Len Johnson Set to Be Honoured With Manchester Statue

Len Johnson, a boxer barred from fighting for a British title, is set to become the first black person honoured with a statue in Manchester, the BBC reported on 31 October 2026.

Johnson was born in Clayton, Manchester, in 1902. He went on to win more than 90 fights, but his career ran into a rule that had nothing to do with what happened in the ring. British Boxing Board of Control Rule 24 limited title contests to boxers "born of white parents", which meant he could not compete for the British title.

He did not let that stop him fighting. In 1925 he defeated reigning British middleweight champion Roland Todd twice in seven months. The middleweight division sits between the lighter and heavier weight classes, so a win over its champion carried real weight. That same year he beat Ted 'Kid' Lewis, a well-known name of the era.

In 1926 he moved to Australia and won the Empire middleweight title. England did not recognise it, so the belt did not carry the same standing at home.

Johnson's influence stretched well beyond the ring. After the Second World War he joined the Communist Party and became a community leader in Moss Side. In 1945 he acted as a local representative at the Pan-African Congress, held at Chorlton-upon-Medlock Town Hall, a gathering of activists from across Africa and the diaspora.

Racism followed him outside the gym too. In 1953 he was barred from the Old Abbey Taphouse, a pub south of Manchester city centre, under what was known as the "colour bar". He and fellow campaigner Wilf Charles returned to the pub with about 200 supporters and members of the press. After that, Johnson was served.

The statue will stand opposite Manchester Victoria Station, Manchester City Council has confirmed. The council's Communities and Equalities Scrutiny Committee had already discussed the campaign for it in 2021. The Len Johnson Campaign, which has pushed for a permanent statue in the city centre, describes him as a boxer, socialist organiser and community activist.

Johnson died in 1974, aged 71. For many fans, his name is little known outside Manchester. This statue will put it in front of anyone walking past one of the city's busiest transport hubs.