Len Johnson (boxer)

Len Johnson
Statistics
Real name Leonard Benker Johnson
Weight(s) middle/light heavyweight
Height 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Reach 74 1⁄2 in (189 cm)
Nationality English
Born 22 October 1902
Clayton, Manchester, England
Died 28 September 1974 (aged 71)
Boxing record
Total fights 135
Wins 99 (KO 36)
Losses 33 (KO 5)
Draws 7
No contests 1

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 1930s, 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 colour 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 (joining the party in 1944 and later writing a boxing column for the party newspaper The Daily Worker),[2] a trade unionist, a community leader in Moss Side, a local civil rights activist, and attended the 5th Pan-African Congress in Manchester.[3] Following the Second World War, he was a co-founder of the New International Society in Manchester, which provided a vehicle for black political and social self-organisation in the city and campaigning against racism at home and abroad, including organising a concert and a rally featuring Paul Robeson in support of the Trenton Six, which were both attended by 10,000 people.[2]

Boxing career

Johnson was entered for his first bouts by his father whilst the engineering firm he worked for as a foundryman was on strike: he won his first two fights.[2] Len Johnson had a long professional boxing career (see below):[4]

Johnson then travelled to Australia.

After returning to Europe:

Johnson's professional career spanned 127 fights, including 92 wins, 29 losses and 6 draws.[2]

Genealogical information

Len Johnson was the son of William Benker (Bill) Johnson, a Sierra Leonean merchant seaman, boxer, and engineer, and Margaret Maher, of Irish ancestry[2] (marriage registered April→June 1902 in Chorlton, district, Manchester) and older brother of Albert and Bill (both professional boxers) and sister Doris Johnson (birth also registered October→December 1924 in Chorlton, district, Manchester).

References

  1. ↑ "Birth details at freebmd.org.uk". freebmd.org.uk. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2013.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Barnett, Marcus (24 July 2017). "In the Red Corner". Jacobin (magazine). Retrieved 24 July 2017.
  3. ↑ "The uncrownable champion". bbc.co.uk. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2013.
  4. 1 2 "Statistics at boxrec.com". boxrec.com. 31 December 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2013.
  5. ↑ Boxing News (18 May 1932). Boxing News – British Middleweight Championship bout not recognised by BBBofC. Boxing News. ISBN n/a
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