Bruce Wells

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article does not cite any references or sources. (April 2008) Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed.

This article or section needs to be wikified to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. Please help improve this article with relevant internal links. (April 2008)

Bruce Albert Wells (born July 17, 1933 in Harlesden, London) is an English Amateur Boxer

He lost a mere three contents out of a career total of 388.

Moving to Reading as a boy, he joined the local Reading Aero Boxing Club and readily took to the game. He went on to win Junior ABA Welterweight titles in 1949 and 1950, and also claimed the gold Star beating the late, great Joe Erskine.

In 1951 he made his International debut at Belle Vue against the USA, completely outboxing New Yorker, Randy Sandy and dominating the proceedings with his long left lead.

Wells started 1953 in fine style, chalking up a victory against Ireland at the Royal Albert Hall, following two successes in Denmark, before he attempted to win the ABA Championships.

On 24th April he outscored Scotland's Len Mullen in a semi final at Wembley, and later that evening was crowned ABA light Middleweight champion, outpointing Brixton eel-dresser Roy Francis, who was to become one of Britain's best known referees.

Fortified by ABA success, Wells, along with six other ABA champions, which included a young Henry Cooper, headed for the European Amateur Boxing Championships in Warsaw, and eventually clinched Gold, beating Polish National Hero Zbigniew Pietrzykowski,who was himself to go on and win a total of four European titles.

1953 was also a great year outside the ring, as on 10th December, Wells was honoured as one of the Sport Writers Association, Sportsman of the year, along with Don Cockell, Sir Stanley Matthews, Alec Bedser, Jim Peters and Mike Hawthrown.

In 1954 Wells went on to retain his ABA Crown outpointing Irishman Andy Keogh in the final at Wembley, before captaining the European team in the prestigious International Golden Gloves matches in the USA , outclassing Art Class and Leslie Temple in Chicago and St Louis respectively.

At the end of July, Bruce flew to Vancouver for 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games, reaching the semi final. A horrendous head on clash after only two minutes and ten seconds of the bout ruled both men out of the championships, although Wells gained the verdict and the Bronze medal, by reason of majority point decision. Wells eye injury later required eight stitches and was forced to withdraw from the tournament.

Plagued by weight problems and difficulties outside the ring, Wells suffered his third and final reverse to West Germany's Hans Reinhart in an International match at Wembley.

After stepping up to Middleweight, his last major bout was to be against the formidable Olympic and European Champion, Stalingrad's Gennadiy Shatkov. Although the Great Britain team was drubbed 8-2 in the International competition, Wells won his bout, outpounting Schatkov over three rounds.

After retiring from competitive boxing, Wells became a stunt artist, working on various Films and TV productions, although in 1977 he participated in a Charity Boxing exhibition bout with the Great Muhammad Ali, during a visit to South Shields, UK.

TV/Film credits include

Doctor Who "Day of the Daleks". Wrong Arm of the Law - Comedy starring Peter Sellers. The Criminal - Movie Starring Stanley Baker. Minder - Series Four - Episode One "Rocky Eight and a Half"

Outside links

European Amateur Boxing Records. <http://www.eaba.ru/results/?PHPSESSID=4ce28a4aecb663d4e4edb880549c0f40>

National ABA Boxing Records. <http://www.abae.co.uk/Honour/Senior/national/index.asp>

Footage of 1977 Exhibition Bout with Ali in South Shields. <http://video.msn.com/video.aspx?vid=9cc65173-37ad-47c1-ab84-818c54513c45>

References

Chris Kempson - "Bruce Wells still walking tall" Boxing Monthly, March 1991(Volume 2, issue 11). Chris Kempson - "Golden Greats" Amateur Boxing Scene - May 1992. Michael Tanner - Ali In Britain. Ivan Berenyi - "Bruce Wells Story" - Amateur Boxing - April 1982 - Vol 2. Wilfred Smith - Chicago Daily Tribune - 20th May 1954 / 22nd May 1954.