Les Darcy
Encyclopedia
James Leslie Darcy (31 October 1895 – 24 May 1917) was an Australia
n boxer
. He was a middleweight
, but held the Australian Heavyweight
Championship title at the same time.
Born near Maitland
, New South Wales
, Les Darcy is widely considered to be the best boxer ever to come from Australia
. Regarded as one of the greatest middleweight
s of all-time, Darcy proved his mettle in his native Australia. He started boxing as an amateur at age fifteen and quickly turned professional. He won his first sixteen fights before challenging the veteran Bob Whitelaw
for the Australian welterweight
title. Darcy lost the twenty-round decision but, in a rematch, knocked Whitelaw out in five rounds.
Darcy graduated from regional bouts to fighting in Sydney
Stadium, and promoters began to import talent to challenge him. He lost his first two fights in Sydney, one by decision and one by foul, to America's Fritz Holland. The next year Darcy faced another American, Jeff Smith
, in what was considered a contest for the Australian world middleweight title. When Darcy complained of a low blow at the end of the fifth round, the referee believed that Darcy did not want to continue and awarded the decision to Smith. In a rematch, Darcy was awarded the victory when Smith punched him in the groin.
As Australian world middleweight champ, Darcy defeated such top-flight visiting Americans as Eddie McGoorty
, Billy Murray
, Jimmy Clabby, George Chip
, George "KO" Brown, and Buck Crouse
, as well as knocking out Smith and Holland in rematches.Darcy's opponents are said to have admired his courage, stamina, and punching power. In 1916, Darcy KO'd Harold Hardwick
to capture the Australian heavyweight title.
Les had the misfortune to become embroiled in the politics of conscription
during the First World War, and left Australia for America
to avoid the aggravation. There he collapsed on 27 April. He was admitted to hospital with septicaemia and endocarditis
; his tonsil
s were removed but he developed pneumonia
and died on 24 May.
After his death, his embalmed body was returned to Australia where an estimated half-million people paid their respects. Darcy was inducted into the Australian National Boxing Hall of Fame
in 2003. Les Darcy is widely considered to be the best boxer ever from Australia.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n boxer
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
. He was a middleweight
Middleweight
Middleweight is a division, or weight class, in boxing. Early boxing history is less than exact, but the middleweight designation seems to have begun in the 1840s. In the bare-knuckle era, the first middleweight championship fight was between Tom Chandler and Dooney Harris in 1897...
, but held the Australian Heavyweight
Heavyweight
Heavyweight is a division, or weight class, in boxing. Fighters who weigh over 200 pounds are considered heavyweights by the major professional boxing organizations: the International Boxing Federation, the World Boxing Association, the World Boxing Council, and the World Boxing...
Championship title at the same time.
Born near Maitland
Electoral district of Maitland
Maitland is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is represented by Robyn Parker of the Liberal Party of Australia....
, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Les Darcy is widely considered to be the best boxer ever to come from Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Regarded as one of the greatest middleweight
Middleweight
Middleweight is a division, or weight class, in boxing. Early boxing history is less than exact, but the middleweight designation seems to have begun in the 1840s. In the bare-knuckle era, the first middleweight championship fight was between Tom Chandler and Dooney Harris in 1897...
s of all-time, Darcy proved his mettle in his native Australia. He started boxing as an amateur at age fifteen and quickly turned professional. He won his first sixteen fights before challenging the veteran Bob Whitelaw
Bob Whitelaw
Robert Whitelaw was a professional ice hockey player who played 32 games in the National Hockey League. Born in Motherwell, Scotland, United Kingdom, he played for the Detroit Red Wings.- External links :...
for the Australian welterweight
Welterweight
Welterweight is a weight class division in combat sports. Originally the term "welterweight" was used only in boxing, but other combat sports like kickboxing, taekwondo and mixed martial arts also began to use it for their own weight division system...
title. Darcy lost the twenty-round decision but, in a rematch, knocked Whitelaw out in five rounds.
Darcy graduated from regional bouts to fighting in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
Stadium, and promoters began to import talent to challenge him. He lost his first two fights in Sydney, one by decision and one by foul, to America's Fritz Holland. The next year Darcy faced another American, Jeff Smith
Jeff Smith
Jeff Smith may refer to:*Jeff Smith , coach in the Minnesota Twins' organization*Jeff Smith , councillor in Manchester*Jeff Smith , creator of the comic book Bone...
, in what was considered a contest for the Australian world middleweight title. When Darcy complained of a low blow at the end of the fifth round, the referee believed that Darcy did not want to continue and awarded the decision to Smith. In a rematch, Darcy was awarded the victory when Smith punched him in the groin.
As Australian world middleweight champ, Darcy defeated such top-flight visiting Americans as Eddie McGoorty
Eddie McGoorty
Eddie McGoorty of Oshkosh, Wisconsin was a middleweight boxing champion under the name Edwin Van Dusart who went professional in 1905.-Biography:...
, Billy Murray
Billy Murray (boxer)
Billy Murray was an American boxer in the early 20th century.-Boxing career:Although initially starting off rather weak, with 3 wins, 2 losses, and a draw, Murray had an incredible win streak afterwards. He was undefeated his next 49 fights, against boxers such as Anton LaGrave, Johnny McCarthy,...
, Jimmy Clabby, George Chip
George Chip
George Chip was the Middleweight Champion of the World from 1913 to 1914. He was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania but was raised in New Castle, Pennsylvania in what is today the Pittsburgh metropolitan area and most of his matches were in the Pittsburgh area...
, George "KO" Brown, and Buck Crouse
Buck Crouse
Clyde "Bucky" Ellsworth Crouse was an American catcher in Major League Baseball.-Early Minor League Career:...
, as well as knocking out Smith and Holland in rematches.Darcy's opponents are said to have admired his courage, stamina, and punching power. In 1916, Darcy KO'd Harold Hardwick
Harold Hardwick
Harold Hampton Hardwick was a versatile Australian sports star of the early 20th century - an Olympic gold-medal swimmer, national heavyweight boxing champion and a state representative rugby union player...
to capture the Australian heavyweight title.
Les had the misfortune to become embroiled in the politics of conscription
Conscription
Conscription is the compulsory enlistment of people in some sort of national service, most often military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and continues in some countries to the present day under various names...
during the First World War, and left Australia for America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to avoid the aggravation. There he collapsed on 27 April. He was admitted to hospital with septicaemia and endocarditis
Endocarditis
Endocarditis is an inflammation of the inner layer of the heart, the endocardium. It usually involves the heart valves . Other structures that may be involved include the interventricular septum, the chordae tendineae, the mural endocardium, or even on intracardiac devices...
; his tonsil
Tonsil
Palatine tonsils, occasionally called the faucial tonsils, are the tonsils that can be seen on the left and right sides at the back of the throat....
s were removed but he developed pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
and died on 24 May.
After his death, his embalmed body was returned to Australia where an estimated half-million people paid their respects. Darcy was inducted into the Australian National Boxing Hall of Fame
Australian National Boxing Hall of Fame
Australian National Boxing Hall of Fame was founded in 2001 and began inducting boxers into the Hall of Fame in 2003. Since then annual induction dinners have been held....
in 2003. Les Darcy is widely considered to be the best boxer ever from Australia.
Reference sources
Pictures held and digitised as part of the Arnold Thomas boxing collection by the National Library of Australia- James Lesley Darcy
- James Lesley Darcy
- Les Darcy giving demonstration of punches with his tutor Dave Smith
Further reading
- The Ballad of Les Darcy, by Peter Fitzsimons
- Les Darcy, by Peter Fenton
- Home Before Dark, by Ruth Park and Rafe Champion
- The Les Darcy American Venture, by Bob Power