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Forgotten hero

The incredible story of Britain’s forgotten boxing hero, who still holds record for biggest boxing crowd Anthony Joshua wants to match

Len Harvey started boxing when he was 12, had more than 400 fights and is regarded as first to wear robe into the ring

ANTHONY JOSHUA'S super-fight against Wladimir Klitschko will bring boxing in this country into a new age.

The bout is expected to make £40million, a British record, with the heavyweight champion from London predicted to become boxing's first billionaire.

 Anthony Joshua and Wladimir Klitschko will fight at Wembley in April
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Anthony Joshua and Wladimir Klitschko will fight at Wembley in AprilCredit: Richard Pelham

On top of that, 90,000 people will cram into Wembley in anticipation of AJ delivering his 19th straight knockout.

But incredibly, more than 80 years ago, another good-looking, smooth-talking poster boy of British boxing was already drawing crowds of that size.

In 1934 and again in 1939, 90,000 punters flocked to White City in London to watch in awe as Britain's forgotten boxing hero made history.

His name was Len Harvey.

 Len Harvey still holds the record for boxing match with the biggest attendance
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Len Harvey still holds the record for boxing match with the biggest attendanceCredit: Times Newspapers Ltd
 Len Harvey watches on as his opponent, Alex Ireland, is floored
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Len Harvey watches on as his opponent, Alex Ireland, is flooredCredit: Times Newspapers Ltd
 Len Harvey was a star of his day but his achievements have been largely forgotten
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Len Harvey was a star of his day but his achievements have been largely forgottenCredit: Sunday Times magazine

Harvey started fighting at the age of 12, had more than 400 bouts in his lifetime - 'just' 146 were deemed official - and was one of the first British boxers to fight at Madison Square Garden in New York.

He was recognised as a world champion in 1939, was a three-weight British title-holder, had 57KOs on his CV and joined the RAF following his retirement from the ring.

Harvey is also recognised as the first to wear a robe into the ring.

Yet his accomplishments do not spring to the front of the mind the same as, say, the legendary Henry Cooper's do.

But they should.

The first time Harvey drew a crowd the size of which Joshua and promoter Eddie Hearn still can just dream of getting was in 1934.

Reports of that June indicate 90,000 flocked to White City stadium to see Harvey defend his British heavyweight belt against Welshman Jack Stevensen.

There was no room then for glitzy lights, entrance music and razzmatazz.

Instead many punters stood, peering for a glimpse of the gladiators in the raised ring.

Stevensen won the "grim battle of unrelenting punching" in the 12th when Harvey's corner threw in the towel.

 Cornwall-born boxer Len Harvey was a legend in his day
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Cornwall-born boxer Len Harvey was a legend in his dayCredit: Getty Images
 Crowds of this size flocked to White City Stadium to watch Len Harvey fight
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Crowds of this size flocked to White City Stadium to watch Len Harvey fightCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
 Len Harvey was a brilliant tactician in the ring and master of defence
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Len Harvey was a brilliant tactician in the ring and master of defenceCredit: Glyn Roberts

That attendance though smashed all records in British boxing at the time and Prince George, Duke of Kent, was even there to watch it.

But that fight was just a taster for what came after.

In 1939 it was estimated by some that 200,000 piled into White City again to see Harvey scrap.

That would have set a new world record that would still stand today.

However, the generally accepted attendance is 90,000 and that today is the British record.

The man from Cornwall had become a world record holder in the time between then and 1934.

In December 1934 he registered a right-hand grip of 520lbs and the report was carried in newspapers around the world.

Thomas Inch, whose record Harvey broke, said: "You have done what 10,000 men throughout the world had not accomplished in 35 years trying."

 Family man Len Harvey was among the first British fighters to try himself in America
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Family man Len Harvey was among the first British fighters to try himself in AmericaCredit: Getty Images
 Len Harvey still holds the record for the biggest crowd at a fight
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Len Harvey still holds the record for the biggest crowd at a fightCredit: Times Newspapers Ltd
 Anthony Joshua and Wladimir Klitschko hope to attract 90,000 to Wembley
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Anthony Joshua and Wladimir Klitschko hope to attract 90,000 to WembleyCredit: PA:Press Association

That was trivial, though, to what happened again in West London in July 1939.

With the British and Commonwealth light-heavyweight belts on the line, Harvey slammed arch nememis Jock McAvoy with a series of rights in the 15th and final round to win and take their four-fight series 3-1.

There is some argument about whether or not Harvey actually became a world champion that night.

According to the International Boxing Hall of Fame, the McAvoy win made him world light-heavyweight champ as recognised by the British Boxing Board of Control.

Harvey's boxing career ended three years later when he lost the British cruiserweight crown to Freddie Mills at White Hart Lane.

After joining the RAF he fought sporadically but with never more than a week's leave to prepare he never reached his old heights.

Harvey, who went on to own and run the Steam Passage pub in Angel, North London, died in November 1976 but was posthumously inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2008.

His portrait hangs now in the National Portait Gallery, where he is described as "one of the leading sportsmen in Britain during the interway years".

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