An exhibition to mark 100 years since the passing of Maitland boxing legend Les Darcy is being planned for Maitland Regional Art Gallery.
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Maitland City Council announced this week on the 99th anniversary of Darcy’s death, that it will hold a special exhibition of memorabilia, letters, and personal objects that tell the story of the man known as “The Maitland Wonder,.”
The exhibition will be held in May next year.
Darcy was born on October 31, 1895 and died on May 24, 1917 from medical complications, believed to be from dental work he received to replace teeth knocked out during a bout.
Leaving Oakhampton Public School in 1907 Darcy worked as a carter before being apprenticed at 15 to a blacksmith at East Maitland. As his father was at times unemployed, and his elder brother was partly crippled, Darcy was called upon to help his large family.
He was a middleweight boxer, but held the Australian Heavyweight Championship title at the same time.
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.
He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1993 and the World Boxing Hall of Fame in October 1998 and the Australian National Boxing Hall of Fame in 2003.
