

The disciplined lifestyle that Bill had introduced to him was far from the life Jem was living during the time. Even though he was earning enough money to provide for his family, he was losing himself in the process. He was living the life that Mary had always feared that he would. He fought matches arranged by Lord Rushworth and drowned himself in alcohol and women. Jem couldn’t care less since he was distracted by the beauty that the London elite circle possessed. Rushworth wanted to fix matches for Belcher for his profit, though Bill was not quite fond of the idea. For Ashford, it was an art that deserved a proper revival, whereas for Rushworth, making money out of the sport was of prior importance. Lord Ashford and Lord Rushworth differed in the way they viewed pugilism. Belcher was warned about how Rushworth considered players nothing more than a money-making apparatus, though Rushworth defeated that claim by stating how he simply always wanted to be on the side of the winner. Rushworth wanted to familiarize himself with Belcher, knowing that the talent that he possessed would help him make money. He was known for betting on boxing matches, and he did lose quite a bit of money due to Jem’s win. The richness swayed him from his path, though in the end, he found his way back to be remembered as the greatest of all champions.īelcher was introduced to Lord Rushworth at the Ashford Estate after winning the title. That was how Jem Belcher gained popularity in the London elite circle. Within five rounds, Jem was able to defeat the Irish champion, and he was declared the Champion of England. The presence of the royalty indicated how boxing had garnered a reputation for itself to the point where it was no longer considered a sport for the working class. Men and women gathered around the boxing ring to watch the two men fight to win the Champion of England title.

He arrived in London and was quite charmed by the city. But Jem disagreed with his mother’s belief, and he wanted to fight no matter what. She added that only those who bet on the game were the winners, whereas the fighters were always on the losing side no matter what. She believed that he would end up just like his grandfather. While his brother and sister were thrilled about his boxing journey, Mary, his mother, did not feel the same way. The announcement of the match was published in the newspaper, and Jem enjoyed his newfound popularity. Jem announced that he was ready to fight for the championship. He received an invitation to fight for the Boxing Championship of England against Andrew Gamble, the Irish champion. Jem followed a disciplined lifestyle, and he gained a reputation for being a prominent boxer at the time. Jem started to train, and Bill taught him the art of boxing, which required the coordination of the mind and the body. Even his grandfather, before he died, advised him to train under Bill. Bill believed that with proper training, Jem would be able to fight cleverly. He felt that he had gotten lucky with Blackbeard, but Bill knew that it required more than luck to fight the way he did. Bill Warr was a veteran boxer, and he offered to train Jem, knowing his potential. Bill Warr watched him fight that day, and he knew that the boy was a raw talent. While Blackbeard was considered undefeatable, the skinny Bristol fellow was able to knock the man out. Jem worked as a blacksmith, but when he saw the money he could make by boxing, he agreed to play a round with Bob “Blackbeard” Britton. Even though his grandfather was a drunkard, he was remembered for his brilliance in the sport.

Jem Belcher was known for the blue and white scarf that he wore, and the film shows that it was Jack Slack who had given it to him when he was a boy. But the one lesson that Jem learned from Jack was that he had to decide the kind of man he wanted to be in his life because after a man dies, people only remember the name of the man and not his unhealthy habits. He even took the little that his daughter had to fulfill his needs. Jack Slack was infamous for spending all the money he earned on merrymaking. She believed he was a bad influence on Jem. Jem was close to his grandfather, even though his mother disapproved of their bond. ‘Prizefighter: The Life Of Jem Belcher’ Plot Summary: What Is The Film About?
