Stories of the boxer and the man were told on the stage, and they were shared among the audience at the ceremony, held in the shadow of Darcy’s statue in King Edward Park, East Maitland.

Darcy was just 21 when he died in Memphis on May 24, 1917, but he has never been forgotten in his hometown.

“It’s hard to believe he was cut down at such a young age, yet he still makes such an amazing impact, and he’s still today giving inspiration to … the people of Maitland,” the guest speaker and another champion Hunter sportsman, Mark Hughes, told the audience. 

The former Newcastle Knight, who went to school in Maitland, is admired for his own fighting spirit. He was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2013 and has been raising awareness of the disease and funding for research. 

“Toughness comes in so many different ways, and in life we’re all faced with different challenges,” Mr Hughes said. “I think we can take so much from Les Darcy in the way he fought and in the way he looked after his family.”

Les Darcy even helped promote the Mark Hughes Foundation’s Beanie for Brain Cancer appeal. Mr Hughes and sculptor Tanya Bartlett placed a beanie on the statue.     

Relatives of Les Darcy were in the audience. His great-great-great nephew, Neil Blanch, turned up with a pair of boxing gloves around his shoulders.

“Since he was a boxer, I decided to try boxing, and try to live up to him,” 10-year-old Neil said. 

Les Darcy was also there. The boxer’s great nephew shares his name. “It’s very humbling to be named after a man of his stature,” Mr Darcy said. 

Yanwyn Kirby, a cousin of Darcy, travelled from South Australia to attend. He met Walter Balser, the grandson of one of Darcy’s earliest opponents, George Balser.

“I think Les would be overwhelmed,” Mr Kirby said, when asked what Darcy would have thought of all the attention. 

Earlier in the day, the restored plaque outside the tyre-fitting business marking the site where Darcy had worked as a blacksmith was unveiled. 

“He was a symbol for every person to look up to,” Maitland Mayor Peter Blackmore said. “He’s Maitland’s favourite son.”