Was Les Darcy on his way to being the future middleweight king when he died?

When writing about Les Darcy, it is imperative to understand the boxing and political situations in both Australia and United States at the time he was a well-known fighter. While still alive, Darcy was regarded in many Australian and American circles as a pariah after he left Australia clandestinely on his way to the United States. At the time, Australia was fighting in World War War while the U.S. was on the brink of becoming fully involved.

Right after his premature death in the U.S., Darcy was literally canonized in Australia. A number of Australians used the U.S. as a scapegoat for its so-called shabby treatment of Darcy after his death. But Darcy seemed to know very little about boxing and political situations in the United States at the time he left Australia. As a result, Darcy was way over his head after arriving in the U.S.

- Chuck Johnston