Len Johnson (boxer)

Leonard "Len" Benker Johnson (22 October 1902^[1] — 28 September 1974 (aged 71)) born in Clayton, Manchester was an English professional middle/light heavyweight boxer of the 1920s and '30s, who won the Australian version of the British Empire middleweight title in 1926. Johnson (who was of mixed race) was denied the opportunity to fight for championships in Great Britain because of the color bar that existed in boxing at that time. He was managed by his father Bill Johnson. Johnson fought on boxing booths in the 1920s, and from 1930 to 1939 owned his own travelling booth. Just prior to the outbreak of World War Two Johnson briefly tried his hand at professional wrestling, but once war came he lost interest in both boxing and wrestling, and sold his booth. During World War Two Johnson was a member of the Civil Defence heavy Rescue Squad in Manchester. Len Johnson was also a member of the Communist Party of Great Britain, a trade unionist, a community leader in Moss Side, a local civil rights activist, and attended the 5th Pan-African Congress in Manchester.^[2]

Boxing career

Professional

Len Johnson's first professional boxing bout was a third round knockout of Jerry Hogan in 1921. His first fight abroad was a points defeat byMartin Hansen at Copenhagen, Denmark on 6 December 1922. He then had four wins, one defeat, one draw, then a points defeat by Piet Hobin at Palais des Sports de Brussels, Brussels, Belgium on 15 April 1923, five wins, two defeats, then a points draw with Pat McAllister (Northern Ireland) at Dublin, Ireland on 3 September 1923, seven wins, one defeat, then a retirement defeat by Herman van 't Hof (Netherlands) at The Ring, Southwark, London on 12 January 1924, seven wins, three defeats, then a points victory over Ernest Tyncke (Belgium) at Premierland, Whitechapel, London on 24 April 1924, one win, one defeat, then a points victory over Jack Phoenix (Ireland) at Croke Park, Dublin, Ireland on 26 June 1924, one defeat, then a draw with Frank Burns (Australia) at Premierland, Whitechapel, London on 7 August 1924, a points defeat by Piet Hobin at Antwerp, Belgium on 19 August 1924, six wins, two defeats, then a points victory over Charlie Ring (Australia) at Premierland, Whitechapel, London on 8 February 1925, four wins, two draws, then a points victory over Ernest Tyncke (Belgium) at Premierland, Whitechapel, London on 14 May 1925, a points victory over Herman van 't Hof (Netherlands) at The Ring, Southwark, London on 15 June 1925, a points victory over Charlie Ring (Australia) at Premierland, Whitechapel, London on 23 July 1925, a points victory over Frank Briscot (Belgium) at The Ring, Southwark, London on 31 August 1925, one win, then a points victory over Georges Rouquet (France) at The Ring, Southwark, London on 9 November 1925, one win, one defeat, Johnson then travelled to Australia, with a points victory over Harry Collins (Australia) for the British Empire middleweight title at Sydney Stadium, Australia on 20 February 1926, a points victory over Tiger Jack Payne (USA) at Sydney Stadium, Australia on 6 March 1926, a points defeat by Sunny Jim Williams (USA) at Sydney Stadium, Australia on 20 March 1926, a knockout victory over Alf Stewart (Australia) defending the British Empire middleweight title at West Melbourne Stadium, Australia on 17 April 1926, a knockout victory over Tommy Uren (Australia) defending the British Empire middleweight title at Sydney Stadium, Australia on 8 May 1926, a points victory over Tiger Jack Payne (USA) at Sydney Stadium, Australia on 15 May 1926, a points defeat by Sunny Jim Williams (USA) at Lang Park, Brisbane, Australia on 29 May 1926, a points victory over Frisco McGale (Jamaica) at Lang Park, Brisbane, Australia on 5 June 1926, two wins, then a points victory over Maurice Prunier (France) at The Ring, Southwark, London on 15 November 1926, a disqualification defeat by Jack Etienne (Belgium) at The Ring, Southwark, London on 6 December 1926, three wins, then a points defeat by Leone Jacovacci (Italy) at Velodromo Sempione, Milan, Italy on 22 May 1927, two wins, then a points victory over Jack Etienne (Belgium) at The Ring, Southwark, London on 19 December 1927, a points victory over Piet Brand (Netherlands) at The Ring, Southwark, London on 1 January 1928, five wins, one defeat, then a points victory over Leone Jacovacci (Italy) at King's Hall, Belle Vue, Manchester on 20 November 1928, a points victory over Ignacio Ara (Spain) at The Ring, Southwark, London on 20 November 1928, a points victory over Sunny Jim Williams (USA) at King's Hall, Belle Vue, Manchester on 22 January 1929, a retirement victory over Gerard Debarbieux (Belgium) at Liverpool Stadium on 11 April 1929, a points victory over Harry Crossley at Fenton Street Drill Hall, Leeds on 3 June 1929, a technical knockout victory over Marcel Moret (France) at Clapton Stadium, Clapton, London on 21 June 1929, a technical knockout victory over Emile Egrel (France) at The Rink, West Bromwich on 20 October 1929, a retirement victory over Louis Wuestenraedt (Belgium) at Granby Halls, Leicester on 4 November 1929, a points victory over Pierre Gandon (France) at Free Trade Hall, Manchester on 26 November 1929, a points victory over Michele Bonaglia (Italy) at King's Hall, Belle Vue, Manchester on 17 December 1929, one win, then a retirement victory over Leone Jacovacci (Italy) at St. James' Hall, Newcastle upon Tyne on 17 June 1930, a points victory over Pierre Gandon (France) at The Ring, Southwark, London on 13 October 1930, a points victory over Giuseppe Malerba at Free Trade Hall, Manchester on 21 October 1930, one win, then a points defeat by, and a points victory over Jack Etienne at King's Hall, Belle Vue, Manchester on 6 April 1931 and 20 April 1931, two wins, then a knockout victory over Louis Wuestenraedt (Belgium) at Leeds Town Hall on 14 March 1932, Arthur Vermaut (France) at Royal Albert Hall, London on 27 April 1932, a points defeat by Len Harvey at Royal Albert Hall, London on 11 May 1932, this was billed as British Middleweight Championship bout, but it was not recognised by the British Boxing Board of Control due to the colour bar,^[3] a points defeat by Marcel Thil (France) at Palais des Sports de Paris, Paris on 31 October 1932, one win, one defeat, then a knockout victory over Rene Vermout (France) at Royal Albert Hall, London on 26 June 1933, one win, then a technical knockout defeat by Eddie Peirce (South Africa) at The Ring, Southwark, London on 1 October 1933, Len Johnson's final professional boxing bout was a points defeat by Jim Winters at Music Hall, Edinburgh, on 12 October 1933.^[4]

Genealogical information

Len Johnson was the son of William Benker (Bill) Johnson (an African merchant seaman, boxer, and engineer), and Margaret Maher, (marriage registered April→June 1902 in Chorlton district) and older brother of Albert and Bill (both professional boxers) and sister Doris Johnson (birth registered October→December 1924 in Chorlton district).

References

External links

• Professional boxing record for Len Johnson from BoxRec
• Image - Len Johnson
• Image - Len Johnson
• Article - Len Johnson – Black British Boxer
• Article - Len Johnson, 1902-1974
• Article - October's object was about Manchester boxer and political activist Len Johnson
• Article - The uncrownable champion
• Article - Johnson Len
• Article - Len Johnson; Manchester boxer and Communist