Professional Boxer, Actor. He was the former World Middleweight Champion from 1961 until 1962. He moved with his family to Boston, when he was a teenager and served two years with the United States Marine Corps. After turning professional, he returned to England where he established his base. In his third fight, he suffered a loss to future world champion Dick Tiger (1957), however by the following year, he captured the British Middleweight Title with a victory over Phil Edwards. In 1961, he defeated American Paul Pender for the World Middleweight Championship and would relinquish the title to Pender the following year (1962). In 1962, Downes would defeat Don Fullmer and former World Champion Sugar Ray Robinson. After moving up in weight class to Light-Heavyweight, he lost a title contest to Willie Pastrano for the WBA and WBC Light-Heavyweight crowns in 1964. He retired from boxing that year and went on to a two-decade career as an actor. He will probably be best remembered by movie audiences for playing 'Koukol, the Servant' in the Roman Polansky cult film "The Fearless Vampire Killers" (1967).
Professional Boxer, Actor. He was the former World Middleweight Champion from 1961 until 1962. He moved with his family to Boston, when he was a teenager and served two years with the United States Marine Corps. After turning professional, he returned to England where he established his base. In his third fight, he suffered a loss to future world champion Dick Tiger (1957), however by the following year, he captured the British Middleweight Title with a victory over Phil Edwards. In 1961, he defeated American Paul Pender for the World Middleweight Championship and would relinquish the title to Pender the following year (1962). In 1962, Downes would defeat Don Fullmer and former World Champion Sugar Ray Robinson. After moving up in weight class to Light-Heavyweight, he lost a title contest to Willie Pastrano for the WBA and WBC Light-Heavyweight crowns in 1964. He retired from boxing that year and went on to a two-decade career as an actor. He will probably be best remembered by movie audiences for playing 'Koukol, the Servant' in the Roman Polansky cult film "The Fearless Vampire Killers" (1967).
Bio by: C.S.
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Records on Ancestry
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