Freddie Mills an appreciation by Tom Walker Sep 4th 2006

Forty-hours after Clinton Woods beat Glen Johnson to become number one light-heavyweight in the World, Tom Walker takes a look at a former World champion at light-heavyweight and a legend from British boxing history. In my bio-pic on the site it has my three favourite boxers as Freddie, Walter McGowan and Sonny Liston. There are many more, but in truth the three named, were for different reasons, milestones in my own love of the sport. Freddie Mills was the first world champion that I'd ever heard of from my father, just about the time he (my father) was trying to get me to put on the old horse hair filled gloves he's brought back from India whilst living in a tenement flat in Kilmahew Street in Ardrossan. Freddie too had served in the RAF as I'd later do for a 12 year stint, though his was war time. As a member of ISSECC (Inter Services Sports & Entertainment Control Committee) only the forces could think up a title like that, he toured the far east with one Tommy Walker (Hearts FC legend) who was known as “Gentleman” never having been booked or sent off in his illustrious career, and Dennis Compton who was also the epitome of sportsmanship in cricket for the entertainment of the troops stationed in the Far East during the last war. Freddie had a total of 96 professional bouts between 1936 – 1950 (this is what Mills says himself in his autobiography, but BBN have found 101 to date), which considering the fact that World War 2 featured for six years in this period and that he only fought six times in the last three years, is some record. Though it should be noted that Freddie did box during the war years albeit whilst in the RAF as a Physical Training Instructor. The renowned W. Barrington-Dalby a referee and broadcaster of note in his time, described Mills as one of a rare breed of British boxers to have won a genuine world title and by his (Mills) performances in the ring and his bearing out of it, had added prestige to the sport. Freddie had little use for finesse, he captured the public imagination and admiration by his “guts” as a fighter who would accept punishment without flinching and still fight back until he got on top, all of which combined with an innate sense of chivalry endeared him to the fans as well as his opponents. A Hampshire man, Freddie Mills was born in Bournemouth in 1919 and made his professional debut aged 16 in 1936. His early career meant that he was one of the boxers who transitioned from boxing in the “booths” to the best arenas of the day including Harringay and the Albert Hall. When he beat Gus Lesnevich in July of 1948, for the Light Heavyweight championship of the world he became the first British boxer since Bob Fitzsimmons to hold the esteemed belt at that weight. With 46,000 punters in attendance at the White City, Freddie had gained revenge over Lesnevich who'd stopped him in the tenth round of their earlier encounter in May 1946. The 1946 bout had Freddie down four times in the second round, yet he still hung in there gamely to live up to Barrington-Dalby's description of Freddie as a boxer. He was much better prepared for the bout two years later when he opened cuts over Lesnevich's left eye at the outset of the bout and at the same time avoided the devastating right hand of Lesnevich which had put him “up and down like a yo-yo” to quote the man himself. Freddie was scheduled to have a rematch with Lesnevich, but displacement of the vertebrae at the base of the skull meant that it had to be postponed for treatment. By which time in the year, an open air bout would have been a financial risk for both men, so Freddie fulfilled an agreement to box Johnny Ralph of South Africa in Johannesburg. This bout truly shows the meaning of Freddie's “chivalry” as after Ralph had slipped on two occasions, during each of which, Freddie waited until he'd regained his balance before recommencing boxing, with his (Ralph's) boots being the problem. Freddie, on the third occasion, took him over to his own corner to allow him (Ralph) to use his resin to prevent further slips by the South African. In the eighth round Freddie KO'd Ralph and since it was the first time Ralph had ever been knocked out, Freddie, as always a gentleman, helped him to his feet after he'd been counted out. 1948 had seen Freddie Mills crowned champion of the world, come a close second to Dennis Compton as “Sportsman of the year” and given the Freedom of London. In what was to be his penultimate bout in 1949, he fought Bruce Woodcock for the British Heavyweight title, giving away 20lbs in weight. In a fairly brutal fight, Woodcock's advantages over the relatively diminutive “heavyweight” frame of Mills told in no uncertain terms with a KO in the 14th round. Jack Solomons had Freddie's defence of the world title fixed for 1950 against Joey Maxim of the States in the Earls Court arena, and, as almost always with Freddie, it was a war of attrition. Both men were giving their all, but Maxim's uppercuts causing Freddie to have some dental work during the break at the end of round 6, Freddie's corner man/trainer Nat Seller, having to pull 2 teeth out during the minute's respite. Seller had to pull a 3rd tooth from Freddie's gum at the end of the 7th round. Maxim too, needed dental repairs after the bout, as Freddie had cracked Maxim's front bridge work. The end though had come in the 10th round as Maxim completed his work by Freddie being counted out after some very crisp short handed shots from the American. In retirement he became a nightclub owner and film extra usually playing the part of a “spiv” or gangster, as well as a friend of the Kray brothers Ronnie and Reggie, well known London gangsters. In July of 1965 he was found shot in the head in London like so many of the Kray associates. The police said suicide, but the real answer will forever be a mystery. Theories abound on the ultimate demise of a real character of British Boxing, many of them speculative and ultimately not worthy of being given credence. Suffice to say that in his boxing career, Freddie Mills was courageous beyond measure, a gentleman with a sense of chivalry towards his opponents and a genuine world champion. We're unlikely to see another in the same mould.

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