Why didn't Freddie Mills defend his British L-HW title? He held it for some years and never made one defense, yet he had 3 world title shots and won that title of course. Was that not the proper transition for the world title fights? Seems he was the only British fighter who didn't have to do this!
this is what transpired re Mills' title. a true fighter, gutsy and game, a L-HW cum HW. But not many people know he was one of the most protected fighters in British Boxing! He NEVER defended his British title, not even once in 8 years, and with respect to his battles at HW win or lose it didn't matter, the plan and approach was the L-HW title of the World and too this end his defeats at HW served to show ligitimacy for this world's L-HW title, and it worked... but the truth is he shouldn't have been there, there were at least 3 challengers to his British L-HW title, again which was never defend in 8 years, and the Scotsman Gilroy who actually beat him in a non-title fight save a cut eye stoppage in 44, and who later from 1945-48 when the Scotsman actually became a L-HW was No.1 and official challenger, yet it never happened, the war can't be blamed any longer for those years! never-the-less Mills was a tough and hard fighter, but he was carefully presented for the Worlds L-HW title, that he really had no right to be fighting for!!!
freddie mills had beat jock mcavoy and len harvey the two biggest names on the british light hevyweight scene. he won and defended the european lightheavyweight title both by KO, reason enough for a crack at the world title. Freddie did defend his empire title in an international bout during this time. "scotsman" gilroy was an italian who Freddie knocked down for a 9 count before stopping him on a cut. Freddie knocked out scotish heavyweight champion ken shaw in one round who went on to beat billy gilliam who was good enough to beat both american heavyweight contenders nino valdes and bob baker.
