Terry Downes facts for kids

Terry Downes, who was also known by his nickname "Paddington Express," was a famous British boxer. He was born on May 9, 1936, and passed away on October 6, 2017. Terry was known for his strong and aggressive fighting style.

He was a middleweight boxer and sometimes acted in movies. He also had his own businesses. When he died, Terry Downes was the oldest living former world champion from Britain. He held the world middleweight boxing title for ten months between 1961 and 1962.

Terry's Early Life and Start in Boxing

Terry Downes was born in Paddington, a part of London, England. His dad, Richard, was a mechanic, and his mom, Hilda, worked in a big store. Terry started boxing when he was young at a club called Fisher ABC.

In 1952, when he was still a teenager, Terry moved to the United States with his parents. They went to live with his sister, Sylvia, who was a trapeze artist. She had lost an arm in a car accident.

Terry joined the United States Marine Corps from 1954 to 1956. He was recruited after boxing against some Marines for the YMCA. While in the Marines, he won many amateur boxing awards. These included the all-services championship and the Amateur Golden Gloves. He wanted to join the US Olympic team but couldn't because of where he lived. After his time in the Marines, he went back to London and became a professional boxer.

Terry's Professional Boxing Career

Terry Downes had a manager named Sam Burns. He won his first two professional fights. Then, he lost to a future world champion named Dick Tiger. After winning 16 fights and losing 3, Terry won the British middleweight title. He won this title by beating Phil Edwards on September 30, 1958, in London.

In 1959, Terry lost his title to John "Cowboy" McCormack, but he won it back later that year. On July 5, 1960, he successfully defended his title against Phil Edwards again.

Terry had his first chance to win a World Title against Paul Pender in Boston in January 1961. But he lost that fight. However, in July of the same year, Terry fought Pender again in London. He beat Pender in front of a loud crowd at Wembley. Pender stopped fighting in the ninth round because of cuts above his eyes.

Terry Downes became recognized as the world champion by The Ring magazine in August 1961. He was also named Sportsman of the Year by the Sports Writers' Association. The next year, Pender won the title back from Terry in Boston.

After losing his title, Terry won his next seven fights. This included a win against the legendary boxer Sugar Ray Robinson in September 1962. However, Robinson was 41 years old at the time. When asked how it felt to beat such a famous boxer, Terry famously said, "I didn't beat Sugar Ray, I beat his ghost."

In 1963, Terry moved up to a heavier weight class called light heavyweight. He won his first three fights at this new weight. Then, on November 30, 1964, he fought Willie Pastrano for the world title in Manchester. Terry was knocked down twice in the 11th round. Even though he was ahead on points, the referee stopped the fight. This was Terry's last boxing match.

Terry Downes was known for his funny comments. After a very tough fight against Dick Tiger early in his career, someone asked him who he wanted to fight next. Terry joked, "The bastard who made this match," talking about his manager, Mickey Duff.

Terry fought six world champions in his career and beat three of them: Robinson, Pender, and Joey Giardello. His total record was 44 fights, with 35 wins (28 by knockout) and 9 losses.

Terry's Acting Career

After he stopped boxing, Terry Downes sometimes acted in movies between 1965 and 1990. He usually played characters like tough guys, villains, or bodyguards. One of his most well-known roles was in the 1967 film The Fearless Vampire Killers by Roman Polanski. In this movie, he played a hunchbacked servant named "Koukol."

• A Study in Terror (1965) - Chunky
• The Fearless Vampire Killers (1967) - Koukol, the Servant
• Five Ashore in Singapore (1967) - Sgt. Gruber
• The Golden Lady (1979) - Trainer
• If You Go Down in the Woods Today (1981) - Woodsman
• Caravaggio (1986) - Bodyguard

Other Interests and Family Life

After retiring from boxing, Terry Downes owned a nightclub. He also worked as a boxing manager, helping other boxers like Colin Lake in the late 1960s.

Terry and his wife, Barbara, were married in 1958 and stayed together until his death in 2017. They had four children and eight grandchildren. One of his grandchildren is the well-known football writer and comedian James McNicholas. Terry and Barbara lived for many years in a large house in Mill Hill, London.

In 2012, Terry Downes received the British Empire Medal. This award recognized his achievements in sports and his charity work. He passed away on October 6, 2017, at the age of 81.

See also

• List of middleweight boxing champions
• List of British middleweight boxing champions