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Les Darcy

Statistics
Real name	James Leslie Darcy
Nickname(s)	The Maitland Wonder
Rated at	Middleweight
Height	5'6
Reach	71"
Nationality	Australian
Birth date	31 October 1895
Birth place	Maitland, New South Wales, Australia
Death date	24 May 1917
Death place	United States of America
Stance	Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights	50
Wins	46
Wins by KO	29
Losses	4
Draws	0
No contests	0

James Leslie ("Les") Darcy (31 October 1895 – 24 May 1917) was an Australian boxer. He was a middleweight, but held the Australian Heavyweight Championship title at the same time.

Born in the Maitland District in New South Wales, Les Darcy is widely considered to be the best boxer ever from Australia. Considered one of the greatest middleweights 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.

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 American 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 tonsils were removed but he developed pneumonia and died on 24 May.

Notes

• Death was caused by a streptococcus infection.

• Most of his earnings were plowed back into his family farm.

• It was his mother who twice refused him permission to fight in World War I.

• After his death, his embalmed body was returned to Australia where an estimated half-million people paid their respects.

• Les Darcy is widely considered to be the best boxer ever from Australia. His only competition is Dave Sands, "The Big Guy". They were both middleweights and both held the heavyweight title as well. They also both died at an early age; Darcy of complication from an infected tooth received from an injury in a fight against Australian heavyweight Harold Hardwick, and Sands from a car accident.

Darcy was inducted into the Australian National Boxing Hall of Fame in 2003.

External links

• ADB biography
• Les Darcy at the National Museum of 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