How is Len Wickwar doing?

[Theo Netherland]

Len Wickwar is the guy that is believed to have had the most professional bouts of all boxers: 465

Just found out he was born in 1911 and that on 03-11 next year he will be a 100 years old! I think on it’s own it is a remarkable thing that the guy with the most boxing fights reaches such a high age. There wasn’t much on the net that I could find about him. So I wonder if here is someone who knows him, and how he is doing.

http://boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?hum...4129&cat=boxer

[Gallicrow]

(From http://cyberboxingzone.com/cbzforum/...ead.php?t=3544)

Here's some more information about Len Wickwar from a family newsletter for the Wickware / Wickwire surnames:

Leonard WICKWAR (Len) was born on March 11th 1911 in the Leicester area. He died on April or may 1980, aged 69 years. He was married to Phyllis, had a son named Leon, who was born approx. 1940, and a daughter named Pearl, who was born about 1942 In 1965 he was working as a machine packer for an Engineering Company in Leicester.

Onto his Boxing career:
By 1965 he had completed nearly 500 bouts.
From 1926 to 1947 he had amassed a total of 467 contests, beating the best at his weight.

From the "Boxing News" of June 20th 1980, Leonard was described by his Manager George Biddles, as "The Greatest Boxer who never won a major title".

However he did win many worthwhile contests.
He became the featherweight Champion of the Midlands in 1933, winning a purse of £100, and "The Ted Salmonĺs Gold Championship Belt", (which was, unfortunately, later stolen from a Leicester Pub, where it was on display). His final Professional Boxing match was on Feb 6th 1947, when he was beaten by Danny Cunningham of Methill, in a fight at St. James's Hill, Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

[Goofy Pimple]

I'm fairly certain he has been dead for many years.

[Theo Netherland]

I'm fairly certain he has been dead for many years.

Hi Goofy Pimple. Thanks for the information! I wonder how can we find out if he’s still alive or not. And by the way, such record means more to me then most of unnecessary world titles that there are today. People like Wickwar are the real thing!

Theo

[gregbeyer]

wow .... 7 pages on boxrec.

greg

[KOJOE90]

He died years ago. I met his granddaughter twice about 18 months ago, she knew he was a Boxer but had no idea of his ring record etc and was asking me about him.

He still has a few family members here in Leicester.

[Theo Netherland]

He died years ago. I met his granddaughter twice about 18 months ago, she knew he was a Boxer but had no idea of his ring record etc and was asking me about him.

He still has a few family members here in Leicester.

Thanks for the information. I still wonder why there is no official date of death given. In a country like England it can't be too difficult to find out about when someone is born of has died.

[Theo Netherland]

ERIC BOON V LEN WICKWAR AT LEICESTER
http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=24270

[Theo Netherland]

Maybe here's the answer of when Len Wickwar died:
http://ninjasplace.forumotion.net/bo...kwar-t7948.htm

Well, to cut a very long story very short, my Mother in law Alice Muriel CHAPMAN, mentioned that there was a “Champion Boxer” WICKWAR in the family. She seemed to recall that he was probably a cousin of her mother. After research, helped by a friendly and very helpful Boxing Historian, I have ascertained that there was a boxing link in the WICKWAR story. In brief, this is what I have found....

Leonard WICKWAR (Len) was born on March 11th 1911 in the Leicester area. He died on April or May 1980, aged 69 years. He was married to Phyllis, had a son named Leon, who was born approx. 1940, and a daughter named Pearl, who was born about 1942. In 1965 he was working as a machine packer for an Engineering Company in Leicester.

[BDeskins]

I think Len Wickwar did have the most recorded bouts, but Wildcat Monte is right up there with him in total recorded bouts! Nonetheless, that many bouts is incredible! Boxing in the UK during those years saw numerous fighters that fought 200+ career bouts!

[jim glen]

enough footage there to show the class and skill of Wickwar, and certainly the grit and toughness of "Boy" Boon another Brit that could have won the world title!

excellent footage TOP Class fighters!

[Chuck1052]

It appears that Len Wickwar's manager was George Biddles, who also managed Hogan "Kid" Bassey and Richard Dunn. Here's another mindblower......Wickwar apparently had a stablemate named George Marsden, who had "only" recorded 318 bouts, according to BoxRec!

- Chuck Johnston

[Chuck1052]

I was wondering why Len Wickwar retired from boxing for a number of years starting in
1940. Was it because the wear-and-tear of so many bouts during about twelve years of activity was starting to get to him? Was it because he was able to work on a regular basis because of the war? Was it because there were far less professional boxing shows in the UK during the war?

- Chuck Johnston

[Gallicrow]

See http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.u...ail/story.html

Geoff, of Uppingham Road, can add some more information about Len.

He says: "Len lived in the Newbridge Street area of Leicester in the 1930s.

"When the war broke out in 1939, there was a factory in Walnut Street called Spires, which was taken over by Armstrong Siddeley's and went on war work.

"Len got a job there as a labourer and worked until the end of the war."

While there, he got to know Alec Hibberd, Geoff's father. Geoff and his brother Keith were interested in boxing, having done a little bit at school. Geoff had joined Caldecote Road School Youth Centre in 1943, and Keith in 1945. Alec Hibberd wrote to the Leicester Education Committee and managed to get Len an evening job of training some of the lads at the youth centre in the art of boxing, with some success, and he was there for two and a half years from 1944 to 1946.

Geoff says: "When the war ended Len started his own career again, as mentioned in your story. After he had retired from the ring in 1947 he got a job at Bentleys in Newbridge Street, in the packing department, and moved down to Parker Drive, when the knitting and fitting sections moved there in 1949.