Freddie Mills

Mills had three bouts in 1936 in a 11 stone novices’ competition, all of which he won by knockout.[6] He subsequently signed professional terms with manager Bob Turner.[6] He began fighting in fairground booths and at venues on the south coast.[7] His first 64 fights, in 3½ years, most fighting as a middleweight, though often against heavier opponents, resulted in 48 wins, 9 losses and 7 draws. By late 1939 he was the Western Area middleweight champion, and in April 1940 he beat Eastern Area champion Ginger Sadd on points.[8] At the time, Mills was ranked 9th best middleweight in Britain, and Sadd 2nd.[9]

In January 1940 he joined the Royal Air Force and went on to become first a corporal physical training instructor and, by the following year, a sergeant, while continuing to box professionally.[6] He fought Jock McAvoy, the British and Commonwealth middleweight champion, the fight made at 12st 9lbs, McAvoy having the previous year unsuccessfully fought Len Harvey for the British and Commonwealth light-heavyweight titles. The fight against McAvoy took place in Liverpool in August 1940 and Mills won a clear decision over ten rounds.[10] Mills subsequent fought mainly at light heavyweight.

In 1941 he was taken on by new manager Ted Broadribb, and began an affair with Broadribb's daughter Chrissie, who was at the time married to South African boxer Don McCorkindale.[6] In September 1941 he was disqualified for a low blow in the third round against Jack Hyams, suffering his first defeat in almost two years.[11]

In November 1941 he stopped heavyweight Jim Wilde in the third round, despite conceding almost two and a half stones to the Welshman.[12] In December 1941, he fought Jack London, a heavyweight who later (in 1944) won the British and Commonwealth heavyweight titles, Mills won on points over ten rounds despite conceding over three stones in weight to London.[13][14] At this time Mills was nicknamed 'The Bournemouth Bombshell'.[15]

Mills was due to fight McAvoy in January 1942 in a final eliminator for the British and Empire (later 'Commonwealth') light-heavyweight title, but withdrew from the fight, stating that wanted to concentrate on fighting at heavyweight and challenge for Len Harvey's title.[16] He beat Tom Reddington at heavyweight later that month, but evidently had a change of heart, and in February 1942 fought McAvoy in a final eliminator for the light-heavyweight titles. The fight, in the Royal Albert Hall, ended after one round when McAvoy was forced to retire with an injured back.[17] The way was open for Mills to challenge Len Harvey for the British and Empire light-heavyweight titles (Harvey at the time also holding the British heavyweight title).

The title fight took place on 20 June 1942, at White Hart Lane, Tottenham, in front of a crowd of 30,000. In the second round Mills caught Harvey with a powerful left hook and put him down for a count of nine. When Harvey got up Mills hit him with a left uppercut, knocking him through the ropes and off the ring canvas, and in doing so he won via a knockout.[18][19] The fight created a sensation and Mills was talked of as a future challenger for Joe Louis.[7] Mills now had the light-heavyweight titles. Harvey had also been considered world champion by the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC), but Mills decided not to accept the title, instead wishing to fight for American Gus Lesnevich's more recognised world title.[20] Mills only fought competitively four times in the next two years, all of them wins inside the distance, although he fought several exhibition fights, including several bouts with McCorkindale.[21] Difficulty in making fights led him to consider relinquishing his titles in 1943, expressing a desire to switch to all-in wrestling.[22]

Len Harvey's retirement in early 1943 left the British and Empire heavyweight titles vacant. Mills and London were nominated to fight for the titles by the BBBofC in April that year, but after the fight was postponed three times, twice due to injuries sustained by London, they eventually met in September 1944. The fight took place at the Kings Hall, Belle Vue, Manchester, with Mills conceding just over three stone (19 kilos) in weight.[23] Both men were at the time serving in the Royal Air Force. Mills showed speed and aggression, but London's superior strength and power were evident in the closing stages and the heavier man was awarded the decision after fifteen rounds.[24]

Mills and London were set to fight again in February 1945, but London's RAF duties made it impossible for him to train.[25] Instead, Mills fought former Scottish amateur heavyweight champion Ken Shaw, stopping him in the seventh round.[26]

In March 1945, Mills was posted to India and Burma as part of a touring party that also included Denis Compton, giving lectures and boxing demonstrations and taking part in exhibition bouts.[27][28]

Mills returned to the UK and was demobilised in March 1946,[29][28] and in May 1946 he was given a shot at Lesnevich's world light-heavyweight title.[30] Mills' preparation was interrupted in April when his father died at his home in Bournemouth.[31] The fight took place at Harringay Arena in front of 11,000 fans. Mills was not considered a serious threat to Lesnevich but performed better than many expected in what was described as a "slam-bang, punishing contest". Mills was floored heavily in the second round but recovered strongly and was cheered on by the British crowd. In the ninth round, Mills's aggression appeared to be turning the fight in his favour, and Lesnevich was troubled by cuts above his eyes. In the tenth, however, Lesnevich "exploded" to score two knockdowns and the referee stopped the contest.[32]

Three weeks after losing his fight against Lesnevich, Mills fought British heavyweight Bruce Woodcock, losing a twelve-round fight on points after being knocked down in the fourth.[33]

Mills returned in August 1946 with a first-round knockout of the Swedish heavyweight John Nilsson.[34] In November 1946, Mills fought another heavyweight, American Joe Baksi. Mills suffered two badly cut eyes and retired after six rounds of what was described as a "disappointingly one-sided contest".[35]

In 1947, Mills again focused on the light-heavyweight division, and had three wins by knockout in the first half of the year (one against Italian champion Enrico Bertola and the third against South African champion Nick Wolmarans in Johannesburg) before losing in June by KO to American Lloyd Marshall.[36]

In September 1947, Mills fought for the vacant European light-heavyweight title against the Belgian, Pol Goffaux, winning after Goffaux retired towards the end of the fourth round.[37] Mills ended the year with a points win over French heavyweight Stephane Olek.[38]

Mills defended the European title in February 1948, against the Spanish champion Paco Bueno, who was subjected to "terrific punishment" before being knocked out in the second round.[39]

In April 1948 he beat the heavyweight Ken Shaw for a second time, in a final eliminator for the British title.[40]

On 26 July 1948, Mills was matched against Lesnevich for his second attempt at the world light heavyweight title. Mills was in much better shape for this fight, held at the White City Stadium, London in front of a 46,000 crowd. Lesnevich reportedly struggled to make the 175 pound limit, weighing in at 174¾ pounds, whereas Mills came in at 170½.[41]

Lesnevich, who was a 1/3 betting favourite, suffered from cuts over the eyes from the opening round as Mills started strongly. The fight then settled down into a "remarkably dull" affair, which drew boos from the crowd and saw both men warned by the referee Teddy Waltham for the lack of action.[42] In the tenth round, Mills rallied and floored Lesnevich heavily on two occasions. Lesnevich launched a "savage attack" in the twelfth and thirteenth rounds, but Mills responded in the last two sessions and at the end of fifteen rounds, the British boxer was awarded the decision by the referee.[43]

Mills was set to defend his title against Lesnevich in September in New York, but the fight was cancelled due to Mills suffering severe headaches and bouts of dizziness since the July fight.[44][45] In August medical opinion was sought and he was diagnosed with misaligned vertebrae at the base of the skull; It was decided that after two months rest and spinal treatment he could return to boxing.[46]

In September 1948, Mills was challenged to a fight at light-heavyweight by Sugar Ray Robinson, but it was dismissed as "ridiculous" by promoter Jack Solomons.[47]

Mills beat another heavyweight, Johnny Ralph, in Johannesburg in November 1948 in an eliminator for the Empire heavyweight title.[48] Mills broke a metacarpal in his right hand during the fight.[49]

In early 1949, after a well-received appearance with Arthur Askey on the radio show How Do You Do?, Mills expressed a desire to work in radio after his boxing career ended, stating "I am not going on fighting for ever. I've got some money now. I reckon that being on the radio would just about suit me."[50] In March 1949, Mills signed a promotional contract with Solomons, which made any return fight with Lesnevich more likely to take place in Britain.[51]

In June 1949, Mills challenged Bruce Woodcock for his British, Empire, and European heavyweight titles. The fight was also recognised as an eliminator for the British version of the World Heavyweight Championship. They fought at the White City Stadium, with Mills conceding twenty pounds in weight to his opponent. Mills bloodied the heavyweight's nose but was floored four times before being knocked out in the fourteenth round.[52]

Shortly after the Woodcock fight, Mills expressed a willingness to defend his light-heavyweight title later that year, although he wanted the purse money to be spread over five years, for tax reasons, and to guarantee him an income for several years after retiring from the ring, Mills clearly not intending to keep fighting for much longer.[53]

In September 1949, a contract was signed for Mills to defend his world title against American Joey Maxim. After several dates and venues were proposed, the fight was finally set for 24 January 1950 at Earls Court, London.[54] Mills decided to leave long-time trainer Nat Sellers and train himself for the fight.[55] Mills began strongly but Maxim, who "boxed beautifully", began to overhaul him. Mills, according to press reports, looked for a knockout win, but in the tenth round he was floored by a left right combination. Mills took the count in a sitting position before falling sideways and being counted out. Mills was assisted to his corner and was checked by a doctor before leaving the ring.[56] He had fought the last four rounds with three of his teeth knocked out and one embedded in the gum of his upper jaw.[57] Mills' reign as world champion was over, and the next day Broadribb announced that he had decided to retire, a decision made formal on 15 February when Mills wrote to BBBofC to confirm his retirement and to relinquish his British, European, and Empire light-heavyweight titles, aged 30.[58][59][60]

A month after confirming his retirement, Mills was granted a manager's licence by the BBBofC, taking on Brixton heavyweight Terry O'Connor as his first boxer.[66][67] In June 1950, Mills' autobiography, Twenty Years, was published.[68] In 1951 he gained a promoter's licence and put on many successful events until the mid-1950s.[69]

During the latter stages of his boxing career, Mills suffered from frequent headaches,[70] which continued after his retirement. Mills taught boxing classes at the Streatham Youth Centre in the early 1960s.[71]

In October 1962 his world championship belt was stolen from his car, but it was returned three days later with a note from the thief apologising for stealing it.[72][73]

Mills made an appearance on the television show Rooftop Rendezvous in February 1950, earning praise for his comedy skills.[74] In May 1950 he did his first television commentary on the Dennis Powell v. Mel Brown card at Birmingham, broadcast by the BBC, which saw him described as "discovery of the week" by the Daily Herald.[75][76] In late 1950 he again appeared on radio as a presenter of the programme Calling All Forces.[77] In March 1952 he was given a 12-week Saturday radio show by the BBC.[78] In 1952 he made his first film appearance in Emergency Call, going on to take small rôles in a dozen films.[79]

In September 1954 he was knocked unconscious during a TV sketch after being hit over the head with a real stool rather than the prop that should have been used.[80] He made appearances on several other television and radio shows, and became a presenter on the BBC pop-music programme Six-Five Special from February 1957 until being dropped from the show in March 1958, although he returned for the final show at the end of the year.[81][82] He went on to perform on stage as part of The Dickie Henderson Show later that year, staying with Henderson until the early 1960s.[83] In 1959 he performed in Dick Whittington in Hulme, playing Idle Jack.[84] In 1961 he appeared in a Summer stage show in Brighton with Alfred Marks.[85]

He was the subject of This Is Your Life, when he was surprised by Eamonn Andrews in the foyer of London's Earls Court Exhibition Centre. The episode was broadcast on 2 January 1961.

By 1963, television appearances had become less frequent, although he appeared on variety show Big Night Out in January 1964.[86]

Mills began investing in property in the late 1940s, acquiring several houses and flats.[87] In 1946 he opened the Freddie Mills Chinese Restaurant at 143 Charing Cross Road as a joint venture with Charles Luck and actor Andy Ho.[88][89] He also briefly jointly owned a café in Peckham with his friend and investment adviser Bill Bavin.[90] By 1963 the Chinese restaurant was no longer profitable, and Mills and Ho converted it to a nightclub ('The Freddie Mills Nite Spot') at a cost of around £12,000, re-opening in May that year.[2][91][92] After initially hoping to make the club a family venue, they were pressured into allowing 'hostesses' to work there, unknown to Mills a euphemism for prostitutes.[93] He became friends with the Kray Twins, notorious criminals who frequented his club.[94] In August 1963 Mills and Ho started the Freddie Mills Theatrical Agency, based at the club.[95]

After its initial success his nightclub began to fail and he tried to sell it, without success. He sold off what property he had but was in serious financial difficulty.[96]