He was one of the best boxers in the world - so why don't people know his name?
manchestereveningnews.co.ukIt's a story about resilience against the mightiest of odds. Len Johnson was widely recognised as one of the best boxers in the world during his heyday.
But the Clayton born fighter never got the chance to contest for a British title because of the colour of his skin. The oldest of four, Johnson was born to a father from Sierra Leone and a mother from Ireland in October 1902.
He picked up boxing after getting into a fight at work and his dad, a former fighter himself, signed him up to a club. The apple didn’t fall too far from the tree.
As a middleweight, Johnson dominated the British and European divisions. READ MORE: Salford Lads Club is on the brink of closure - it needs our help However, he was unable to clinch that all important British title because of the rules at the time.
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