FREDDIE KING, 1938-2018

Miles Templeton pays tribute to a top amateur and great trainer

BOXING lost one of its finest last week with the death of leading trainer Freddie King. A much-loved and well-respected figure on the London fight circuit, Freddie sadly died last Friday (April 20) aged 79.

A top domestic fighter, King will likely be best remembered for his close involvement with Matchroom and for being the trainer of four world champions. Freddie was an excellent amateur during the late 1950s and early 1960s when the amateur game was at its most competitive. He won the National Schools title in 1953, and he completed a hat trick of victories in both the London Feds and the NABC championships between 1954 and 1956.

As a senior he boxed for Fitzroy Lodge and he won the SE London Divisional championship in 1960. He was a beaten in the final of the 1960 London Championships, at the time the ABA quarter-final, by Jimmy Davison in a hardfought contest. He also was one of the few men to beat the great Dick Mctaggart. His three-year professional career, 10-4 (4), ended in 1964. A tailor by trade, and he also played for Ilford Reserves as a footballer.

Freddie was with Matchroom from the start as general manager and head coach. Along with Darkie Smith and Graham Moughton, Freddie soon established a firstclass training set-up for Barry Hearn’s fledgling stable and he played a major part in establishing it as a dominant force in the domestic game. Freddie was always close to Barry and he became godfather to Eddie Hearn. He went on to train WBO champions Eamonn Loughran, Steve Collins, Herbie Hide and Paul “Silky” Jones.

Upon hearing of his death, Eddie called Freddie “a great fighter, a great trainer and a great man.”