Alan Minter

Alan Minter (born August 17, 1951) in Crawley, England, is a former boxer who was Middleweight champion of the world.

Minter won the bronze medal at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games. Participating in these games meant that he probably felt, to a degree at least, the tragedy of the eleven Israeli athletes murdered during the course of the games.

Minter began his career at the age of 21, on Halloween night of '72. The fact he started boxing that night was, perhaps, one of his life's biggest ironies, considering that later on, he'd lose a couple of his fights because of deep bleeding from cuts.

In his first professional bout, he beat Maurice Thomas by a knockout in six in London. Minter won five fights in a row by knockout, and in 1973, Pat Dwyer became the first boxer to go the distance with him, over eight rounds in London. Minter won his next five fights, three by knockout, before tasting defeat for the first time, by a knockout in eight to King George Aido. Two more wins followed that, and then he faced Jan Magziarz, who beat him twice in a row by knockout, once in the eighth and once in the sixth.

1974 was a mixed year for Minter, beating Tony Byrne by a decision in eight, losing by knockout in two to Ricky Torres, having a third fight with Magziarz result in a no contest in four rounds, and closing the year with a win in eight rounds by decision in his first international fight, against Shako Mamba in Hamburg, Germany.

1975 was the year Alan went on a roll. He won four fights in a row, including another bout in Hamburg, and by the end of the year, he challenged Kevin Finnegan for the British Middleweight title, winning it by a 15 round decision. In 1976 he won six fights, to make it ten wins in a row. Among the boxers he beat were Billy Knight by a knockout in two and Finnegan once again, by decision in 15, both in defense of his British title, along with former world title challenger Tony Licata, knocked out in six, and American Olympic Games Gold medal winner Ray Seales, beaten in five. These wins gave Minter a ranking among the top ten Middleweight challengers of the time.

In 1977, he won the European Middleweight title by beating Germano Valsecchi by a knockout in five in Italy. But in his next fight his winning streak ended when he lost to former world title challenger Ronnie Harris by a knockout in eight. Minter returned to top ten challenger status by upsetting the former Welterweight and Jr. Middleweight world champion Emile Griffith with a ten round decision win in Monte Carlo, but then, he lost his European title to Gratien Tonna by a knockout in eight at Milan. He closed '77 with a third 15 round decision win over Finnegan to retain his British title.

1978 was a sad year for Minter, although he won all three of his bouts. On February 15, at the Muhammad Ali-Leon Spinks I undercard in Las Vegas, he won his first bout in the United States by knocking out Sandy Torres in five. Then, he went to Italy once again, to regain his European Middleweight title by knocking out Angelo Jaccopucciy in twelve rounds. Jacopucciy died a few days after the bout, in another boxing tragedy. Minter finished his year by avenging his loss to Tonna with a six round knockout.

In 1979, Minter won all four of his fights, two of them by knockout, and in 1980, he was finally given the opportunity all fighters dream of: On March 16 of that year, in Las Vegas, Nevada, he was given a shot at champion Vito Antuofermo's world Middleweight title at the Caesars Palace. He won the title by a 15 round decision, and in a rematch, he retained the world title by a knockout in eight rounds. Minter's run as world champion came to an end on September 27 of that year, when he lost by a knockout in three to Marvin Hagler at Wembley Arena in London. After the fight was stopped, Minter's supporters caused a riot, throwing beer cans and glass into the ring and both boxers had to be ushered away by the police.

Minter beat fringe contender Ernie Singletary in London, in 1981, but after losses to future Hagler challengers Mustafa Hamsho and Tony Sibson, both also in London, he retired for good.

He left boxing with a record of 39 wins, 9 losses and 1 no contest, with 23 wins by knockout.

Currently he tours all over England in autograph and lecture shows, alongside Jim Watt, another world boxing champion.