LONDON, April 27 (Xinhua) -- Britain's Olympic boxing champion Terry Spinks has died after a long illness at 74, it was confirmed Friday.

Spinks, who won an Olympic boxing gold medal at the 1956 Melbourne Games, died at his home in Essex just outside London.

"We are very sad Terry has passed away. He was a great boxer and a very nice guy," British Boxing Board of Control general secretary Robert Smith said.

The later-turned-professional boxer has won 41 of 49 fights before retiring at the early age of 24.

Spinks later coached South Korea's boxing team at the 1972 Olympics in Munich.