Race on to find £100,000 statue of boxer Teddy Baldock before it is melted down by thieves

The family of Britain’s youngest ever boxing world champion have described the theft of a £100,000 bronze statue of him from outside a London station as ‘soul destroying’.

Detectives plan to release CCTV of the suspects accused of cutting down the statue of legendary fighter Teddy Baldock on Sunday. 

Teddy became bantamweight champion of the world in 1927, after beating American boxer Archie Bell aged just 19. 

His grandson Martin Sax raised tens of thousands of pounds for the bronze statue, made by late sculptor Carl Payne, which was unveiled at a ceremony attended by 300 people including the family of the renowned fighter.

Boxing greats like Charlie Magri, a former lightweight world champion and lightweight Colin Dunne, who only lost three professional fights, also attended. 

The statue had taken pride of place outside Langdon Park DLR station since 2014. 

All that is left is the plinth and the fighter’s boxing boots. 

Martin, 56, a former Royal Marine, told Metro: ‘It’s absolutely soul destroying.

‘We are disgusted by the people who have stolen the statue of my grandfather. We are assuming they have taken it to melt down.  

‘We worked so hard to raise the money to commission the statue and we are all heartbroken.

‘I haven’t even been able to tell my mother. My grandfather was an amazing man who achieved so much so young. Then these despicable people do this. It’s disgusting.’  

He said that the boxing community were pulling together in an effort to recover the statue of the boxer who was nicknamed the ‘Pride of Poplar’ for his heroics in the ring. 

He said: ‘The boxing community is quite extensive and word is being put out there. The thieves will have to try to sell it which will be difficult. Obviously the clock is ticking and we need to find it before it is melted down.

‘The police are being very helpful and I am hoping the CCTV will help.’

Teddy enjoyed an illustrious career, winning many titles and fighting at Madison Square Garden in New York.

However, he died penniless on the streets of London. 

Martin added: ‘The idea for the statue came when I was researching his history. It’s an incredible story. The fact that someone can spit on his memory like this is just terrible.’ 

The statue of Teddy, who died in 1971 aged just 62, is next to a boxing gym on the second floor of the new Spotlight Youth center.

Martin said: ‘It’s the perfect spot and I’m hoping to restore the statue to its rightful place.’