In his youth he became known for his pugilistic-pugilistic—and and other- featsother—feats at Lansdown fair. Belcher was a natural fighter, described as "elegant" in style, whose skills were less due to instruction than his own ability. He was considered good-humoured, finely proportioned, and well-looking. He came to London in 1798 and sparred with Bill Warr, a veteran boxer, of [[Covent Garden]], who concluded that Belcher was "a match for any man in the kingdom".<ref name="Age 31">''[[The Age]]''. [https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1300&dat=19310418&id=tjRVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=GZUDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7158,3564447 "More Prize Ring Personalities: 'The Napoleon of the Ring'"]. 18 April 1931, p. 8. Retrieved on 15 June 2013.</ref> On 12 April 1799, after a fight of thirty-three minutes, he beat Tom Jones of Paddington at [[Wormwood Scrubbs]].
He drew with champion [[Jack Bartholomew (boxer)|Jack Bartholomew]] in a 51-round bout in 1799, but in the following year, on 18 May 1800, on [[Finchley Common]], the 19-year-old Belcher, after seventeen rounds, knocked out the 37-year-old Bartholomew with a 'terrific' body blow to win the rematch and become champion.
