Introduction
Matthew "Matt" Wells (14 December 1886 – 27 June 1953) was a British born professional boxer in the lightweight and welterweight divisions. In 1911, he held the Lightweight Championship of Great Britain, and in 1914 he claimed the Welterweight Championship of Britain and the Welterweight Championship of the World.
Biography
He was born in Walworth, London on December 4, 1886 and died in London on June 27, 1953.
Amateur career
During his amateur career, he held the British Amateur Lightweight crown from 1905-7.
Competing in the Olympics
He competed in the 1908 Summer Olympics in London. In the lightweight event he was eliminated in the quarter-finals after losing to Frederick Grace who later won the gold medal.
Professional career
Wells turned pro in 1909. On February 27, 1911, at the National Sporting Club in London he defeated Freddie Welsh in a twenty-round bout to win the lightweight championship of Great Britain and take home the Lonsdale belt.
On June 22, 1911, he defeated the great Jewish New York boxer Leach Cross at the Madison Athletic Club in New York. The Montreal Gazette noted that the "bout went the full ten rounds, Wells having all the better of it." Wells delivered two hard blows in the ninth that proved his hitting power against a boxer who was noted for exceptional defensive skills.
On April 26, 1912 he lost to the exceptional American boxer Packey McFarland at Madison Square Garden, in New York City. In major competition, McFarland was nearly undefeated, yet never managed to win a title.
On March 21, 1914 he won the Welterweight Championship of Britain and Welterweight Championship of the World by defeating Tom McCormick in a 20-round points decision at Sydney Stadium in New South Wales, Australia. On June 1, 1915, he lost to Mike Glover in a twelve-round bout at the arena in Boston, Massachusetts. He competed for the British title again unsuccessfully against Johnny Basham on November 13, 1919 in Holborn Stadium in London.
Wells impressively defeated reigning World Featherweight Champion Abe Attell on September 20, 1911 in New York. Attell was nearing the end of his ten-year reign as champion and his bout with Wells was not made a title fight partly because he was outweighed by Wells. The Pittsburgh Press wrote the fight was "the greatest exhibition of scientific boxing that has been seen here in years. The Press went on to note that "although Attell was clearing outpointed, his defeat was not a disgrace or anything like it for Wells was heavier, stronger, taller, and had a longer reach."
Wells defeated British boxer and former claimant of the 1907 British sanctioned World Bantamweight championship Owen Moran on November 27, 1913 in Sydney Stadium in Australia. Moran was a former contender for the World Featherweight championship against Abe Attell on New Years Day 1908 in Colma, California, but failed to knockout Attell in 25 rounds.
He was inducted into the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 2007.
Major titles
| Achievements | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Freddie Welsh | British lightweight championship February 27, 1911 – November 11, 1912 | Succeeded by Freddie Welsh |
| Preceded by Tom McCormick | British welterweight championship March 21, 1914 Vacated | Vacant Title next held by Johnny Basham |
| World Welterweight Champion March 21, 1914 – June 1, 1915 | Succeeded by Mike Glover | |