It became apparent that Wells was good enough to make a living from boxing, so in 1910, he bought himself out of the army and returned to Britain.

Wells had his first professional fight on 8 June 1910, against Gunner Joe Mills, winning on points over six rounds.

In his next fight he fought for the British Heavyweight Title, at the National Sporting Club, Covent Garden, London.

The fight was in April 1911 against Iron (William) Hague, the holder, and Wells won by a knockout in the sixth round of twenty.

Wells was matched to fight the current world heavyweight champion, Jack Johnson, in London in October 1911, but religious opponents of excessive prize money, led by Baptist minister Frederick Brotherton Meyer, and opponents of contests between the races, caused the fight to be cancelled by Winston Churchill, who was then Home Secretary.

In June 1913, Wells fought the extremely talented Frenchman Georges Carpentier for the European Heavyweight Title.

Wells continued to box and successfully defend his British heavyweight title, even after the start of World War I.

The bout was held in February 1919, in Holborn, London, and Beckett won by a knockout in the fifth round to take Wells' titles.

Wells was one of several people to fill the role of the "gongman" - the figure seen striking the gong in the introduction to J. Arthur Rank films.