Wells was a member of the U.S. Air Force, serving at Hamilton AFB in California, and already the four-time All-Air Force boxing champion when he won the 1972 U.S. Amateur heavyweight championship. In that year, he knocked out future WBC and IBF heavyweight champion Larry Holmes twice. The first time was in the 3rd round of a National Amateur Athletic Union tournament; later that year, in the US Olympic Trials, he knocked Holmes out in the first round. He went on to face 1971 US Amateur heavyweight champion Duane Bobick in the finals of the Olympic Trials, where he broke Bobick's nose early in the fight and appeared to be on his way to representing the United States in the Olympics. But Wells had suffered a head wound before the fight at his hotel, and the fight was stopped by the referee when it began to bleed profusely. Bobick went on to lose to Cuban heavyweight and eventual gold medal winner Teofilo Stevenson in the Olympic quarterfinals. One of the most popular amateur boxers in Texas during the 1970s, Wells was a five-time Fort WorthGolden Gloves champion and a two-time Star-telegram Texas State Golden Gloves champion. Three-time Texas state champion, in 1969, 1970, 1971. Five time all air force champion, in 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976. Two-time interservice champion in 1973, 1975. Three-time interservice runner up in 1972, 1974, 1976. Two-time Nevada state golden gloves champion in 1972, 1973. He was the 1972 National AAU Champion, as well as the Western Hemisphere Champion in 1972 or 1973. He also held the titles of World Military Champion and Texas state champion, in 1971. Duane Bobick said Wells was the biggest challenge on his way to winning the Pan American gold medal.
Wells compiled an amateur record of 189–18 with 110 knockouts, 72 of them in the first round.
Professional career
Wells declined an opportunity to be trained by legendary trainer and manager Lou Duva in New Jersey, opting instead to train and fight out of his hometown of Fort Worth, Texas. He compiled a professional record of 10 - 3 before taking a job with the Fort Worth Fire Department in 1978, in order to support his son Nickolas. He continued his professional boxing career, but lost the Texas State Heavyweight Title match to Roy Wallace in his first bout after becoming a firefighter. He went 3 - 4 from that point, his last two fights ending in knockout losses to heavyweight contenders Eddie "The Animal" Lopez and Tony "The Tongan Torpedo" Fulilangi. He retired from boxing in 1983 with a professional record of 13–8, although some accounts list his record at 15–8.
