RECORD BREAKER

Len Wickwar had more professional fights than anyone, averaging a contest every nine days during his 12-and-a-half active years as a boxer. Matt Bozeat catches up with Wickwar’s family in an effort to find out more about the busiest fighter in all of boxi

An incredible tale of one man and a ridiculous amount of fights

THE family of record-holder Len Wickwar want him to be remembered in his home city. The Guinness Book of Records and every boxing encyclopedia includes Wickwar’s name. He’s there because he had more professional fights than anyone else. Boxrec and The Ultimate Encyclopedia

of World Boxing can’t agree on the exact number – the former reckons 470, the latter says 460 – but they are agreed that nobody had more.

Turning pro at 17 in 1928, Wickwar fought until 1947 and with a six-year gap for World War II, he fought on average around every nine days throughout his 12-and-a-half active years. Boxrec record him fighting an astonishing 58 times in 1934.

“If it wasn’t for the War,” said son-inlaw Bryan Spencer, “I’m sure Len would have had 600 fights.”

Spencer wants Wickwar to be remembered in Leicester, where he lived his 69 years until his death in 1980.

Spencer says that with factories built on the area in the East Midlands city where Wickwar grew up, the rugby ground on Welford Road, home of Leicester Tigers, is an option for a plaque.

That was where Wickwar fought thenbritish lightweight champion Eric Boon in a non-title fight in front of 14,000 fans in July, 1939. Brief footage of the fight is available on Youtube. Wickwar lost in nine rounds – and blamed the weather.

“Len was never one for excuses,” said Spencer, “but it was throwing it down with rain during the fight and he always said they should have stopped the fight.

“The canvas was so wet, Len said it was like an ice rink.” Spencer had known Wickwar since 1964, when he met Len’s daughter Pearl, until his death and regarded him as “the best mate I ever had.”

They worked together at Bentley Engineering – Wickwar was a packer and labourer – and were neighbours on the New Parks estate in Leicester.

Spencer says Wickwar had little interest in boxing once he had retired.

“People would ask him to help out at the gym,” he said, “but Len never wanted to know.

“I’m sure he could have been a good trainer, but Len used to say: ‘I’ve done my time, I’m finished with boxing.’

“He never went to any shows. He had seen it all and done it all. He was glad to walk away from boxing.”

There was bitterness towards his former manager, George Biddles. He wrote of the “adventures” they had together, but Wickwar remembered things differently.

“I remember Biddles coming round the house one Christmas and Len didn’t want to know,” said Spencer. “Biddles wanted to come in for a couple of hours to chat and Len told him to p**s off.”

Biddles told Boxing News in his memoirs that he discovered Wickwar at a gymnasium above the Friar Tuck pub, not far from where Rendall Munroe would learn to box years later.