Leif Wadling: Fifties featherweight in the shadow of Ingo Johansson

By Teddy Stenmark

14.02 - Former pro-boxer, Leif Wadling was one of those prelim-fighters that sort of came in the shadow of World heavyweight champion, Ingemar Johansson. Everything centred around "Ingo" in those days and although everyone that I have spoken to about Wadling and his career, tells me what a great boxer he was, there isn't much to read about him though! He didn't get the publicity he was entitled to that is for sure. When I get the old fighter on the phone, He sounds surprised. Much because he has been sick for a while, deadly sick in fact! "I was so bad I was in a coma for a while" But it's not boxing related. Don't write that! He is very nice to chat with and despite his illness, he is glad to take the time off to chat with me about his glory days. Leif turned pro relatively early, only 19 years old, after a short-lived amateur career of 34 fights that rendered him the Swedish junior title. He is now in his early seventies (turns 72 soon) living a life away from boxing. The interest is still there though, he follows the boxing though the TV-screen these days!

Teddy: From everyone I have talked to about you, I have heard that you were more of snappy KO-boxer than anything else!

Leif: Yes I had the punch but I was more of a tactical boxer in my mind!

Teddy: Were do you live nowadays?

Leif: I live in Hisingen Gothenburg, together with my wife and my two adult sons, Eddie and Pierre, you can hear by the names of my sons that I have picked typical boxers name (laugh) don't you think?

Teddy: You were a pro between the years 1950-1958, which weight did you campaign at?

Leif: I was always a featherweight, but I probably should have switched to lightweight, I always had to struggle to make the featherweight limit.

Teddy: How come you turned professional at such an early age?

Leif: Well, I worked for Edwin Ahlquist the World famous Swedish promoter at his magazine "Rekordmagasinet" (distributing it) and it just happened! I sparred with his fighter Elis Ask and I guess he liked what he saw! And I never did like tournaments as they have in the amateurs so I jumped on the chance to earn some cash on my skills!

Teddy: You are still married to your wife whom you have your two sons with, how long have you been together?

Leif: Too long (laugh)!!

Teddy: But your sons have never been involved in boxing?

Leif: No they were never interested.

Teddy: Did you have a regular work alongside your pro-career as well?

Leif: Yes Always, I was a construction worker, it was tough work going from a hard days labour straight to the gym to train, that's why I gave up my career in 1958.

Teddy: Which were your toughest fights as professional?

Leif: Mohammed Chickaoui whom I lost on TKO to, He was really, really good. I also remember Gianni Zuddas because of his merits he was ranked three in the World. At that time there were, as you probably know only one World champion at each weight so that was impressive. I beat him on points...

Teddy: Did you earn any good money during your career, what was your biggest purse?

Leif: Yes I earned some, money was worth more in those days and I remember that my pay-cheques used to be around 2500-5000 crowns, my biggest purse were around that amount!

Teddy: Thanks for the chat Leif! You turn 72 on February 17th happy Birthday to you and good health to you from now on!

Leif: Thank you, no problem, my pleasure!

The career record of Leif Wadling Result

1950-09-22 Andre Scotto Gothenburg Sweden D PTS 4
1950-11-19 Yves Husson Örebro Sweden W PTS 4
1950-12-29 Maurice Fernandez Gothenburg Sweden W KO 1
1951-03-09 Raymond Martin Gothenburg Sweden W PTS 4
1951-11-09 Mohammed Chickaoui Gothenburg Sweden L TKO 6
1952-01-04 Anker Schone Copenhagen Denmark W KO 1
1952-12-05 Fernand Guillo Gotheburg Sweden W PTS 6
1953-02-06 Georges Lafage Gothenburg Sweden W KO 5
1953-03-06 Jean Senhadj Gothenburg Sweden W PTS 6
1953-12-04 Salvator Vangi Stockholm Sweden W PTS 6
1954-11-05 Claude Richard Gothenburg Sweden W TKO 3
1955--02-13 Arthur Emboule Stockholm Sweden W TKO 3
1955-03-05 Flavio Ciancarelli Gothenburg Sweden W TKO 5
1955-04-03 Gianni Zuddas Stockholm Sweden W PTS 6
1955-06-12 Alfred Schweer Dortmund Germany L PTS 4
1955-08-28 Freddie Reardon Gothenburg Sweden W PTS 8
1957-12-13 Gabriel Viel Gothenburg Sweden W KO 4
1958-02-21 Ahence Dib Gothenburg Sweden D PTS 6
1958-07-13 Alfred Schweer Gothenburg Sweden W PTS 6
1958-09-14 Willy Quatuor Gothenburg Sweden L PTS 6