From Nigel Benn and Lennox Lewis to Anthony Joshua and Frank Bruno, the history of black boxers in Britain is rich, and often celebrated. But that hasn’t been the case for everyone.

In the 1920s a black boxer from Manchester enjoyed enormous success, rising to become one of the best of his generation — only to have his achievements denied due to the color of his skin. He went on to become a writer, club owner, Communist leader, and a trusted friend of Paul Robeson.

Leonard Benker Johnson was born on October 22, 1902 at 12 Barnabas Street, Clayton. His father, William, was a merchant seaman from Sierra Leone who had settled in Manchester after marrying Len’s mother, Margaret — herself belonging to the enormous Irish diaspora that was then found in the slums of north Manchester.