Johnny Powers (wrestler)

Johnny Powers
Birth nameDennis Waters
Born(1943-03-20)March 20, 1943
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
DiedDecember 30, 2022(2022-12-30) (aged 79)
Smithville, Ontario, Canada
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)Johnny Powers
Lord Anthony Lansdowne
Billed height6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)[1]
Billed weight265 lb (120 kg)[1]
Trained byJack Wentworth
Johnny Valentine
Lou Thesz
Toots Mondt
Pedro Martínez
Debut1960
Retired1982

Johnny Powers (born Dennis Waters; March 20, 1943 – December 30, 2022) was a Canadian professional wrestler. He competed in several North American and International promotions including National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), American Wrestling Association (AWA), Maple Leaf Wrestling, National Wrestling Federation, International Wrestling Association and the World Wide Wrestling Federation feuding with then WWWF World Heavyweight Champion Bruno Sammartino during the early 1960s NWA's Lou Thesz, Gene Kiniski and AWA's Verne Gagne.

As a sports event promoter and television producer since 1967, he has presented over 3,500 live wrestling and sports events from Singapore to New York City to Trinidad. He co-founded the National Wrestling Federation (NWF), which he sold to Japanese interests in 1973. Powers was the first major international syndicator of television wrestling with programs in over 27 countries.

  1. ^ a b Shields, Brian; Sullivan, Kevin (2009). WWE Encyclopedia. DK. p. 161. ISBN 978-0-7566-4190-0.