Former middleweight champ Alan Minter, 69, dies

Former undisputed world middleweight champion Alan Minter has died aged 69.

Minter, from Sussex in England, won the WBC-WBA world middleweight titles with a points victory over Italian Vito Antuofermo in Las Vegas in 1980.

After a controversial split points win, Minter then forced to Antuofermo to retire after eight rounds in a rematch later in 1980.

Minter’s reign was brief and he was stopped by American Marvin Hagler in a second defence in September 1980. The fight was surrounded by racial tension, and crowd trouble on the night, and Minter was stopped in three rounds on cuts at Wembley Arena in north London. Hagler, from Brockton, Massachusetts, went on to reign for seven years and become one of the best middleweights in history.

Minter retired with a record of 39-9, 23 KOs in 1981 after losing to Tony Sibson for the European title. Minter also won a bronze medal at the 1972 Olympics and won the British and European middleweight titles before fighting for the world titles.

As well as the world title bouts, Minter will be remembered for three British title wins over Kevin Finnegan.

It’s reported that Minter died of cancer.