Alan Minter
Alan Minter ( born August 17, 1951 in Penge, Kent ) is a former British professional boxer in the middleweight division, two-time European champion and world champion of the WBA and WBC.
Amateur career
Minter moved to Crawley in West Sussex, where he joined a local Amateurboxclub and was trained by Doug Bidwell, who later also his father and was further trained himself in the professional camp. In 1970 he participated in a multi-national amateur tournament in the Netherlands in part, won the silver medal and was elected in spite of the 2nd place at the best boxer of the tournament.
When the first European Junior Championships in Hungary in 1970, but he dropped out in the first fight against Vyacheslav Lemeshev ( Olympic champion and two-time European champion ).
In 1971 he became British champion in the middleweight division and participated in the 19th European Championship in Spain, where he lost in the quarterfinals Hans -Joachim Brauske.
At the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, he reached the 3rd place in the light middleweight. After victories over Reggie Ford from Ghana ( Ko), Valery Tregubov from Russia (5-0 ) and Loucif Hanmani from Algeria (4:1), he moved into the semi-finals. There he eventually lost by controversial majority decision (2:3) against the eventual gold medalist Dieter Kottysch from Germany and therefore had to settle for the bronze medal.
Since it is essential to international success, but did not want to wait another four years for the next Olympics, he decided to become a professional.
Beginnings of professional career
His first professional fight, he completed on October 31, 1972 against Maurice Thomas, winning by technical knockout in round 6 until May 1973 followed by ten consecutive wins against strong opponents construction, including seven by knockout. Among the defeated opponents included the Austrian champions Anton Schnedl, later Waleser champion Mike McCluskie, as well as the English champions Pat Dwyer and Harry Scott.
He suffered his first defeat finally on June 5, 1973 against Don McMillan, as the fight due to a cut eye at Minter was canceled. His opponent was then the winner by technical knockout explained. After two consecutive victories against weak opponents construction, he rose late October 1973 against Jan Magdziarz in the ring. That opponent, who could never be successful beyond the region, proved to Minter but as an insurmountable obstacle. By October 1974, he boxed in the Royal Albert Hall three times against Magdziarz, where he twice by technical knockout lost and the third fight due to weak performance of both boxers ended without a championship.
British Champion and European Champion
After five wins in a row, it was November 4, 1975 by points victory over 15 rounds against Kevin Finnegan, British middleweight champion. His title he successfully defended against Billy Knight and a rematch against Kevin Finnegan, before he resigned the title to be able to challenge the reigning European champions Germano Valsecchi. On February 4, 1977, he eventually became the new European champion in the middleweight division after he had beaten Valsecchi KO in round 5. But at the very first title defense on September 21, 1977 against Gratien Tonna, he lost his title due to injury by TKO in round 8
On 8 November 1977 he was again British middleweight champion after he was Kevin Finnegan beat again. This time he resigned the title to secure the vacant European title. On July 19, 1978, he rose against the Italians Angelo Jacopucci in the ring and won by KO in round 12 Jacopucci was then three days in a coma and died on July 22, 1978 due to the suffered in combat injuries. The ring doctor was later convicted of manslaughter because he. Opinion of the Court, the fight should already have prematurely Four months later, Minter defended his European title against Gratien Tonna and then resigned the title in order to challenge the reigning world champion Vito Antuofermo can.
World champion of the WBA and WBC
In 1980, the WBA and WBC, the only two recognized world associations. Antuofermo this date held both titles, so it went for the title of Super Champion for Minter. The fight was, as was customary for title fights, set at 15 rounds and discharged on March 16, 1980 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. The fight went the full number of rounds and ended with a split point decision in favor of Alan Minter ( 144-141, 149-137, 143-145 ). However, it came to the fight to quarrels and disagreements, because despite the participation of a British athlete, a Briton was used as one of the three judges and Antuofermo received the fewest points of exactly this. Even the British press was accused to the court to have not acted neutral.
As a result, a rematch was agreed which was held on 28 June at Wembley Arena in London. But now Minter clearly showed who was the new middleweight champion, dominated the fight from the start and defeated the Italians by TKO in round 8 time had lain in leadership also unanimously at all three judges Minter.
On September 27, 1980, came to the defense of the title fight against American Marvin Hagler also discharged at Wembley Arena. Minter lost this match by TKO in round 3 as the referee broke off the fight due to an injury on Minter's left eye. Before the fight Minter had said he wanted to " not lose to a black man called" his ( Original:. " I do not want to lose my title to a black man " ) then attacked spectators the boxing ring with missiles, to which both boxers had to be conducted by the police out of the ring. Hagler said to have been the special target of these attacks. In addition, it was assumed that the attacks of the audience, under which members of the extreme right National Front should have found, had a racist motive.
Minter then tried a third time to win the European Championship in September 1981, but failed by TKO in round 3 against the reigning champion Tony Sibson, after which he ended his professional career.
Achievements at a glance
Amateur
Professional
According to independent BoxRec ranking it among the 15 most successful middleweight boxers of all time in Europe.