Ted "Kid" Lewis
Ted "Kid" Lewis was an English professional boxer who twice won the World Welterweight Championship. Lewis is often ranked among the all-time greats, with ESPN ranking him 41st on their list of the 50 Greatest Boxers of All-Time and boxing historian Bert Sugar placing him 46th in his Top 100 Fighters catalogue. Statistical boxing website BoxRec ranks Lewis as the 17th best welterweight of all-time and the 7th best UK boxer ever. He is a member of the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame, the Ring Magazine Hall of Fame, and the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
Boxing career
Career beginnings
Lewis was born as Gershon Mendeloff in a gas-lit tenement in the now demolished Umberston Street, in the Aldgate Pump section of London's East End. His father was a cabinet-maker. One of his elder brothers had become a boxer under the name of Lou Lewis. At the suggestion of a police officer – who had witnessed his performance in a street brawl – he entered the boxing ring in 1909, making his fighting debut as ‘Kid’ Lewis, having joined as a member of the Judaean Club, Whitechapel. He subsequently won the Club's Flyweight title and took home a cup of imitation silver.He became a professional boxer in 1909. On 6 October 1913, Lewis won the British Featherweight Championship with a 17th-round knockout of Alec Lambert at London's National Sporting Club. A year later, on 2 February 1914, at London's Premierland, he won the European Featherweight title from the French boxer Paul Til via a 12th round foul. Still in 1914, campaigning as a lightweight and welterweight, Lewis left London and toured Australia. In 1915 Lewis travelled to the United States, fighting Phil Bloom in New York's Madison Square Garden and winning by a decision.
Taking the world welterweight title; rivalry with Jack Britton
In Boston’s Armory, on 31 August of that same year, he fought the man known as the "Boxing Marvel," Jack Britton, for the Welterweight title. Lewis won in a twelve-round decision, becoming World Welterweight Champion and beginning an historic rivalry. Lewis became the first English boxer to cross the Atlantic and beat an American for a world title.The fights between Lewis and Britton for the world title were particularly notable. Their relationship has been described as one of the greatest rivalries in boxing history, and it was said that ‘they winced and ducked every time they heard the other man’s name’. From 1915 to 1921 Lewis and Britton fought 20 times, a total of 224 rounds.
On 24 April 1916, in New Orleans, Lewis lost the title to Britton. He reclaimed it on 25 June 1917, at Westwood Field, Dayton, Ohio. He lost the title for the last time on 17 March 1919, in Canton, Ohio, when Britton knocked him out in the 9th round — the only knockout of the series. The roundup of his matches with Britton: Lewis won 3, lost 4, and had 1 draw. There were 12 no decisions. After his last loss to Britton, Lewis returned to England.
Taking the British and European welterweight titles
On 9 June 1920, at London's Olympia Exhibition Centre, he beat Johnny Basham to win the British and European Welterweight titles. He relinquished these in December of that year due to difficulty in making the weight. His drive to fight Georges Carpentier, World and European Light Heavyweight Champion, came to fruition on 11 May 1922, in the Olympia. Lewis, fighting at 150 pounds to Carpentier's 175, spent most of the first round giving the heavier man a drubbing. Then referee Joe Palmer put a hand on Lewis's shoulder to warn him against holding. Carpentier took advantage of this distraction and sneaked in a vicious right. The Kid went crashing to the canvas and was counted out. The Olympia crowd erupted furiously, crying, "foul," but to no avail. The Kid remained nonplussed. "I felt cheated, but I didn’t bear any grudge," he would later say.Taking the British and European middleweight titles
On 6 June 1922, at Holland Park Rink, London, Lewis knocked out Frankie Burns to win the British Middleweight title. On 11 November the same year, also at Holland Park Rink, he beat Roland Todd to win the European Middleweight title. He did not hold either title long, losing both at the Royal Albert Hall on 15 February 1923 after a gruelling rematch with Todd.Lewis won his last two titles, the British and European Welterweight crowns, on 3 July 1924 — again at London's Royal Albert Hall — by defeating Johnny Brown. Two years later, on 26 November 1924, at Waverley Market Hall in Edinburgh, he lost these championships to the much younger Scotsman, Tommy Milligan. He continued boxing until 1929, adding 20 more fights.
His final record counting newspaper decisions was: 299 bouts, 233 won, 41 lost, 25 draws, 65 no decisions, 80 knockouts. Lewis started his career as an evasive, defensive boxer with a long left. During the six years he spent in America he changed his style radically, becoming a very aggressive, swarming, combination boxer-fighter.
Professional boxing record
No. | Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round, time | Date | Location | Notes |
238 | Loss | 192–32–14 | Charley Belanger | DQ | 1 | Dec 17, 1928 | Coliseum, Toronto | For Commonwealth light heavyweight title |
237 | Loss | 192–31–14 | Maxie Rosenbloom | DQ | 6 | Jul 31, 1928 | Queensboro Stadium, Long Island City, Queens | |
236 | Draw | 192–30–14 | Johnny Squires | KO | 1 | Jan 07, 1928 | Town Hall, Johannesburg | |
235 | Win | 192–30–13 | Alec Storbeck | KO | 1 | Dec 03, 1927 | Town Hall, Johannesburg | |
234 | Win | 191–30–13 | Joe Rolfe | RTD | 11 | Nov 15, 1927 | Premierland, Whitechapel | |
233 | Win | 190–30–13 | Robert Amssens | TKO | 1 | Oct 02, 1927 | Premierland, Whitechapel | |
232 | Win | 189–30–13 | Ted Coveney | TKO | 6 | Sep 11, 1927 | Premierland, Whitechapel | |
231 | Win | 188–30–13 | Nol Steenhorst | RTD | 9 | Aug 28, 1927 | Premierland, Whitechapel | |
230 | Win | 187–30–13 | Jim Carr | KO | 3 | Aug 14, 1927 | Premierland, Whitechapel | |
229 | Win | 186–30–13 | Joe Green | RTD | 4 | Aug 04, 1927 | Skating Rink, Ilford | |
228 | Win | 185–30–13 | Billy Mattick | DQ | 5 | Mar 21, 1926 | Premierland, Whitechapel | |
227 | Win | 184–30–13 | Billy Pritchard | TKO | 10 | Mar 07, 1926 | Premierland, Whitechapel | |
226 | Loss | 183–30–13 | Len Johnson | RTD | 10 | Nov 27, 1925 | King's Hall, Belle Vue, Manchester | |
225 | Loss | 183–29–13 | Simon Rosman | DQ | 8 | Nov 08, 1925 | Premierland, Whitechapel | |
224 | Loss | 183–28–13 | Marcel Thuru | DQ | 1 | Oct 08, 1925 | Royal Albert Hall, Kensington | |
223 | Win | 183–27–13 | Bob Sage | PTS | 10 | Jul 10, 1925 | Legion Stadium, Hollywood | |
222 | Loss | 182–27–13 | Tommy Mulligan | DQ | 5 | Mar 19, 1925 | Royal Albert Hall, Kensington | |
221 | Win | 182–26–13 | Francois Charles | PTS | 20 | Jan 22, 1925 | Royal Albert Hall, Kensington | |
220 | Loss | 181–26–13 | Tommy Mulligan | PTS | 20 | Nov 26, 1924 | Industrial Hall, Edinburgh | Lost EBU, BBBofC British, and Commonwealth welterweight titles |
219 | Win | 181–25–13 | Johnny Brown | PTS | 20 | Jul 03, 1924 | Royal Albert Hall, Kensington | Won EBU, BBBofC British, and Commonwealth welterweight titles |
218 | Draw | 180–25–13 | Piet Hobin | PTS | 20 | Jun 01, 1924 | Stade Buffalo, Montrouge | |
217 | Win | 180–25–12 | Erich Milenz | KO | 8 | Apr 12, 1924 | Sportpalast, Schoeneberg | |
216 | Draw | 179–25–12 | Chich Nelson | PTS | 15 | Apr 06, 1924 | Zirkus Busch | |
215 | Win | 179–25–11 | Francois Charles | PTS | 15 | Mar 18, 1924 | Cirque de Paris, Paris | |
214 | Win | 178–25–11 | Bruno Frattini | KO | 17 | Feb 12, 1924 | Palazzo dello Sport, Milan | |
213 | Win | 177–25–11 | Sergeant Sid Pape | RTD | 2 | Jan 28, 1924 | Windsor Hall, Bradford | |
212 | Win | 176–25–11 | Fred Davies | PTS | 20 | Dec 26, 1923 | Premierland, Whitechapel | |
211 | Win | 175–25–11 | Fred Archer | PTS | 20 | Nov 08, 1923 | Premierland, Whitechapel | |
210 | Win | 174–25–11 | Frank Burns | PTS | 20 | Oct 04, 1923 | Premierland, Whitechapel | |
209 | Loss | 173–25–11 | Augie Ratner | PTS | 20 | Jul 30, 1923 | Royal Albert Hall, Kensington | |
208 | Loss | 173–24–11 | Roland Todd | PTS | 20 | Feb 15, 1923 | Royal Albert Hall, Kensington | Lost EBU, BBBofC British, and Commonwealth middleweight titles |
207 | Win | 173–23–11 | Roland Todd | PTS | 20 | Nov 20, 1922 | Holland Park Rink, Kensington | Won EBU, BBBofC British, and Commonwealth middleweight titles |
206 | Win | 172–23–11 | Marcel Thomas | TKO | 4 | Sep 04, 1922 | Premierland, Whitechapel | |
205 | Win | 171–23–11 | Frank Burns | KO | 11 | Jun 19, 1922 | Holland Park Rink, Kensington | |
204 | Loss | 170–23–11 | Georges Carpentier | KO | 1 | May 05, 1922 | The Dome, Brighton | For EBU and lineal light heavyweight titles |
203 | Win | 170–22–11 | Tom Gummer | KO | 1 | Feb 17, 1922 | The Dome, Brighton | |
202 | Win | 169–22–11 | Boy McCormick | TKO | 14 | Nov 17, 1921 | Royal Albert Hall, Kensington | Won BBBofC british light heavyweight title |
201 | Win | 168–22–11 | Johnny Basham | RTD | 12 | Oct 14, 1921 | Royal Albert Hall, Kensington | Retained EBU and BBBofC British welterweight titles |
200 | Win | 167–22–11 | Ernie Barrieau | KO | 10 | Sep 20, 1921 | Arena, Toronto | |
199 | Win | 166–22–11 | Jack Bloomfield | PTS | 20 | Jun 27, 1921 | Holland Park Rink, Kensington | Won vacant BBBofC middleweight title |
198 | Loss | 165–22–11 | Augie Ratner | PTS | 15 | Apr 13, 1921 | Manhattan Casino, New York | |
197 | Loss | 165–21–11 | Nate Siegel | PTS | 10 | Apr 08, 1921 | Arena, Boston | |
196 | Loss | 165–20–11 | Jack Britton | UD | 15 | Feb 07, 1921 | Madison Square Garden, New York | For lineal welterweight title |
195 | Win | 165–19–11 | Johnny Basham | KO | 19 | Nov 19, 1920 | Royal Albert Hall, Kensington | Retained EBU, BBBofC British, and Commonwealth welterweight titles |
194 | Win | 164–19–11 | Johnny Basham | RTD | 9 | Jun 09, 1920 | Olympia, Kensington | Won EBU, BBBofC British, and Commonwealth welterweight titles |
193 | Win | 163–19–11 | Kid Doyle | RTD | 5 | Apr 30, 1920 | Holborn Stadium, Holborn | |
192 | Win | 162–19–11 | Kid Doyle | RTD | 11 | Apr 05, 1920 | Liverpool Stadium, Pudsey Street, Liverpool | |
191 | Win | 161–19–11 | Johnny Bee | KO | 4 | Mar 11, 1920 | Holborn Stadium, Holborn | Won vacant BBBofC British middleweight title |
190 | Win | 160–19–11 | Gus Platts | RTD | 18 | Mar 04, 1920 | Edmund Rd Drill Hall, Sheffield | |
189 | Win | 159–19–11 | Jerry Shea | KO | 1 | Feb 28, 1920 | Pavilion, Mountain Ash | |
188 | Win | 158–19–11 | Maurice Prunier | KO | 6 | Feb 14, 1920 | Cirque de Paris, Paris | |
187 | Win | 157–19–11 | Frank Moody | KO | 1 | Jan 13, 1920 | Free Trade Hall, Manchester | |
186 | Win | 156–19–11 | Matt Wells | RTD | 12 | Dec 26, 1919 | Royal Albert Hall, Kensington | |
185 | Win | 155–19–11 | Jake Abel | PTS | 10 | Oct 28, 1919 | Armory Auditorium, Atlanta | |
184 | Win | 154–19–11 | Jimmy McCabe | KO | 1 | Oct 16, 1919 | Atlantic City S.C., Atlantic City | |
183 | Win | 153–19–11 | KO Willie Loughlin | KO | 1 | Oct 11, 1919 | Arena, Boston | |
182 | Loss | 152–19–11 | Jack Britton | KO | 9 | Mar 17, 1919 | Arena, Boston | Lost lineal welterweight title |
181 | Win | 152–18–11 | Tommy Robson | PTS | 12 | Aug 13, 1918 | Arena, Boston | |
180 | Win | 151–18–11 | Tommy Robson | PTS | 12 | Jun 25, 1918 | Arena, Boston | |
179 | Win | 150–18–11 | Johnny Tillman | UD | 20 | May 17, 1918 | Stockyards Stadium, Denver | Retained lineal welterweight title |
178 | Win | 149–18–11 | Lockport Jimmy Duffy | TKO | 1 | Feb 18, 1917 | Dreamland Rink, San Francisco | |
177 | Win | 148–18–11 | Johnny McCarthy | PTS | 4 | Nov 13, 1917 | Dreamland Rink, San Francisco | |
176 | Draw | 147–18–11 | Battling Ortega | PTS | 4 | Oct 24, 1917 | Arena, Emeryville | |
175 | Win | 147–18–10 | Albert Badoud | KO | 1 | Aug 31, 1917 | St. Nicholas Arena, New York | |
174 | Loss | 146–18–10 | Mike O'Dowd | PTS | 12 | Aug 28, 1917 | Arena, Boston | |
173 | Win | 146–17–10 | Jack Britton | PTS | 20 | Jun 25, 1917 | Westwood Field, Dayton | Won lineal welterweight title |
172 | Win | 145–17–10 | Joe Eagan | PTS | 12 | May 22, 1917 | Arena, Boston | |
171 | Win | 144–17–10 | Joe Eagan | PTS | 12 | May 22, 1917 | Arena, Boston | |
170 | Win | 143–17–10 | Jimmy O'Hagen | KO | 2 | May 04, 1917 | Harlem S.C., New York | |
169 | Win | 142–17–10 | Billy Weeks | KO | 12 | Apr 12, 1917 | Gymnastic Club, Dayton | |
168 | Win | 141–17–10 | Jimmy Coffey | KO | 1 | Apr 04, 1917 | Hunts Point Palace, Bronx | |
167 | Win | 140–17–10 | Willie Moore | KO | 1 | Mar 19, 1917 | Hunts Point Palace, Bronx | |
166 | Win | 139–17–10 | Kid Graves | KO | 9 | Feb 06, 1917 | Broadway S.C., Brooklyn | |
165 | Win | 138–17–10 | Sam Robideau | PTS | 15 | Jan 31, 1917 | Marieville Gardens, North Providence | |
164 | Draw | 137–17–10 | Jack Britton | PTS | 12 | Nov 14, 1916 | Arena, Boston | For lineal welterweight title |
163 | Loss | 137–17–9 | Jack Britton | PTS | 12 | Oct 17, 1916 | Arena, Boston | For lineal welterweight title |
162 | Win | 137–16–9 | Mike Glover | PTS | 12 | Jun 13, 1916 | Arena, Boston | |
161 | Win | 136–16–9 | Eddie Moha | KO | 5 | May 24, 1916 | Gymnastic Club, Dayton | |
160 | Loss | 135–16–9 | Jack Britton | PTS | 20 | Apr 24, 1916 | Louisiana Auditorium, New Orleans | Lost lineal welterweight title |
159 | Win | 135–15–9 | Jack Abel | PTS | 8 | Apr 19, 1916 | Tommy Burns Arena, New Orleans | |
158 | Win | 134–15–9 | Harry Stone | PTS | 20 | Mar 01, 1916 | Tommy Burns Arena, New Orleans | Retained lineal welterweight title |
157 | Win | 133–15–9 | Harry Trendall | KO | 7 | Feb 24, 1916 | Coliseum, Saint Louis | |
156 | Win | 132–15–9 | Young Neil | PTS | 15 | Dec 03, 1915 | Gymnastic Club, Dayton | |
155 | Loss | 131–15–9 | Mike Glover | PTS | 12 | Nov 30, 1915 | Arena, Boston | |
154 | Win | 131–14–9 | Lockport Jimmy Duffy | KO | 1 | Nov 23, 1915 | Arena, Boston | Retained lineal welterweight title |
153 | Win | 130–14–9 | Milburn Saylor | PTS | 12 | Nov 02, 1915 | Arena, Boston | |
152 | Win | 129–14–9 | Joe Mandot | PTS | 12 | Oct 26, 1915 | Arena, Boston | Retained lineal welterweight title |
151 | Win | 128–14–9 | Jack Britton | PTS | 12 | Sep 28, 1915 | Arena, Boston | Retained lineal welterweight title |
150 | Win | 127–14–9 | Jack Britton | PTS | 12 | Aug 31, 1915 | Arena, Boston | Won lineal welterweight title |
149 | Win | 126–14–9 | Mike Glover | PTS | 12 | Aug 03, 1915 | Arena, Boston | |
148 | Win | 125–14–9 | Johnny Lustig | PTS | 10 | Mar 30, 1915 | Sohmer Park, Montreal | |
147 | Win | 124–14–9 | Frankie Mack | PTS | 20 | Mar 10, 1915 | Estadio Tropical, Havana | |
146 | Win | 123–14–9 | Bobby Moore | PTS | 20 | Aug 01, 1914 | Baker's Pavilion, Melbourne | |
145 | Loss | 122–14–9 | Herb McCoy | PTS | 20 | Jul 11, 1914 | Baker's Pavilion, Melbourne | |
144 | Win | 122–13–9 | Joe Shugrue | PTS | 20 | Jun 27, 1914 | Sydney Stadium, Sydney | |
143 | Win | 121–13–9 | Hughie Mehegan | PTS | 20 | Jun 13, 1914 | Sydney Stadium, Sydney | |
142 | Win | 120–13–9 | Herb McCoy | PTS | 20 | May 30, 1914 | Sydney Stadium, Sydney | |
141 | Win | 119–13–9 | Ted Saunders | KO | 6 | Mar 18, 1914 | Drill Hall, Coventry | |
140 | Win | 118–13–9 | Harry Kid Berry | KO | 3 | Mar 14, 1914 | Premierland, Whitechapel | |
139 | Win | 117–13–9 | Paul Til | DQ | 12 | Feb 02, 1914 | Premierland, Whitechapel | Retained EBU featherweight title |
138 | Win | 116–13–9 | George Buswell | TKO | 2 | Jan 05, 1914 | The Ring, Blackfriars Road, Southwark | |
137 | Win | 115–13–9 | Alec Lambert | TKO | 17 | Oct 06, 1913 | National Sporting Club, Covent Garden | Won vacant EBU and National Sporting Club featherweight titles |
136 | Win | 114–13–9 | Fernand Quendreux | KO | 10 | Sep 15, 1913 | The Ring, Blackfriars Road, Southwark | |
135 | Win | 113–13–9 | Harry Sterling | PTS | 15 | Aug 23, 1913 | The Ring, Blackfriars Road, Southwark | |
134 | Win | 112–13–9 | Duke Lynch | PTS | 15 | Jul 26, 1913 | The Ring, Blackfriars Road, Southwark | |
133 | Win | 111–13–9 | Harry Sterling | RTD | 7 | Jul 19, 1913 | The Ring, Blackfriars Road, Southwark | |
132 | Win | 110–13–9 | Joe Starmer | PTS | 15 | Jun 02, 1913 | National Sporting Club, Covent Garden | |
131 | Win | 109–13–9 | Young Joe Brooks | PTS | 15 | Apr 07, 1913 | National Sporting Club, Covent Garden | |
130 | Win | 108–13–9 | Johnny Condon | PTS | 20 | Mar 03, 1913 | The Ring, Blackfriars Road, Southwark | |
129 | Win | 107–13–9 | Johnny Condon | PTS | 20 | Jan 27, 1913 | The Ring, Blackfriars Road, Southwark | |
128 | Draw | 106–13–9 | Nat Williams | PTS | 15 | Jan 16, 1913 | Liverpool Stadium, Pudsey Street, Liverpool | |
127 | Win | 106–13–8 | George Buswell | TKO | 14 | Jan 02, 1913 | The Ring, Blackfriars Road, Southwark | |
126 | Win | 105–13–8 | Jim Lloyd | PTS | 10 | Jan 02, 1913 | Liverpool Stadium, Pudsey Street, Liverpool | |
125 | Win | 104–13–8 | Harry Kid Berry | PTS | 15 | Dec 21, 1912 | Premierland, Whitechapel | |
124 | Win | 103–13–8 | Jim Shires | PTS | 10 | Dec 16, 1912 | The Ring, Blackfriars Road, Southwark | |
123 | Win | 102–13–8 | Private Jack Harrison | KO | 3 | Dec 02, 1912 | National Sporting Club, Covent Garden | |
122 | Win | 101–13–8 | George Ruddick | PTS | 12 | Nov 30, 1912 | Premierland, Whitechapel | |
121 | Win | 100–13–8 | Alf Small | KO | 5 | Nov 16, 1912 | Premierland, Whitechapel | |
120 | Win | 99–13–8 | Fred Young Halsband | PTS | 10 | Nov 09, 1912 | National Sporting Club, Covent Garden | |
119 | Win | 98–13–8 | Jim Campbell | PTS | 6 | Oct 21, 1912 | Premierland, Whitechapel | |
118 | Win | 97–13–8 | Young Jack Chinney | KO | 3 | Oct 19, 1912 | Premierland, Whitechapel | |
117 | Win | 96–13–8 | Jim Lloyd | PTS | 10 | Oct 12, 1912 | Premierland, Whitechapel | |
116 | Loss | 95–13–8 | Con Houghton | DQ | 5 | Oct 05, 1912 | Premierland, Whitechapel | |
115 | Win | 95–12–8 | Tom Allen | PTS | 10 | Sep 28, 1912 | Premierland, Whitechapel | |
114 | Win | 94–12–8 | Fred Blake | PTS | 6 | Sep 21, 1912 | Premierland, Whitechapel | |
113 | Win | 93–12–8 | Sam Russell | PTS | 10 | Sep 14, 1912 | Premierland, Whitechapel | |
112 | Win | 92–12–8 | Tom Clifford | PTS | 6 | Sep 07, 1912 | Premierland, Whitechapel | |
111 | Loss | 91–12–8 | Fred Young Halsband | PTS | 10 | Aug 31, 1912 | Premierland, Whitechapel | |
110 | Loss | 91–11–8 | Young Joe Brooks | PTS | 15 | Aug 10, 1912 | Premierland, Whitechapel | |
109 | Win | 91–10–8 | Jack O'Neil | KO | 3 | Jul 27, 1912 | Premierland, Whitechapel | |
108 | Win | 90–10–8 | Harry Wilson | PTS | 10 | Jul 17, 1912 | Premierland, Whitechapel | |
107 | Win | 89–10–8 | Seaman Arthur Hayes | PTS | 10 | Jul 06, 1912 | Premierland, Whitechapel | |
106 | Win | 88–10–8 | George Ruddick | PTS | 10 | Jun 22, 1912 | Premierland, Whitechapel | |
105 | Win | 87–10–8 | Darkey Haley | PTS | 10 | Jun 10, 1912 | Premierland, Whitechapel | |
104 | Win | 86–10–8 | Young Jack Chinney | PTS | 6 | Jun 08, 1912 | Premierland, Whitechapel | |
103 | Win | 85–10–8 | Leon Victor Truffier | PTS | 10 | May 25, 1912 | Premierland, Whitechapel | |
102 | Win | 84–10–8 | Jim Shires | TKO | 2 | May 18, 1912 | Premierland, Whitechapel | |
101 | Win | 83–10–8 | Gus Venn | PTS | 10 | Apr 27, 1912 | Premierland, Whitechapel | |
100 | Win | 82–10–8 | Gus Venn | TKO | 7 | Apr 06, 1912 | Premierland, Whitechapel | |
99 | Win | 81–10–8 | Leon Victor Truffier | PTS | 10 | Apr 03, 1912 | Cirque de Paris, Paris | |
98 | Loss | 80–10–8 | Duke Lynch | KO | 1 | Apr 01, 1912 | Premierland, Whitechapel | |
97 | Win | 80–9–8 | Jim Shires | KO | 2 | Mar 18, 1912 | Premierland, Whitechapel | |
96 | Win | 79–9–8 | Allan Porter | PTS | 10 | Mar 16, 1912 | Premierland, Whitechapel | |
95 | Win | 78–9–8 | George Buswell | PTS | 10 | Mar 02, 1912 | Premierland, Whitechapel | |
94 | Win | 77–9–8 | Alf Mitchell | PTS | 6 | Feb 24, 1912 | Premierland, Whitechapel | |
93 | Win | 76–9–8 | Tommy Mack | PTS | 6 | Feb 17, 1912 | Premierland, Whitechapel | |
92 | Win | 75–9–8 | Duke Lynch | PTS | 10 | Feb 10, 1912 | Premierland, Whitechapel | |
91 | Win | 74–9–8 | Harry Wilson | PTS | 10 | Jan 20, 1912 | Premierland, Whitechapel | |
90 | Win | 73–9–8 | Billy Taylor | PTS | 8 | Jan 13, 1912 | ||
89 | Win | 72–9–8 | Jewey Murray | TKO | 1 | Jan 06, 1912 | Premierland, Whitechapel | |
88 | Win | 71–9–8 | Eddie Fay | PTS | 6 | Dec 31, 1911 | Judaens AC, St George's | |
87 | Win | 70–9–8 | Eddie Fay | PTS | 6 | Dec 25, 1911 | Judaens AC, St George's | |
86 | Win | 69–9–8 | Jim Shires | PTS | 10 | Dec 16, 1911 | The Ring, Blackfriars Road, Southwark | |
85 | Win | 68–9–8 | Billy Taylor | PTS | 8 | Dec 09, 1911 | Premierland, Whitechapel | |
84 | Win | 67–9–8 | Jim Butler | TKO | 2 | Dec 04, 1911 | The Ring, Blackfriars Road Matinee, Southwark | |
83 | Win | 66–9–8 | Frank Warner | PTS | 6 | Dec 02, 1911 | Hippodrome, Poplar | |
82 | Win | 65–9–8 | Billy Griggs | KO | 1 | Nov 27, 1911 | The Ring, Blackfriars Road Matinee, Southwark | |
81 | Win | 64–9–8 | Kid Olds | PTS | 6 | Nov 18, 1911 | Hippodrome, Poplar | |
80 | Win | 63–9–8 | Alf Small | KO | 2 | Nov 12, 1911 | Judaens AC, St George's | |
79 | Win | 62–9–8 | Jim Hales | PTS | 6 | Nov 09, 1911 | Pitfield Street Baths, Hoxton | |
78 | Win | 61–9–8 | Dick Murray | PTS | 10 | Nov 02, 1911 | The Ring, Blackfriars Road, Southwark | |
77 | Win | 60–9–8 | Tom Perkins | PTS | 10 | Oct 28, 1911 | Hippodrome, Poplar | |
76 | Win | 59–9–8 | Jack Bunner | PTS | 10 | Oct 23, 1911 | Judaens AC, St George's | |
75 | Win | 58–9–8 | Alf Small | PTS | 6 | Oct 21, 1911 | The Ring, Blackfriars Road, Southwark | |
74 | Win | 57–9–8 | Tom Perkins | PTS | 6 | Oct 18, 1911 | Judaens AC, St George's | |
73 | Win | 56–9–8 | Harry Ray | PTS | 6 | Oct 09, 1911 | The Ring, Blackfriars Road, Southwark | |
72 | Win | 55–9–8 | Harry Ray | PTS | 6 | Oct 08, 1911 | The Ring, Blackfriars Road, Southwark | |
71 | Win | 54–9–8 | Lew Cohen | KO | 3 | Oct 05, 1911 | Judaens AC, St George's | |
70 | Win | 53–9–8 | Tom Perkins | PTS | 6 | Sep 30, 1911 | Hippodrome, Poplar | |
69 | Win | 52–9–8 | Ted O'Neill | TKO | 5 | Sep 20, 1911 | Judaens AC, St George's | |
68 | Win | 51–9–8 | Billy Smith | TKO | 4 | Sep 17, 1911 | Judaens AC, St George's | |
67 | Draw | 50–9–8 | Tom Perkins | PTS | 6 | Sep 10, 1911 | Judaens AC, St George's | |
66 | Draw | 50–9–7 | Fred Young Halsband | PTS | 6 | Sep 03, 1911 | Judaens AC, St George's | |
65 | Win | 50–9–6 | Walter Bill Marshall | TKO | 3 | Aug 28, 1911 | The Ring, Blackfriars Road Matinee, Southwark | |
64 | Win | 49–9–6 | Jack Harbour | DQ | 3 | Aug 27, 1911 | Judaens AC, St George's | |
63 | Win | 48–9–6 | Tom Perkins | PTS | 10 | Aug 16, 1911 | Judaens AC, St George's | |
62 | Win | 47–9–6 | Curley Hume | PTS | 6 | Aug 13, 1911 | Judaens AC, St George's | |
61 | Win | 46–9–6 | George Marks | PTS | 6 | Jul 23, 1911 | Judaens AC, St George's | |
60 | Win | 45–9–6 | Dick Murray | PTS | 6 | Jun 18, 1911 | Judaens AC, St George's | |
59 | Win | 44–9–6 | Alf Small | KO | 12 | Jun 11, 1911 | Judaens AC, St George's | |
58 | Win | 43–9–6 | Dick Murray | PTS | 6 | Jun 07, 1911 | Judaens AC, St George's | |
57 | Win | 42–9–6 | Young Klein | KO | 3 | Jun 04, 1911 | Judaens AC, St George's | |
56 | Win | 41–9–6 | Sid Venner | PTS | 6 | Jun 01, 1911 | Judaens AC, St George's | |
55 | Win | 40–9–6 | Jack English | TKO | 3 | May 24, 1911 | Judaens AC, St George's | |
54 | Draw | 39–9–6 | Jack Kid Greenstock | PTS | 6 | May 21, 1911 | Judaens AC, St George's | |
53 | Win | 39–9–5 | Alf Small | PTS | 10 | May 14, 1911 | Judaens AC, St George's | |
52 | Win | 38–9–5 | Joe Madden | PTS | 12 | May 05, 1911 | Judaens AC, St George's | |
51 | Loss | 37–9–5 | Nat Young Brooks | PTS | 15 | Apr 30, 1911 | Judaens AC, St George's | |
50 | Win | 37–8–5 | Young Jack Chinney | PTS | 6 | Apr 27, 1911 | The Chelsea Club, Fulham | |
49 | Win | 36–8–5 | Young Hyams | PTS | 6 | Apr 24, 1911 | Judaens AC, St George's | |
48 | Win | 35–8–5 | Private Jack Marks | TKO | 7 | Apr 23, 1911 | Judaens AC, St George's | |
47 | Loss | 34–8–5 | Jack Fisher | PTS | 6 | Apr 23, 1911 | Poplar | |
46 | Win | 34–7–5 | Private Jack Marks | TKO | 7 | Apr 23, 1911 | Judaens AC, St George's | |
45 | Win | 33–7–5 | Nat Young Brooks | PTS | 6 | Apr 09, 1911 | Judaens AC, St George's | |
44 | Win | 32–7–5 | Jack Guyon | TKO | 3 | Apr 05, 1911 | Judaens AC, St George's | |
43 | Win | 31–7–5 | Young Joe Ross | PTS | 3 | Apr 05, 1911 | Judaens AC, St George's | |
42 | Win | 30–7–5 | Charlie Young Smith | KO | 4 | Mar 29, 1911 | Judaens AC, St George's | |
41 | Win | 29–7–5 | Jim Butler | KO | 1 | Mar 05, 1911 | Judaens AC, St George's | |
40 | Win | 28–7–5 | Kid Levene | PTS | 6 | Feb 20, 1911 | The Ring, Blackfriars Road, Southwark | |
39 | Draw | 27–7–5 | Joe Madden | PTS | 6 | Feb 19, 1911 | Judaens AC, St George's | |
38 | Loss | 27–7–4 | Young Sullivan | PTS | 6 | Feb 12, 1911 | Judaens AC, St George's | |
37 | Win | 27–6–4 | Billy Smith | KO | 4 | Feb 09, 1911 | Judaens AC, St George's | |
36 | Win | 26–6–4 | Alf Small | TKO | 2 | Feb 05, 1911 | Judaens AC, St George's | |
35 | Win | 25–6–4 | Young Klein | KO | 3 | Feb 01, 1911 | Judaens AC, St George's | |
34 | Win | 24–6–4 | Joe Jacobs | PTS | 6 | Jan 29, 1911 | Judaens AC, St George's | |
33 | Win | 23–6–4 | Joe Madden | PTS | 6 | Jan 25, 1911 | Olympia Annexe, Kensington | |
32 | Win | 22–6–4 | Alf Jacobs | PTS | 6 | Jan 22, 1911 | Judaens AC, St George's | |
31 | Win | 21–6–4 | Private Jack Marks | PTS | 6 | Jan 15, 1911 | Judaens AC, St George's | |
30 | Win | 20–6–4 | Bill Marsh | PTS | 6 | Jan 08, 1911 | Judaens AC, St George's | |
29 | Loss | 19–6–4 | Hugh Doyle | KO | 3 | Nov 21, 1910 | International Hall, Liverpool | |
28 | Win | 19–5–4 | Boyo Lambert | PTS | 6 | Nov 13, 1910 | Judaens AC, St George's | |
27 | Win | 18–5–4 | Curley Bume | PTS | 6 | Oct 09, 1910 | Judaens AC, St George's | |
26 | Win | 17–5–4 | Sid Venner | PTS | 6 | Aug 16, 1910 | Judaens AC, St George's | |
25 | Win | 16–5–4 | Young Smith | TKO | 3 | Aug 14, 1910 | Judaens AC, St George's | |
24 | Win | 15–5–4 | Ted O'Neil | KO | 5 | Aug 08, 1910 | Judaens AC, St George's | |
23 | Draw | 14–5–4 | Joe Madden | PTS | 6 | Jul 31, 1910 | Judaens AC, St George's | |
22 | Draw | 14–5–3 | Jack Kid Greenstock | PTS | 6 | Jul 25, 1910 | Judaens AC, St George's | |
21 | Win | 14–5–2 | Alf Jacobs | PTS | 6 | Jul 24, 1910 | Judaens AC, St George's | |
20 | Draw | 13–5–2 | Jack Kid Greenstock | PTS | 6 | Jul 17, 1910 | Judaens AC, St George's | |
19 | Win | 13–5–1 | Joe Madden | RTD | 3 | Jun 05, 1910 | Judaens AC, St George's | |
18 | Win | 12–5–1 | Young Sullivan | PTS | 6 | May 29, 1910 | Judaens AC, St George's | |
17 | Win | 11–5–1 | Young Jack Morris | PTS | 6 | May 22, 1910 | Judaens AC, St George's | |
16 | Win | 10–5–1 | Kid Levene | PTS | 6 | May 15, 1910 | Judaens AC, St George's | |
15 | Win | 9–5–1 | Private Jack Marks | PTS | 6 | Feb 28, 1910 | Judaens AC, St George's | |
14 | Win | 8–5–1 | Piper Holmes | PTS | 6 | Feb 27, 1910 | Judaens AC, St George's | |
13 | Win | 7–5–1 | George Powell | RTD | 1 | Feb 13, 1910 | Judaens AC, St George's | |
12 | Loss | 6–5–1 | Boyo Lambert | PTS | 6 | Feb 05, 1910 | Winter Gardens, Peckham | |
11 | Loss | 6–4–1 | Jim Brown | PTS | 6 | Jan 29, 1910 | Hippodrome, Peckham | |
10 | Win | 6–3–1 | Alf Jacobs | PTS | 6 | Jan 16, 1910 | Judaens AC, St George's | |
9 | Win | 5–3–1 | Bill Marsh | PTS | 6 | Jan 08, 1910 | Hippodrome, Peckham | |
8 | Win | 4–3–1 | Kid Levene | TKO | 3 | Dec 19, 1909 | Judaens AC, St George's | |
7 | Draw | 3–3–1 | Dick Hart | PTS | 6 | Dec 05, 1909 | Judaens AC, St George's | |
6 | Win | 3–3 | Private Jack Marks | PTS | 6 | Nov 27, 1909 | Surrey Music Hall, Southwark | |
5 | Loss | 2–3 | George Thomas | TKO | 1 | Oct 30, 1909 | Judaeans AC, St George's | |
4 | Win | 2–2 | Alf Cohen | PTS | 6 | Oct 09, 1909 | Judaeans AC, St George's | |
3 | Win | 1–2 | Young Lipton | PTS | 6 | Sep 19, 1909 | Judaeans AC, St George's | |
2 | Loss | 0–2 | Johnny Sharp | PTS | 6 | Sep 12, 1909 | Judaeans AC, St George's | |
1 | Loss | 0–1 | Kid Da Costa | PTS | 6 | Aug 29, 1909 | Judaeans AC, St George's |
Life after boxing
In 1929 Lewis fought the last of nearly 300 career bouts in Hoxton, London, winning by a knockout. Over the course of his career, he had lost only 41 times. He then announced his retirement from boxing and settled back in his native east London.His success in America had also made Lewis very famous at home in the UK and he had become an international celebrity. He met his future wife Elsie Schneider in New York, and became a close friend of Charlie Chaplin, who would act as godfather to Lewis' son Morton. Lewis tried his hand in the movies, predominantly tackling boxing pictures. Inevitably, he was typecast: not only was Lewis best known as a fighter, he also looked like one, with many years of punishment having left their mark on his face.
Much to the dismay of friends and family, he later acted as a bodyguard for Oswald Mosley's New Party and was also persuaded to stand in the 1931 general election as a candidate for the party in his local Whitechapel and St Georges constituency; he polled only 154 votes. However, Lewis fell out with Mosley when his subsequent political movement, the British Union of Fascists revealed itself as openly anti-Semitic. After the defeat of 1931, Mosley embraced European-style fascism and founded the British Union of Fascists in 1932. Among other things, this saw him move towards more open anti-Semitism, particularly in Lewis' native East London. In his biography of his father, Morton Lewis describes how he was taken along by his father when he went to quit Mosley's movement. It involves Lewis violently arguing with Mosley and a pair of his henchmen at their headquarters, leaving the former reeling on the ground and the other two out cold. Then, after leaving, Lewis is described as returning to the building on a whim and knocking out two more of Mosley's guards without provocation.
Restless in his career choices, he worked as a boxing trainer and manager, a gambling bookmaker, a haberdasher, a purveyor of wines and spirits, a boxing referee, a security officer, a travel agent and he also made numerous personal appearances, trading on his celebrity. He stayed married to his wife Elsie for forty-five years until her death.
During the early 1960s, Lewis was befriended by the notorious Kray twins; the boxing-infatuated gangland bosses enjoyed bringing the famous old champion to their parties and charity evenings, and they even used him as a decoy when arranging the escape of a fellow criminal from Dartmoor prison.
In his final years, after his wife died, he was afflicted with failing eyesight and Parkinson's disease. From 1966 he lived comfortably in a south London retirement home for the Jewish elderly, Nightingale House in Clapham. He died there in October 1970. In 2003, an English Heritage blue plaque was erected at Nightingale House in his honour, which was unveiled by his son, Morton.