| |
Wells had his first
professional fight on 8 June 1910, against Gunner Joe Mills,
winning on points over six rounds. In his first eight fights he
recorded seven wins and one defeat. In his next fight he fought
for the British Heavyweight Title, at the National Sporting
Club,
Covent Garden,
London. The fight was in April 1911 against Iron (William)
Hague, the holder, and Wells won by a knockout in the sixth
round of twenty. Wells was
matched to fight the current world heavyweight champion,
Jack Johnson,
in London in October 1911, but religious opponents of excessive
prize money, led by
Baptist
minister
Frederick Brotherton Meyer,
and opponents of contests between the races, caused the fight to
be cancelled by
Winston Churchill,
who was then Home Secretary. A 'color bar' remained in British
boxing until 1947.
In December 1911, Wells fought Fred
Storbeck at Covent Garden for the
British Empire
Heavyweight Title, scoring a knockout in the eleventh round to
gain his second title in one year.
In June 1913, Wells fought the
extremely talented
Frenchman
Georges Carpentier
for the European Heavyweight Title. The bout was held in
Ghent,
Belgium,
and Wells lost by a knockout in the fourth round.
Wells defended his British heavyweight
title three times in 1913, and then in December of the same
year, he had a rematch with Carpentier for his European title.
The bout was held at Covent garden, but again Carpentier won,
this time by a knockout in the first round.
Wells continued to box and successfully
defend his British heavyweight title, even after the start of
World War I.
In May 1915, Wells joined up for military service and was made a
sergeant. He continued to box until the end of 1916, and in 1917
was sent to France to organise physical training amongst the
troops.
After the end of the war, Wells resumed
his boxing career. His fourteenth defence of his British
heavyweight title, and of his British Empire title was against
Joe Beckett, a boxer whom he had beaten on points two months
previously. The bout was held in February 1919, in
Holborn,
London, and Beckett won by a knockout in the fifth round to take
Wells’ titles.
Wells then had five more bouts, winning
them all, before having a rematch against Beckett in May 1920.
The bout was held at
Olympia,
Kensington,
but again Wells was knocked out, this time in the third round.
Wells continued to fight, having eight
more bouts, winning five and losing six. His last fight was in
April 1925. |
|
