Len Johnson Champion Boxer

Hello everyone my painting and poetry of Len Johnson the English Flash was produced as a gift to Julian Brown (Lens Grandson) to promote and raise awareness of this awe inspiring Mancunian Boxer, he was a freedom and resistance fighter both in and out of the ring. me and Julian Brown (Lens Grandson) who is a good friend of mine. want to celebrate his lifetime achievement by putting up a statue of Len in Manchester city centre.

The Campaign organiser, local activist and FC United supporter, Lamin Touray organised the Len Johnson charity football event at FC United on the 18th May 2024 and it raised over £12000, for the cause.

Mancunians came together as one to raise funds to put up a statue of Len Johnson it was good to see a city united as one.

I want to help by using my art and poetry in a positive way to help raise some funds for the cause through the sale of Limited Edition Prints, check out my shop page under portraits. https://andrewalanmatthews.co.uk/shop/ols/categories/portraits any enquiries contact me through my website andrewalanmatthews.co.uk also check out my Len Johnson Page https://andrewalanmatthews.co.uk/len-johnson-boxer

I strive in my Art to create a welcoming and inclusive community that values creativity and artistic expression as a way to bringing positivity to Manchester, I try and turn those negatives to positives in anything I do. and by producing this painting of Len Johnson the English Flash for Julian my friend I hope we can achieve the goals set out.

PROMOTIONAL LINKS for LEN JOHNSON

ITV news Article on the Len Johnson Charity Game 2024

More than £12,000 has been raised as part of the campaign to build a statue of the 'uncrowned champion" and Manchester boxing legend Len Johnson.

The second Len Johnson fundraiser football match took place at FC United of Manchester with a host of celebrities and influencers playing for the Len Johnson Trophy.It was attended by 1,600 people and raised £12,506.

https://www.itv.com/news/granada/2024-05-21/charity-football-match-raises-money-for-boxing-legend-statue?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR3DDsemggM8Q8nlavZtww0VB6uUWii2Y4cTgqK38ZdV-nXyCpVbBQQKAF8_aem_AZ1z1tyR4yDuM8uNFiMG-V8szeVggVIQnijlos3EOUm3QB2nrz2hotVEYo1p6T66lwL6bLL_5oPifKEu0K1udZf3

Link to FC United Fundraiser News story

FC United was pleased to announce details for the second year of the Len Johnson celebrity football match versus FC United Legends at Broadhurst Park Stadium on Saturday 18th May 2024, with a 3PM kick-off scheduled.

https://fc-utd.co.uk/news-story/celebrities-and-legends-return-for-len-johnson-fundraising-match

Len Johnson BBC Interview with Julian Brown (Lens Grandson) 2023

https://youtu.be/1dKtzKQP3To

ITV story on Len Johnson the Boxer 2023

https://www.itv.com/news/granada/2024-02-09/fundraiser-returns-as-part-of-campaign-for-boxers-statue

2023 promotional links

https://www.manchestersfinest.com/featured/burnham-hatton-len-johnson-charity-football-match-manchester/

Interview with James Benson Salford reporter, a Fund Raiser for Len Johnson the Boxer check it out

https://medium.com/@j.benson4/unifying-art-and-sport-fundraiser-honors-len-johnsons-legacy-with-community-football-event-5dc78ff6a472

Len Johnson the English Flash painting and poem by Andrew Alan Matthews

https://youtu.be/nPNtJyuz4Kk

Len Johnson Thats TV Interview with Andrew Alan Matthews and Julian Brown (Lens Grandson)

https://youtu.be/dv_-P-sIpS8

Interview on Len Johnson the English Flash Boxer with Andrew Alan Matthews and Ben Cooper Wythenshawe FM Reporter

https://youtu.be/dP1QZQc4hp0

Len Johnson the Boxer

Len Johnson The English Flash

Hi everybody here is a painting of Len Johnson the English Flash, Champion Boxer.

a painting and story by Andrew Alan Matthews, I painted this for a good friend Julian Brown who is the Grandson of Len Johnson. We hope to raise some money to help put up a statue of Len in Manchester, a true Mancunian Hero

the Original painting has been gifted to Julian Brown, Limited Edition Prints are available on my shop portrait page where a proportion will be donated to put up a statue of Len in Manchester, check out the link for more details https://andrewalanmatthews.co.uk/shop/ols/categories/portraits

Any enquiries contact me through my website andrewalanmatthews.co.uk also check out my Len Johnson Page https://andrewalanmatthews.co.uk/len-johnson-boxer

a bit of history of Len courtesy of Wikipedia

Leonard Benker Johnson (22 October 1902 – 28 September 1974), known simply as Len among his admirers, and dubbed "Len Johnson" by the press, was a British Boxer who competed from 1920 to 1933. He held the British Empire Middleweight title, the first non-white boxer to hold a major title during the British colour bar era, de facto reigning from 20 February 1926 to 12 July 1926. He also held the Northern Area championships at middleweight and light-heavyweight, respectively.

A strategic and intelligent boxer, Johnson was considered to be one of the best middleweights of his era. He was known for his exceptional boxing skill, using an educated left-hand, as well a slippery defence that made him difficult to hit, while leaving his features largely unmarked throughout his thirteen-year career. Additionally, Johnson possessed a very long reach and rather good height.

Johnson was regarded as one of the greatest middleweight boxers of his generation in the years between the world wars.

Story by Andrew Alan Matthews

Len Johnson champion boxer

Robbed of his belt

Boxing board

Should have had their collars felt

Strategic intelligent boxer

With an Educated left hand

He was a grand stand

Slippery in defence

Never sat on the fence

In a Thirteen year

Boxing career

Best middle weight boxer of his time

Then Len goes up a gear

Fightin rule 24

Where No black man can win

Its a sin

Robbed of his belt

Boxing board

Should have had their collars felt

And Len a labour activist

Fought for equal rights

British boxing Colour bar

ended in 47

Len was expressing

And impressing

His fight for civil rights

lives on

In his name

He was top of his game

A Mancunian boxer

Civil rights activist

Shakin his fist

Resistance fighter in and out of the ring

So Sing his name

Boxing was his game

Put up a statue

In Lens name

https://youtu.be/nPNtJyuz4Kk

Interview with Thats TV

https://youtu.be/dv_-P-sIpS8

That's TV Interview

A TV interview on That's TV Manchester with me and Julian Brown (lens Grandson ) a good friend of mine from Moss Side Manchester where I grew up in the 1970s and 1980s

BBC Interview 2023

Julian Brown on TV 2023

Comments from the General Public

Give the money to feed or try rehome the homeless what good is a bloody statue for godsake

another comment

Get a bloody life what do we need a bloody statue for give the money to homeless

by Johnny

my response

I am all for rehoming the homeless. I donated a painting to real change Manchester and it raised £350 for the cause and I help out most weeks with Wythenshawe community team referring the homeless to help them out. So yeah definitely help the homeless. But my mates grandad was a proper Mancunian. Who helped the community as well. He should be remembered of what good he did. What have you done to help the homeless?

Mr Johnny responded with a defamatory remark but then he deleted it

Brilliant by Peter

Well done Andrew by Fran

Learn More

Andrew Alan Matthews

Art by Andrew Alan Matthews

Len Johnson Champion Boxer

Len Johnson the Boxer

Len Johnson The English Flash

That's TV Interview

BBC Interview 2023

Len Johnson Charity Football match 2023

Len Johnson the peoples champion

Len Johnson by Lamin Touray

Comments from the General Public