Mills was 5 feet 10+1⁄2 inches (179 cm) tall and did not have a sophisticated boxing style; he relied on two-fisted aggression, relentless pressure, and the ability to take punishment to carry him through, and in more cases than not these attributes were sufficient.

He was described as Britain's biggest boxing idol in the post-war period and remained a popular media personality after his retirement from the ring.

He opened a Chinese restaurant in Soho before there was an established Chinatown in the area and also ran his own London nightclub until his mysterious death.

[9] In January 1940 he joined the Royal Air Force and went on to become first a corporal physical training instructor and, by the following year, a sergeant, while continuing to box professionally.

[16] He beat Tom Reddington at heavyweight later that month, but evidently had a change of heart, and in February 1942 fought McAvoy in a final eliminator for the light-heavyweight titles.

[citation needed] The title fight took place on 20 June 1942, at White Hart Lane, Tottenham, in front of a crowd of 30,000.

[21] Difficulty in making fights led him to consider relinquishing his titles in 1943, expressing a desire to switch to all-in wrestling.

Mills showed speed and aggression, but London's superior strength and power were evident in the closing stages and the heavier man was awarded the decision after fifteen rounds.

In the ninth round, Mills's aggression appeared to be turning the fight in his favour, and Lesnevich was troubled by cuts above his eyes.

[38] Mills defended the European title in February 1948, against the Spanish champion Paco Bueno, who was subjected to "terrific punishment" before being knocked out in the second round.

The fight then settled down into a "remarkably dull" affair, which drew boos from the crowd and saw both men warned by the referee Teddy Waltham for the lack of action.

[44][45] In August medical opinion was sought and he was diagnosed with misaligned vertebrae at the base of the skull; It was decided that after two months rest and spinal treatment he could return to boxing.

[46] In September 1948, Mills was challenged to a fight at light-heavyweight by Sugar Ray Robinson, but it was dismissed as "ridiculous" by promoter Jack Solomons.

"[50] In March 1949, Mills signed a promotional contract with Solomons, which made any return fight with Lesnevich more likely to take place in Britain.

[58][59][60] On 30 September 1948, Mills married Christine Marie McCorkindale ("Chrissie") (25 December 1913 – 4 November 1994)[citation needed] at Herne Hill Methodist Church.

[65] A month after confirming his retirement, Mills was granted a manager's licence by the BBBofC, taking on Brixton heavyweight Terry O'Connor as his first boxer.

[71] In October 1962 his world championship belt was stolen from his car, but it was returned three days later with a note from the thief apologising for stealing it.

[74] In May 1950 he did his first television commentary on the Dennis Powell v. Mel Brown card at Birmingham, broadcast by the BBC, which saw him described as "discovery of the week" by the Daily Herald.

[85] He was the subject of This Is Your Life, when he was surprised by Eamonn Andrews, having been led into the foyer of London's Earls Court Exhibition Centre by sports journalist Derrick Collier.

[88] In 1946 he opened the Freddie Mills Chinese Restaurant at 143 Charing Cross Road as a joint venture with Charles Luck and actor Andy Ho.

[2][92][93] After initially hoping to make the club a family venue, they were pressured into allowing 'hostesses' to work there, unknown to Mills a euphemism for prostitutes.

[100] A week or two previously, he had borrowed a 0.22 calibre rifle from May Ronaldson, whom he knew from his boxing booth days, and who ran a shooting gallery.

[102] For whatever reason, still unknown and with no police in attendance, ambulance personnel removed Mills from his car, disturbing a possible crime scene, and transported his body to the Middlesex Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The pallbearers included boxing promoter Jack Solomons, British Heavyweight Champion Henry Cooper, the Secretary of the BBBofC, Teddy Waltham, and entertainer Bruce Forsyth (who also gave the funeral address).

[109] He was rumoured to be making a stand against protection racketeers shortly before his death, a theory backed up by gangland enforcer Johnny Bradbury, who gave the name of the man he believed was responsible for killing Mills to the police, but they were unable to find evidence to pursue the matter.

[103] A star-studded benefit show, The Freddie Mills Night, was staged in February 1966 to raise money to support his widow and children.

[111] Following his death, several lurid theories sprang up, such as that Mills, married with children, had been arrested in a public toilet and charged with indecency,[112] and that his suicide had been staged by Chinese gangsters who were seeking to take over his club.

[104] In 2002, a book about Mills by former journalist Michael Litchfield contained allegations that at the time of his death he was about to be exposed as the serial killer known as "Jack the Stripper", the unidentified person responsible for the eight Hammersmith nude murders in 1964–65.

[112] Litchfield also claimed that Mills had had a homosexual relationship with singer Michael Holliday, and possibly also was sexually involved with notorious gangster Ronnie Kray.

[113] Mills's family and friends did not accept the suicide verdict,[110] and according to Bavin, his widow received a phone call some time after his death from a woman who told her who was responsible for killing him.