Freddie Mills' British & Empire titles...

jimglen · Post by **jimglen** » 07 Sep 2005, 23:13

I was just thinking about this recently and I wondered 'IF' many people "ever" asked this question... there certaintly isn't a whole lot written about it.

WHO apart from the obvious contender, would have been a candidate/challenger for Mills' British & Empire 'light-heavyweight' Titles, which he held UNCONTESTED for 8 years 1942-50...

Keep in mind this was at times a real 'thorn' in the side of Mills' and British boxing, from no less than the supporting British fight fans and Boxing Press - so much so that at one time (at least), Mills "threatened" to quit fighting and even stated that he would go into wrestling!

Mills' WANTED to DEFEND his title and do the right thing to satisfy the fight fans, but was told by Ted Broadribb "you do the fighting and leave the match making to me!"

HINT - there were at least 5 possible contenders/challengers, the obvious one of course, and 4 other very good QUALIFIED fighters, one went to America and competed with welcomed success and one of the others was DENIED the chance the board stating he was just a "middleweight" yet they sanctioned him to fight Woodcock twice...

Who were these British fighters and who or how many might just have "taken" Freddies Title???

Bladder · Post by **Bladder** » 08 Sep 2005, 05:54

I guess Bert Gilroy must be an answer somewhere.

yaaaaaaaaaaaaawn!

jimglen · Post by **jimglen** » 08 Sep 2005, 10:37

This thread is TO SHOW that a Title lay "uncontested" for 8 years and it was a VERY, VERY real concern to fight fans and boxers alike - INCLUDING Mills himself..!

There WERE OPPONENTS and possible challengers, YES Bert was "thee obvious" one, BUT if you read the post there were 4 MORE Qualified fighters... the HINTS give you an idea WHO they were and what other success' and 'contridictions' they faced during Mills bullshit and "protected" reign!!!

Have a go mate, WHO were they and which ones might just have "taken" the TITLE!

john2345 · Post by **john2345** » 08 Sep 2005, 12:27

Bert Gilroy

Jock McAvoy? (But Mills did beat him twice)

KOJOE90 · Post by **KOJOE90** » 08 Sep 2005, 13:06

john2345 wrote:Jock McAvoy? (But Mills did beat him twice)

McAvoy was a somewhat jaded fighter by the time he fought Mills the first time. By the time they fought a second time 2 years later he was shot. Also the 1st round loss suffered by McAvoy in the second fight was a result of a freak injury and not a 'true' stoppage. Going from memory I think it was a torn muscle by his back/kidneys.

jimglen · Post by **jimglen** » 08 Sep 2005, 13:29

NOT McAvoy and Gilroy was the obvious challenger, WHO were the rest?

john2345 · Post by **john2345** » 08 Sep 2005, 13:51

Ok, I'm beginning to make wild guesses, but here goes....

Johnny Williams

Don Cockell

???

I'm struggling to work out the "went to America" clue....

J

jimglen · Post by **jimglen** » 09 Sep 2005, 10:52

Mills' "possible" challengers can be split into two periods 1942 to 45 and after 45 a couple of new names came on the scene as john2345 mentioned.

Up to 1945 Mills' compo were a few "middleweights cum light-heavies" and 3 "dual" champions among them, Gilroy No.1 but who were the other 2 main ones, one DENIED outright to fight Freddie and the other had tremendous success in America!

The point being even EXCLUDING Gilroy... There were possible challengers but a Well PROTECTED title goes UNDEFENDED for 8 years... a bit hard to believe.

john2345 · Post by **john2345** » 09 Sep 2005, 11:48

Vince Hawkins....??

jimglen · Post by **jimglen** » 09 Sep 2005, 11:53

Not yet... but keep working.

These two fighters were very good durable fighters one of them had an even more famous "bigger" brother -Champion...

Seamus · Post by **Seamus** » 09 Sep 2005, 14:05

I'd say Jack London, but he did fight Mills.

john2345 · Post by **john2345** » 12 Sep 2005, 10:57

And the answer is....??

jimglen · Post by **jimglen** » 12 Sep 2005, 16:04

pre 1945 Gilroy (the obvious one), but the other possible contenders/challengers 'proving' there were candidates for this British title that lay 8 years "uncontested" were;

Pat O'Connor the Irish "dual Champion who went to America with great success - 18 victories over there and hailed by the New York press...

Glen Moody the Welsh "dual Champion, Denied the opportunity to fight Mills, the Board "stating" he was a 'middleweight', Yet they aproved him for two battles with Woodcock, British 'HW' Champion!

After 1945 and after the "war" again Gilroy the obvious one, and John you have already mentioned two "new lads in Williams and Cockell, but there was also the "evergreen" Ginger Sadd and Jim Berry, Glen Moody till this year 45 and another couple boys came into contention Len Bennett and Al Marson...

So it was more accurately according to the "RATINGS" for a 8 years:

Gilroy
O'Connor
Moody
Sadd
Berry
Bennett
Marson
Williams
Cockell

But NO Title Contest EVER took place..!

john2345 · Post by **john2345** » 13 Sep 2005, 03:18

OK, thanks for those names - at least I can now stop searching thru record books etc!

I did think of Sadd and Moody but didn't think they were necessarily up to a challenge for Mills' title - and he did beat Sadd on a TKO in a non-title. I must re-read the Mills story with this thread in mind.

J