Abey Belasco

Student of Daniel Mendoza

The better known bare knuckle Jewish boxer Daniel Mendoza, the sixteenth boxing champion of England, and an architect of modern scientific boxing, was a friend, mentor, and business associate. Belasco used Mendoza's new scientific style of "boxing", which included careful parrying of opponent's blows with a fist or arm, a technique borrowed from the sport of fencing. Like most successful boxers of his era, he adopted the stance recommended by Mendoza's Art of Boxing, a slight slouch with fists raised to allow both a quick jab with one arm and a ready block of oncoming punches with the other. Belasco, though he was thirty years younger, engaged Mendoza in a sparring partnership in an exhibition in 1818, one of which took place the first week of December in Lincoln, Lincolnshire, in the East Midlands, around 150 miles North of London.

Belasco's earliest known match was with a man known as Cribb's Coal-heaver, as he was patronized by Tom Crib, a champion of England. Belasco fought well, forcing his opponent to leave the ring in thirty minutes. As a result, he came to the attention of a number of amateur boxing enthusiasts, and began to enjoy a large Jewish following.

In a far more publicized battle, with a better known adversary, he defeated Jack "The Butcher" Payne in sixteen rounds on 3 April 1817 at Moulsey Heath, Surrey. In the fourth round, Belasco had already taken the lead against Payne, and "punished him in all directions". In the eleventh, the Butcher could not keep his head out of chancery, or being held and struck by Belasco. In the final round, Payne ran at Belasco furiously and was floored for the last time by a solid punch, ending the match after seventeen minutes when the Butcher could not resume the battle. Belasco was said to have retired from the match without a scratch.

Pierce Egan wrote that a Jewish boxer, Belasco, at only seventeen lost to Ned Brown on 27 July 1817 at Moulsey Hurst, but the combatant was Abey's brother Izzy, as he weighed only 114 pounds, less than Abey.

Classic match with Jack Randall, Sept. 1817

Belasco lost to his greatest adversary, Jack Randall, an incomparable English champion, on 30 September 1817, at Shepperton Range, Surrey, 15 miles southwest of London, for the substantial sum of 50 guineas a side. This figure would very roughly calculate to $5997 or £4850 in 2020. A sizable sum, but far less than a prize fight with the same size audience or interest would bring today, and not enough to secure a comfortable retirement, even if Belasco fought ten fights in his career with the same purse, which he did not. In an affirmation of Belasco's considerable reputation as a boxer, Randall, his winning record known, led in the early betting, but by close odds of only 11–10. Randall entered the ring at around 148 lbs. (67.13 kg), while Belasco weighed roughly eight pounds more. Belasco was known for his desperate and effective infighting, and was considered a skilled, scientific boxer. Randall's ability to go to the head to finish a fight was known to the crowd, and an integral part of his boxing strategy. According to Boxiana, Randal's ring name "The Nonpareil", implying that as a boxer he was unequaled or unrivaled, was earned in this match. Soon thereafter Belasco accompanied his friend Daniel Mendoza on an exhibition tour.

Second match with Josh Hudson

He fought Josh Hudson, a butcher, for a second time on 19 July 1820 at Burney's Bowling Green in Norwich, to settle a dispute. The match lasted a considerable 35 short rounds taking forty minutes. The dispute involved Aby's brother Isaac, known as Izzy, also a boxer. Though the fighting continued for a while, Hudson injured his shoulder and both adversaries eventually ceased their hostilities. Belasco twice waited over a minute while his opponent's shoulder was reduced or relocated in its joint by his second so Hudson could continue the match. In the opinion of Puglistica, Belasco definitely had the better of the fight, but it was ill-advised as Hudson was somewhat inebriated when the fighting began, and may have never chosen to fight if he had been sober. Jack Randall, known as the "Master of the Rolls", and likely the best known English boxer of the period was a second to Belasco, and a significant crowd was likely in attendance.

Post boxing careers At the end of his prize fighting career, Belasco made a living sparring and acting as a second to other boxers engaged in prize fights, and worked for a period as an L. V. or licensed victualer or food merchant. Shortly following, Belasco retired permanently from the prize-ring and opened a gambling-house, a job that kept him in contact with drinking and debauchery. He had also operated night houses and supper clubs, but they served the lower classes and were also frequently visited by drunks, requiring occasional visits by constables needing to keep order.

Support for Lionel de Rothchild, 1847

Showing his support for the London working class and members of his own religion during the Parliamentary election of August 1847, Belasco and fellow Jewish boxer Barney Aaron led a lightly armed band of protestors with bludgeons patrolling and protecting the streets of London's East end in support of the election of the wealthy Jewish patron, and emerging politician Lionel de Rothschild to membership in the House of Commons for the city of London. Criticized for their brutish behavior and appearances, and said to "have gone about yelling and hooting in a fashion calculated to thoroughly disgust all whom it failed to terrify", Belasco and his followers were referred in a letter to the English newspaper the Liverpool Albion as "the lowest class of Jews in the east of London", and condemned for injuring the cause for which they marched. Though he won by a large margin, receiving 6792 votes, Rothschild would not be allowed to serve in Commons without taking a vow as a Christian upon a New Testament, which as a Jew, he refused to do. Several converted Jews already served in Parliament, as well as a few Jewish Sephardim. The event demonstrated Belasco's contributions to English society transcended boxing and entertainment. In 1858, the converted Jewish Conservative party politician Benjamin D'Israeli, as a leading voice in the House of Commons, reached a compromise that allowed Jewish members of the House of Commons to serve without taking an oath as Christians, though the House of Lords were allowed to continue to require the oath.

Descent into crime as public house owner As late as 1 April 1830, he was charged with assaulting a Black man, Thomas Rastall at Bow-Street in London with a poker and required to appear in court. In May 1844, he was listed as the owner of the Sun and Star Public House in London, on Middlesex Street, formerly Petticoat Lane. In one account, his Pub or Gambling House may have housed a brothel. In fact, in September 1834, he was tried and convicted of "keeping a house of ill-fame" by the Middlesex Sessions, and sentenced to two years imprisonment, though the length of time he served is unknown. In late March 1834, his wife Leah had been convicted of keeping a brothel at Leg Alley in the Parish of St. Paul, but was required to serve only one year.

In May 1851, his brother Isaac, and son Joseph were charged with assault and cheating at a gambling house in connection with activities at their establishment, the Fountain Coffee house on Little-Catherine Street in the theatre district in London's West End, and a nearby coffee house on 4 Leicester Place. As late as 1854, Belasco was still working as proprietor of the Sun and Star public house, on London's Pettycoat Lane, but likely due to problems with the law his license was not renewed in the Spring of 1858.

In descending steps, he sank lower in the social order until, continually brought into conflict with the officers of the law, he lost all his friends, and died in nearly abject poverty in London, on 13 May 1859.

Selected bouts

Win Crib's Coal Heaver Unknown Unknown 30 mins Decisive win; 5 guineas (GN) Win Josh Hudson Unknown Woolrich, Kent 2 hrs In Egan's Boxiana Win Jack "The Butcher" Payne 3 Apr 1817 Moulsey Heath, Surrey 16 rnds Received not a scratch Loss Tom Reynolds 23 Jul 1817 Moulsey Heath, Surrey 66 rnds, 1 hour, 20 mins Reynolds badly batteredBut won in final rounds Loss Jack Randall 30 Sep 1817 Shepperton Range, Surrey 6 rnds, 54 mins Well fought; for 50 GN Loss Cyrus Davis 10 Jun 1818 Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire 9 rnds Win Winchcomb Champion Summer 1818 Cheltenham Racecrse.,Gloucestershire 12 mins For 20 GN Win Joe Townshend 9 Dec 1818 Coventry, Warwick 24 mins Townshend weighed more;For 5 GN Win Phil Sampson 22 Feb 1819 Potter's street, Essex Unknown Ended in wrangle; 50 GN Win Phil Sampson 29 Feb 1820 London 9 rounds, both separated May have been no winner Win Josh Hudson 19 Jul 1820 Burney's Bowling Green,Norwich 35 rnds., 14 minutes To Settle dispute w/ Aby's brother Isaac Loss Phil Sampson 21 Dec 1820 Tennis Crt., Windmill St., Lond. Unknown Fought with gloves Win Pat Halton 8 Apr 1823 Harpendon CommonSt. Albans, Herts 11 rnds, 27 mins Halton quit; Won £50 Loss Phil Sampson 25 Aug 1823 Crawley Downs, Sussex Unknown Win George Weston 25 May 1824 Near Shepperton Grange 3 rnds Weston quit rnd 3