Bruce Wells
Encyclopedia
Bruce Albert Wells was an English amateur boxer
, holder of the ABA Light Middleweight and European Amateur Boxing Championship titles. The magazine Boxing News described him as an "ex-amateur star".
His career win count is 385 - 3.
, Middlesex
, and after moving to Reading
as a boy, he joined the local Reading Aero Boxing Club and readily took to the game. He went on to win Junior ABA Welterweight
titles in 1949 and 1950, and also claimed the Gold Star beating Joe Erskine.
In 1951 he made his international début at Belle Vue against the USA, completely out-boxing New Yorker, Randy Sandy and dominating the proceedings with his long left lead.
Wells started 1953 in fine style, chalking up a victory against Ireland at the Royal Albert Hall
, following two successes in Denmark
, before he attempted to win the ABA Championships
.
On 24 April he outscored Scotland's Len Mullen in a semi-final at Wembley, and later that evening was crowned ABA Light Middleweight champion, outpointing Brixton eel-dresser Roy Francis, who was to become one of Britain's best known referees.
Fortified by ABA success, Wells, along with six other ABA champions, which included a young Henry Cooper
, headed for the European Amateur Boxing Championships
in Warsaw, and eventually clinched Gold, beating Polish National Hero Zbigniew Pietrzykowski
, who was himself to go on and win a total of four European titles.
1953 was also a great year outside the ring, as on 10 December, Wells was honoured as one of the Sport Writers Association, Sportsman of the Year, along with Don Cockell
, Sir Stanley Matthews
, Alec Bedser
, Jim Peters and Mike Hawthorn
.
In 1954 Wells went on to retain his ABA Crown outpointing Irishman Andy Keogh in the final at Wembley, before captaining the European team in the prestigious International Golden Gloves
matches in the USA, outclassing Art Glass and Leslie Temple in Chicago and St Louis respectively.
At the end of July, Wells flew to Vancouver for 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games
, reaching the semi-final. A horrendous head-on clash after only two minutes and ten seconds of the bout ruled both men out of the championships, although Wells gained the verdict and the bronze medal, by reason of majority point decision. Wells eye injury later required eight stitches and was forced to withdraw from the tournament.
Plagued by weight problems and difficulties outside the ring, Wells suffered his third and final reverse to West Germany's Hans Reinhart in an International match at Wembley.
After stepping up to Middleweight, his last major bout was to be against the formidable Olympic and European Champion, Stalingrad's Gennadiy Shatkov
. Although the Great Britain team was drubbed 8-2 in the International competition, Wells won his bout, outpointing Shatkov over three rounds.
After retiring from competitive boxing, Wells became a stunt artist, working on various films and TV productions, although in 1977 he participated in a charity boxing exhibition bout with Muhammad Ali
, during a visit to South Shields, UK.
Amateur boxing
Amateur boxing is practised at the collegiate level, at the Olympic Games and Commonwealth Games, and in many other venues sponsored by amateur boxing associations. Amateur boxing bouts are short in duration and fighters wear head protection, so this type of competition prizes point-scoring rather...
, holder of the ABA Light Middleweight and European Amateur Boxing Championship titles. The magazine Boxing News described him as an "ex-amateur star".
His career win count is 385 - 3.
Career
Wells was born in HarlesdenHarlesden
Harlesden is an area in the London Borough of Brent, northwest London, UK. Its main focal point is the Jubilee Clock which commemorates Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee....
, Middlesex
Middlesex
Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...
, and after moving to Reading
Reading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
as a boy, he joined the local Reading Aero Boxing Club and readily took to the game. He went on to win Junior ABA Welterweight
Welterweight
Welterweight is a weight class division in combat sports. Originally the term "welterweight" was used only in boxing, but other combat sports like kickboxing, taekwondo and mixed martial arts also began to use it for their own weight division system...
titles in 1949 and 1950, and also claimed the Gold Star beating Joe Erskine.
In 1951 he made his international début at Belle Vue against the USA, completely out-boxing New Yorker, Randy Sandy and dominating the proceedings with his long left lead.
Wells started 1953 in fine style, chalking up a victory against Ireland at the Royal Albert Hall
Royal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall situated on the northern edge of the South Kensington area, in the City of Westminster, London, England, best known for holding the annual summer Proms concerts since 1941....
, following two successes in Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, before he attempted to win the ABA Championships
ABA Championships
The ABA Championships is the premier tournament hosted annually by the Amateur Boxing Association of England. The Championships are 'open' class: any boxer who is registered with a club of the ABA of England can enter....
.
On 24 April he outscored Scotland's Len Mullen in a semi-final at Wembley, and later that evening was crowned ABA Light Middleweight champion, outpointing Brixton eel-dresser Roy Francis, who was to become one of Britain's best known referees.
Fortified by ABA success, Wells, along with six other ABA champions, which included a young Henry Cooper
Henry Cooper
Henry Cooper may refer to:*Sir Henry Cooper , British Heavyweight boxer*Henry Cooper from Tennessee*Henry Cooper , English recipient of the Victoria Cross...
, headed for the European Amateur Boxing Championships
European Amateur Boxing Championships
The European Amateur Boxing Championships is the highest competition for boxing amateurs in Europe, organised by the continent's governing body EUBC, which stands for the European Boxing Confederation...
in Warsaw, and eventually clinched Gold, beating Polish National Hero Zbigniew Pietrzykowski
Zbigniew Pietrzykowski
Zbigniew Pietrzykowski is a retired Polish boxer.Three times he took part in the Olympic Games, every time winning a medal. He won a bronze medal at Melbourne 1956 in the Light middleweight division, after losing in the semi-final to Hungarian László Papp...
, who was himself to go on and win a total of four European titles.
1953 was also a great year outside the ring, as on 10 December, Wells was honoured as one of the Sport Writers Association, Sportsman of the Year, along with Don Cockell
Don Cockell
Donald John Cockell was an English boxer. He fought for most of his career as a light-heavyweight and became the British and European champion at that weight. Later in his career he moved up to heavyweight and held the British and Commonwealth heavyweight titles...
, Sir Stanley Matthews
Stanley Matthews
Sir Stanley Matthews, CBE was an English footballer. Often regarded as one of the greatest players of the English game, he is the only player to have been knighted while still playing, as well as being the first winner of both the European Footballer of the Year and the Football Writers'...
, Alec Bedser
Alec Bedser
Sir Alec Victor Bedser, CBE was a professional English cricketer. He was the chairman of selectors for the English national cricket team, and the president of Surrey County Cricket Club...
, Jim Peters and Mike Hawthorn
Mike Hawthorn
John Michael Hawthorn was a racing driver, born in Mexborough, Yorkshire, England, and educated at Ardingly College, West Sussex.-Racing career:...
.
In 1954 Wells went on to retain his ABA Crown outpointing Irishman Andy Keogh in the final at Wembley, before captaining the European team in the prestigious International Golden Gloves
Golden Gloves
The Golden Gloves is the name given to annual competitions for amateur boxing in the United States. The Golden Gloves is often the term used to refer to the National Golden Gloves competition, but it also can represent several other amateur tournaments, including regional golden gloves...
matches in the USA, outclassing Art Glass and Leslie Temple in Chicago and St Louis respectively.
At the end of July, Wells flew to Vancouver for 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games
1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games
The 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games were held in Vancouver, in the province of British Columbia in Canada, from 30 July-7 August 1954. These were the first games since the name change from British Empire Games took effect in 1952....
, reaching the semi-final. A horrendous head-on clash after only two minutes and ten seconds of the bout ruled both men out of the championships, although Wells gained the verdict and the bronze medal, by reason of majority point decision. Wells eye injury later required eight stitches and was forced to withdraw from the tournament.
Plagued by weight problems and difficulties outside the ring, Wells suffered his third and final reverse to West Germany's Hans Reinhart in an International match at Wembley.
After stepping up to Middleweight, his last major bout was to be against the formidable Olympic and European Champion, Stalingrad's Gennadiy Shatkov
Gennadiy Shatkov
Gennadi Ivanovich Shatkov was a boxer from the USSR, who competed in the Middleweight division during the major part of his career.-Biography:...
. Although the Great Britain team was drubbed 8-2 in the International competition, Wells won his bout, outpointing Shatkov over three rounds.
After retiring from competitive boxing, Wells became a stunt artist, working on various films and TV productions, although in 1977 he participated in a charity boxing exhibition bout with Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali is an American former professional boxer, philanthropist and social activist...
, during a visit to South Shields, UK.
TV/Film credits
- MinderMinder (TV series)Minder is a British comedy-drama about the London criminal underworld. Initially produced by Verity Lambert, it was made by Euston Films, a subsidiary of Thames Television and shown on ITV...
(1984) - Get Some In!Get Some In!Get Some In! was a British television series about life in Royal Air Force National Service broadcast between 1975 and 1978 by Thames Television...
(1976) - Romany JonesRomany JonesRomany Jones is a British sitcom made by LWT, It starred Arthur Mullard and Queenie Watts as Wally and Lily Briggs and was broadcast between 1973 and 1975, The show was originally designed as a vehicle for James Beck , involving the comic misadventures of two layabout families living on a caravan...
(1972) - Doctor WhoDoctor WhoDoctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
(1966–1973) - Dr. Who and the DaleksDr. Who and the DaleksDr. Who and the Daleks was the first of two Doctor Who films made in the 1960s. It was followed by Daleks' Invasion Earth: 2150 A.D....
(1965) - The Servant (1963)