Len Wadsworth

Len Wadsworth
Personal information
NationalityCanada Canadian
BornLeonard William Wadsworth
Haileybury, Ontario, Canada
Height6 ft 0 in (183cm)
WeightMiddleweight
Boxing career
Reach72½ in (184.15 cm)[1]
StanceOrthodox
Boxing record
Total fights54
Wins31
Win by KO18
Losses19
Draws4
Medal record
Boxing
Representing  Canada
British Empire Games
Silver medal – second place1934 Londonmiddleweight

Len Wadsworth (fl. 1930s–1940s) was a Canadian professional middleweight boxer who held the Canadian middleweight boxing title from 1938 to 1947.

Early life

Leonard William Wadsworth was born around 1915 in Haileybury, Ontario, Canada.[2]

Amateur boxing career

In April 1934, he competed in the Ontario Amateur Boxing Championships in the middleweight division.[3] The 160-pound titleholder soon participated in the Canadian trials for the 1934 British Empire Games that July.[4] Wadsworth secured a silver medal at the second ever British Empire Games (now Commonwealth Games) after losing to England's Alf Shawyer by split decision at the Wembley Stadium in August 1934.[5]

Professional career

Once back in Canada, he began his professional career in Ontario.[6] Starting in 1935, he scored four straight wins before a loss to Jackie Flowers at Broadway Auditorium in 1937.[2]

Taking the Canadian middleweight championship, February 1938

After collecting three knockouts, Len Wadsworth knocked out Irvin Pease in the seventh round to win his first Canadian middleweight title on February 28, 1938.[7]

Wadsworth, the Canadian middleweight champion, lost a non-title bout to Saint John middleweight Ray McIntyre in Toronto on April 11, 1938.[8]

Losing the Canadian middleweight championship to Ray McIntyre, May 1938

He then put his Canadian middleweight championship at stake on May 20, 1938, in Ottawa. Over 2,500 people filled the Ottawa Auditorium. He lost the title to McIntyre via twelve-round decision.[8]

Reclaiming the Canadian middleweight championship from Ray McIntyre, August 1938

Wadsworth regained the middleweight title from rival Ray McIntyre by winning a 10-round decision in Timmins on August 18, 1938. The bout was officiated by Phil Zwick, who credited Wadsworth with 7 of the 10 rounds.[9]

Wadsworth lost a unanimous decision to McIntyre on June 13, 1939, in Saint John, New Brunswick. The bout, scheduled for ten rounds, was not a title fight as both men exceeded the weight limit. Wadsworth was knocked down in the seventh round but recovered to finish the match.[10]

Notable bouts during middleweight title reign

On October 6, 1939, in Timmins, Wadsworth defended the Canadian middleweight title with a hard-fought ten-round decision win over Ray McIntyre.[11] The reigning titleholder maintained complete control throughout the match, sending his opponent to the canvas twelve times before the fight ended.[12]

His second defense of the Canadian middleweight title came on March 4, 1940, when he faced Frankie Genovese at Maple Leaf Gardens.[13] Wadsworth and Genovese fought to a draw in their first meeting. The two boxers battled to another stalemate at the McIntyre Arena on March 15, 1840.[2] He lost to Genovese in a non-title bout on May 12, 1941.[14]

By 1943, he was under the management of Maurice Foreman.[15] Wadsworth made his first title defense in front of Montreal fight fans against Wilfie Shanks in March 1943. He successfully defended his championship for the second time just two weeks later, stopping Al Evans by 10th-round TKO.[16]

Wadsworth enlisted in the Canadian Army as a trooper while holding the Canadian middleweight title. He participated in the Canadian Army Boxing Tournament held in Ottawa in May 1944.[17] He was discharged from the army by 1945.

Facing undisputed world middleweight champion Tony Zale in Wichita, Kansas in February 1947, he lost by a third-round knockout.[18] His appearance marked the first time in Wichita boxing history that fans witnessed a nationally known opponent like Wadsworth challenge an active world champion.[19]

Losing the Canadian middleweight championship to Roger Whynott, February 1947

He was scheduled to fight Maritime welterweight champion Roger Whynott in Halifax in a title defense on February 28, 1947.[20] After 12 rounds, he lost a disputed decision to Whynott from Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia.[21]

Losing the Canadian middleweight championship to Rockabye Ross, August 1948

On May 1, 1948, Len Wadsworth put his title on the line in Glace Bay, facing George "Rock-a-Bye" Ross in a scheduled 12-round contest. Though Wadsworth was defeated by decision, the Canadian Boxing Federation allowed him to keep his Canadian middleweight championship. The Montreal-based federation determined the fight didn't count because the Cape Breton Association wasn't affiliated with the C.B.F. He was still viewed as the reigning middleweight champion in Quebec and Ontario.[22]

His 10-year reign as Canadian middleweight champion officially ended in August 1948 when he was defeated by Rockabye Ross in Halifax, Nova Scotia.[23] The back-to-back fights with Ross marked the end of his boxing career.

Professional boxing record

54 fights 31 wins 19 losses
By knockout 18 3
By decision 13 16
Draws 4

References

  1. ↑ "Wadsworth Gets Big Chance In Bout Tonight". The Windsor Star. October 10, 1945. p. 24. Retrieved 2025-10-22.
  2. 1 2 3 "Len Wadsworth". boxrec.com. Retrieved 2025-10-22.
  3. ↑ "Len Wadsworth Leads Hamilton Boxers In Bid For Titles". The Hamilton Spectator. April 25, 1934. p. 24. Retrieved 2025-10-22.
  4. ↑ "Hamilton Stars Wins Way to Final Round". The Hamilton Spectator. July 13, 1934. p. 21. Retrieved 2025-10-22.
  5. ↑ "Wadsworth and Genovese in Title Fight Tomorrow". nytimes.com. August 11, 1934. Retrieved 2025-10-22.
  6. ↑ "Man Of Many Interests Is Len Wadsworth, The Boxer". The Windsor Star. August 8, 1945. p. 21. Retrieved 2025-10-22.
  7. ↑ Andy Lytle (March 1, 1938). "Wadsworth Nimbly Shells Pease". The Toronto Star. p. 8. Retrieved 2025-10-22.
  8. 1 2 Tommy Shields (May 21, 1938). "Ray McIntyre Captures Titles By Defeating Len Wadsworth". The Ottawa Citizen. p. 12. Retrieved 2025-10-22.
  9. ↑ "Wadsworth Regains Middleweight Title". North Bay Nugget. August 19, 1938. p. 14. Retrieved 2025-11-06.
  10. ↑ "Ray McIntyre Winner Over Len Wadsworth". The Ottawa Citizen. June 14, 1939. p. 10. Retrieved 2025-11-06.
  11. ↑ "Len Wadsworth vs Ray McIntyre". boxrec.com. Retrieved 2025-10-22.
  12. ↑ "Keeps Title". The Montreal Star. October 7, 1939. p. 10. Retrieved 2025-11-06.
  13. ↑ "Wadsworth and Genovese in Title Fight Tomorrow" (PDF). images.ourontario.ca. Retrieved 2025-10-22.
  14. ↑ "Len Wadsworth vs Frankie Genovese". boxrec.com. Retrieved 2025-10-22.
  15. ↑ "Champ Impressive At First Workout". The Vancouver Sun. May 10, 1943. p. 20. Retrieved 2025-10-22.
  16. ↑ George Whittaker (April 8, 1943). "Len Wadsworth Retains Canadian Ring Crown". The Montreal Star. p. 20. Retrieved 2025-10-22.
  17. ↑ Jack Brayley (May 5, 1944). "Len Wadsworth, Vern Escoe Score Technical Knockouts". The Sun Times. p. 20. Retrieved 2025-10-22.
  18. ↑ "Zale In 3-Round K. O." The Kansas City Times. February 13, 1947. p. 18. Retrieved 2025-10-22.
  19. ↑ "Tony Zale, Winner of Best Fighter Award, Fights in Forum Wednesday". The Wichita Eagle. February 9, 1947. p. 13. Retrieved 2025-10-22.
  20. ↑ "Wadsworth Lays His Canadian Middle Title On Line Friday Night Against Roger Whynott". Telegraph-Journal. February 27, 1947. p. 11. Retrieved 2025-10-22.
  21. ↑ "Controversy Rages". The Hamilton Spectator. March 12, 1947. p. 28. Retrieved 2025-11-06.
  22. ↑ "Canadian Sport Snaps". Saint John Times Globe. May 11, 1948. p. 15. Retrieved 2025-10-22.
  23. ↑ "Boxing has a championship tradition in Cape Breton". pressreader.com. Retrieved 2025-10-22.
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