BoxRec

This year is the 50th anniversary of Terry Downes great win over Paul Pender for the world middle weight title, back then a world title had more meaning than these days of multiple titles to get to the top you had to be the best & on 11th July 1961 Terry proved just that having been beaten by the same Pender 1st time TKO7 terry made no mistake this time stopping Pender in theTKO 10th.he lost the title back to Pender in their next fight on points back in Pauls back yard in Boston in a grueling battle.the thrills Terry gave us that remember those days will remain with us & it's only right that as our oldest surviving world champion some recognition of his achievement should be fothcoming from the BBBof C & the trade itself.So come on lets hear it for the Paddington Express.

Very well said and thanks for highlighting the anniversary.

He would be kicking ass big time these days and making a fortune.

He made a fortune, Wonderfull Guy is Tel . Had some great times in His company.

Is it just me or does anyone else think Terry seems like a forgotten man? I mean the older guys and those really into their boxing history know all about him but most modern fans could name Alan Minter and Randy Turpin as former world middleweight champions but they seem to miss Terry Downes. Pretty sad I find it.

Scrap wrote:He made a fortune, Wonderfull Guy is Tel . Had some great times in His company.

Very pleased to read that. Well done to him.

What He did in Boxing, Plus the wonderfull Charity work He did for nothing. Its always bemused me, why He has never been Honoured by the Palace, strange.

Terry was a genuine world champion whose best win is probably the clear decision he punched out over Joey Giardello at Wembley in 1960, which earned him the crack at Pender, with whom he had a bloody three-fight series. Terry made Pender quit in the second fight to win the world title.
Downes talked the talk, walked the walk and stashed the cash. He is smart.

I used to live around Paddington ...Terry's area. He is very well known by the remaining natives around those parts. One of the the lucky, and clever "few" that came out of boxing with his health and wallet intact. 8)

Well before my time,but my mother was telling me only yesterday that Terry Downes&her mother(my nan)was cousins...She passed away in 1989,1 week before my first Amateur contest...trying to find out for sure,dont know how to go about it??? If it is true Downes on my mothers side&scott welch on dads side,no wonder i love the sport...

bennie wrote:Terry was a genuine world champion whose best win is probably the clear decision he punched out over Joey Giardello at Wembley in 1960, which earned him the crack at Pender, with whom he had a bloody three-fight series. Terry made Pender quit in the second fight to win the world title.
Downes talked the talk, walked the walk and stashed the cash. He is smart.

Thats right he has kept his dough. Met Terry and his wife Barbara a couple of weeks ago. Lovely people. I suspect there will be a big event in London to commemorate the 50th anniversary of his world title win.

Thats the proper world title and not some plastic baubale catch-weight nonesense that we see these days.

His bio is pretty entertaining - My bleedin' business. Worth a read, as boxing bios go.

A Downes Classic, early doors after getting beat by Dick Tiger. Was asked by a scribe, who He fancied fighting next, His reply, The F//king Matchmaker.