉，为奖金而搏斗。正因如此，他们被称为“职业拳击手”。
PS：fight with bare fists，拳拳到肉。
However, boxing was very crude, for there were no rules and a prizefighter could be seriously injured or even killed during a match.
然而，拳击比赛十分残酷，因为没有规则，拳击手在比赛中经常被狠狠打伤，甚至被打死。
One of the most colourful figures in the boxing history was Daniel Mendoza, who was born in 1764. The use of gloves was not introduced until 1860, when the Marquis of Queensberry drew up the first set of rules.
拳击历史上最著名的人物之一，丹尼尔·门多萨，生于1764年。1860年昆斯伯里侯爵第一次为拳击比赛制定了规则，拳击比赛才使用了手套。
PS：draw up a rule，制定规则。
Though he was technically a prizefighter, Mendoza did much to change crude prizefighting into a sport, for he brought science to the game. In his day, Mendoza enjoyed tremendous popularity. He was adored by rich and poor alike.
虽然门多萨是个职业拳击手，他还是做了很多改变，将科学引入这项运动，从而使拳击从粗野的搏斗变成了一项运动。在他全盛时期，门多萨十分受欢迎，无论是穷人还是富人都对他推崇备至。
PS：in his day, 在他全盛时期。
PS++：rich and poor, 穷人和富人，固定搭配。
Mendoza rose to fame swiftly after a boxing match when he was only fourteen years old. This attracted the attention of Richard Humphries who was then the most eminent boxer in England. He offered to train Mendoza and his young pupil was quick to learn.
门多萨在14岁的异常拳击比赛后一举成名，这吸引了当时英国拳坛名将理查德·汉弗莱斯的青睐。他主动教授门多萨，而门多萨也学得很快。
PS：rose to fame swiftly，迅速成名，一举成名
In fact, Mendoza soon became so successful that Humphries turned against him. The two men quarreled bitterly and it was clear that the argument could only be settled by a fight. A match was held at Stilton, where both men fought for an hour.
事实上，门多萨太火了，以至于汉弗莱斯转而跟他反目成仇。两人争吵不休，明显只能干一架了。他们在斯蒂尔顿设下赛场，打斗了一个小时。
PS：turn against，反目成仇。
The public bet a great deal of money on Mendoza, but he was defeated. Mendoza met Humphries in the ring on a later occasion and he lost for a second time.
公众将大量金钱倾注在门多萨身上，但他却败了。后来，门多萨与汉弗莱斯再次在拳台上较量，但他又输了。
PS：bet a great deal of money on，将大量金钱押注在某人身上。
It was not until his third match in 1790 that he finally beat Humphries and became Champion of England. Meanwhile, he founded a highly successful Academy and even Lord Byron became one of his pupils.
直至1790年他们的第三次对垒，门多萨才打败汉弗莱斯夺得全英拳击冠军。同时，他建立了一所拳击学校，办得很成功，连拜伦勋爵都成为了他的学生。
PS：It was not until his third match in 1790 that he finally beat Humphries and became Champion of England. 强调句，强调his third match in 1790，去掉it was … that 不影响句意的表达。
He earned enormous sums of money and was paid as much as 100 pounds for a single appearance. Despite this, he was so extravagant that he was always in bebt.
门多萨赚了大量的钱，甚至一次出场费就达到100英镑。但尽管如此，他却挥霍成性，时常债台高筑。
PS：be in debt, 欠债。
After he was defeated by a boxer called Gentleman Jackson, he was quickly forgotten. He was sent to prison for failing to pay his debts and died in poverty in 1836.
在他被一个叫“杰克逊先生”的选手打败之后，就很快被人们遗忘了。最终，他被无力偿还债务为由投进监狱，在1836年死于贫困交加。
PS：He was sent to prison for failing to pay his debts and died in poverty in 1836. 作文常用句~
补充：20世纪五大拳击手
- 默罕默德·阿里（1942～2016），穆斯林
- 迈克·泰森（1966～今），咬耳朵
- 梅威瑟（1977～今）， 职业生涯全胜，奖金榜排前几的哥们
- 帕奎奥（1978～今），菲律宾拳王，与梅威瑟打了世纪大战
- 德拉·霍亚（1973～今），职业生涯39胜6负
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