good talk

Terry Downes (May 9, 1936 to Oct. 6, 2017) had been England's oldest former-champion.  Born in the Paddington section of London, Terry began his amateur-career at "12", at "16", he moved with his family to the U.S., to care for his sister who had lost an arm in a traffic-accident, in 1954, Terry joined the U.S. Marines, where he continued boxing, and was All-Service Middleweight Champion in 1956, discharged in 1957, he returned to England and turned Pro.  His brawling-style which gained him 364 stitches, made him a crowd-pleaser (35-9, his heavy-hands got 28 KO's), in the second of his trilogy with Paul Pender, he won a TKO and the Middleweight Championship of the World.  Turning Light Heavyweight in 1963, he fought Willie Pastrano for Willie's Championship Belt on Nov. 30, 1964, and tho well ahead on points, succumbed to a TKO in the 11th Round, this was to be Terry's last fight.  In 1961, England legalized betting shoppes, and Terry, was to acquire 30 of these, each one a gold-mine, which he sold to William Hill in 1972.  Wealthy, a self-made millionaire from a young-age, Terry was to be active in various businesses and charities throughout his life.  Terry and his bride, Barbara, were to be married for 60 years.  Early in Terry's professional career, he fought the very-good and much-more experienced Dick Tiger, who won a TKO in the 5th Round.  In the gloom of his dressing-room afterwards, Terry, always quick with a quip, was asked who he was going to fight next  ...the bastard who made this match...