Len Harvey
Encyclopedia
Len Harvey was a boxer
born in Stoke Climsland
, Cornwall
. A great tactician and defensive boxer who boxed at every weight division of his day. He began boxing at the very young age of 12 and boxed to he was 36. He was British champion at three weights, middleweight, light-heavy and heavyweight. He also held the British Empire championship at light-heavy and heavyweight as well as being recognised as world light-heavyweight champion in Britain from 1939–1942.
at 12. By the time he was 18 he was ready to fight for the British welterweight
title. He was held to a draw though by Harry Mason on the 29 April 1926. His next British title shot came 2 years later on the 16 May 1929. This time at middleweight
against Alex Ireland. Harvey knocked out his opponent in the seventh round to become British champion. He made six defences between 1929 and 1933. He also fought Marcel Thil
of France
for the world middleweight championship. He lost on points in a close decision.
On 10 April 1933, he defended his title against Jock McAvoy
. This ended in defeat for Harvey but two months later he was in the ring again challenging Eddie Phillips and won on points to become British Light Heavyweight champion. On the 30 November that year he beat the then unbeaten Jack Petersen
to become the British Heavyweight champion. He then went on to beat Canada
's Larry Gains to become British Empire champion, but lost both titles in a rematch with Petersen being stopped in the 12th round on cuts. Harvey then went on to fight for the world title on the 9 November 1936, but was beaten on points by John Henry Lewis
. He then regained the British Heavyweight title by disqualification against old foe Eddie Phillips. In 1938 John Henry Lewis retired after developing eye problems, Harvey was then matched with another old foe Jock McAvoy for British recognition of the world championship at Harringay Arena
. This time he won on points on 10 July 1939.
Harvey joined the Royal Air Force
. By this time he was a national sporting idol and was given an officer rank. During this time he was persuaded to defend his titles against Freddie Mills
on 20 June 1942. By this time Harvey was a veteran of over a hundred bouts and was 35 years old. He was knocked out in two rounds the only second time he was stopped and first by K.O. He retired after this bout, he had an official record of 133 fights, 111 wins, 9 draws and 13 defeats. He claimed to have had 418 but they probably including booth fights. His three fights with Jock McAvoy were legendary where he won two and lost one, he later died in London
on 28 November 1976. Such was his legend that he was inducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame in 2008.
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
born in Stoke Climsland
Stoke Climsland
Stoke Climsland is a village in the River Tamar Valley, Cornwall, United Kingdom within the civil parish of Stokeclimsland.The manor of Climsland was one of the 17 Antiqua maneria of the Duchy of Cornwall.-Notable buildings:...
, Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
. A great tactician and defensive boxer who boxed at every weight division of his day. He began boxing at the very young age of 12 and boxed to he was 36. He was British champion at three weights, middleweight, light-heavy and heavyweight. He also held the British Empire championship at light-heavy and heavyweight as well as being recognised as world light-heavyweight champion in Britain from 1939–1942.
Early career
Len Harvey started out as a flyweightFlyweight
Flyweight is a class in boxing which includes fighters weighing less than 112 lb but above 108 lb .-Professional boxing:...
at 12. By the time he was 18 he was ready to fight for the British 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...
title. He was held to a draw though by Harry Mason on the 29 April 1926. His next British title shot came 2 years later on the 16 May 1929. This time at middleweight
Middleweight
Middleweight is a division, or weight class, in boxing. Early boxing history is less than exact, but the middleweight designation seems to have begun in the 1840s. In the bare-knuckle era, the first middleweight championship fight was between Tom Chandler and Dooney Harris in 1897...
against Alex Ireland. Harvey knocked out his opponent in the seventh round to become British champion. He made six defences between 1929 and 1933. He also fought Marcel Thil
Marcel Thil
-Career:Born in Saint-Dizier, Haute-Marne in the Champagne-Ardenne Region of France, Thil started boxing at a very young age and turned professional at the age of sixteen...
of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
for the world middleweight championship. He lost on points in a close decision.
On 10 April 1933, he defended his title against Jock McAvoy
Jock McAvoy
Jock McAvoy was a British boxer who fought from 1927 to 1945. He was born Joseph Patrick Bamford in Rochdale, Lancashire. Jo Bamford adopted the name Jock McAvoy so that his mother did not realise he was boxing...
. This ended in defeat for Harvey but two months later he was in the ring again challenging Eddie Phillips and won on points to become British Light Heavyweight champion. On the 30 November that year he beat the then unbeaten Jack Petersen
Jack Petersen
Jack Petersen was a Welsh boxer, who held the British heavyweight boxing title on two separate occasions.-Early life and career:...
to become the British Heavyweight champion. He then went on to beat Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
's Larry Gains to become British Empire champion, but lost both titles in a rematch with Petersen being stopped in the 12th round on cuts. Harvey then went on to fight for the world title on the 9 November 1936, but was beaten on points by John Henry Lewis
John Henry Lewis
John Henry Lewis was an African American boxer who was the world Light Heavyweight champion from 1935 to 1939.One interesting fact of his is that Lewis was managed by a gambler and racketeer of the 1930s: Gus Greenlee, a man who became very important to baseball's Negro Leagues as a commissioner...
. He then regained the British Heavyweight title by disqualification against old foe Eddie Phillips. In 1938 John Henry Lewis retired after developing eye problems, Harvey was then matched with another old foe Jock McAvoy for British recognition of the world championship at Harringay Arena
Harringay Arena
Harringay Arena was a sporting and events venue on Green Lanes in Harringay, North London, England. Built in 1936, it lasted as a venue until 1958.-Construction:...
. This time he won on points on 10 July 1939.
Later career and death
During World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
Harvey joined the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
. By this time he was a national sporting idol and was given an officer rank. During this time he was persuaded to defend his titles against Freddie Mills
Freddie Mills
Freddie Mills, was an English boxer, who was the world light heavyweight boxing champion from 1948 to 1950. He was born in Poole, England.- Early life :...
on 20 June 1942. By this time Harvey was a veteran of over a hundred bouts and was 35 years old. He was knocked out in two rounds the only second time he was stopped and first by K.O. He retired after this bout, he had an official record of 133 fights, 111 wins, 9 draws and 13 defeats. He claimed to have had 418 but they probably including booth fights. His three fights with Jock McAvoy were legendary where he won two and lost one, he later died in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
on 28 November 1976. Such was his legend that he was inducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame in 2008.
See also
- List of British heavyweight boxing champions
- List of British light-heavyweight boxing champions
- List of British middleweight boxing champions
External links
- Sparring with Len Harvey (1934) Article.