Product Description

In July 1965 Freddie Mills, popular former light heavyweight champion of the world, was found shot in an alleyway off London's Charing Cross Road. Was he murdered and if so by whom? Did he kill himself and if so why should this happily married man whose popularity was immense take his own life? A year later Britain's second world champion of the era, the middleweight Randolph Turpin who defeated the fabulous Sugar Ray Robinson, was found shot dead in a room above his cafe in Leamington Spa. How did this man who earned thousands during his career come to end his life in a backstreet cafe? Or was he also murdered to prevent him getting the money due to him from his career? Morton looks at the role of their managers and promoters and the relationship with the Boxing Board of Control. Should many of Mills' fights and some of Turpin's have been sanctioned? Is this in part what led to their deaths? Where did their money go? Gambling, women, protection? Is there any possible truth in the persistent rumours that Mills was the so-called Jack the Stripper, killer of prostitutes in Hammersmith?

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #81609 in Books
• Published on: 2005-01-06
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 436 pages

Review
For GANGLAND: 'Faithfully factual, gripping...prescribed reading' - Evening Standard 'The tales are told with a flourish in a fascinating, useful and lively history' - The Times For INTERNATIONAL GANGLAND: 'An utterly compelling read' - FHM 'An engrossing survey' - MAIL ON SUNDAY

About the Author
James Morton has had a life-long interest in boxing and was Chairman of the Southern Area Council before becoming a steward of the British Board of Boxing Control. He was also a solicitor specialising in criminal work for twenty-five years.

Customer Reviews

Two tragic stories.
Fighters: The Sad Lives and Deaths of Freddie Mills and Randolph Turpin, covers the tragic stories of two of the greatest fighters post war Britain has produced. Men who became champion of the world when there where only eight divisions and only one champion to each division, during a period when boxing was still a mainstream sport. To be a champion in those times meant that you had to be a special kind of athlete and Mills and Turpin were special athletes. Their tragedies lay in their inability to adapt to life away from the sport, more so in Turpins case. Both men come across as being deeply troubled even from an early age, and as their stories progress there is a sad air of inevitability in how their lives end. This is a well written and researched book that documents not only both mens careers and lives but also deals with the legends that sprung up about them after their deaths and also touches on the people who either inside or outside of the ring, had an influence for good or bad on them.

Overcoming the Odds
"Fighters" manages to beat poor writing -- there are sentences that defy understanding -- and a shaky factual foundation -- Morton has James Braddock "in the running" in 1937 for a world title he'd already held for two years -- on points to produce a fascinating study of two British sporting heroes of the early TV age who have slipped into obscurity.

sad lives and deaths of freddie mills and randolph turpin
two very good books giving more insight to what happend to these two great fighters,a very sad ending for both, mary davis.