Wells lost to Johnny Basham for the BBofC Welterweight Championship and the Commonwealth Welterweight Championship in a twenty round points decision in Holborn, England on 13 November 1919.
 The bloody affair involved too much clinching by Basham, and a too frequent use of head butts by Wells.
 By the eleventh, Wells, the older boxer by four years, was beginning to show signs of fatigue, but he never failed to mix when required.
 With a clear advantage, Basham excelled in long range fighting, having a reach advantage of several inches, but he seemed to have the better of the infighting as well.
 The eighteenth through twentieth rounds were all Basham's, who added to an already significant advantage in points, and though Wells took a beating and his face was bloody by the later rounds, he remained on his feet throughout the match.
  Wells had formerly lost to Basham in a fifteen round points decision at the London Opera House on 22 March 1915.
 Welsh had gained a bit of weight prior to the match which may have affected his speed, and Basham had continued to improve his skills in the previous year.

On 26 December 1919, Wells lost to the accomplished English boxer Ted "Kid" Lewis in twelve of twenty rounds at Royal Albert Hall in Kensington.
Lewis and Charley White became the only two boxers in Welles's career to stop him before the end of a fight.
Taking a serious beating, Wells's face was cut badly and his nose was broken, before he gave up the unequal struggle in the twelfth.
 
He was inducted into the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 2007.
Wells lost to Johnny Basham for the BBofC Welterweight Championship and the Commonwealth Welterweight Championship in a twenty round points decision in Holborn, England on 13 November 1919.  The bloody affair involved too much clinching by Basham, and a too frequent use of head butts by Wells.  By the eleventh, Wells, the older boxer by four years, was beginning to show signs of fatigue, but he never failed to mix when required.  With a clear advantage, Basham excelled in long range fighting, having a reach advantage of several inches, but he seemed to have the better of the infighting as well.  The eighteenth through twentieth rounds were all Basham's, who added to an already significant advantage in points, and though Wells took a beating and his face was bloody by the later rounds, he remained on his feet throughout the match.   Wells had formerly lost to Basham in a fifteen round points decision at the London Opera House on 22 March 1915.  Welsh had gained a bit of weight prior to the match which may have affected his speed, and Basham had continued to improve his skills in the previous year. 
On 26 December 1919, Wells lost to the accomplished English boxer Ted "Kid" Lewis in twelve of twenty rounds at Royal Albert Hall in Kensington. Lewis and Charley White became the only two boxers in Welles's career to stop him before the end of a fight. Taking a serious beating, Wells's face was cut badly and his nose was broken, before he gave up the unequal struggle in the twelfth.  
He was inducted into the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 2007.
Matt Wells (boxer)