Boom Boom Alan Minter, Pride of Britain, World Middleweight Champion Dies at Age 69
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
London, UK (September 12, 2020)– Former World Middleweight champion Alan “Boom Boom” Minter, the Pride of Great Britain, who scrapped his way through a hard-fought career to win the world middleweight championship, but who lost it in his second defense, died at age 69 on Wednesday, August 10, 2020. A native of Littlehampton, West Sussex, United Kingdom, the southpaw Minter, a quiet gentleman who had faded into the obscurity of the boxing establishment in recent years, compiled a career record of 39-9 with 23 knockouts. Minter wrote his autobiography and worked as a boxing commentator in later years. He also battled alcoholism.
Minter won the English amateur middleweight championship in 1971, and won a bronze medal at the XX Olympiad 1972 Summer Olympic Games in Munich, West Germany, at light-middleweight.
As a professional, Minter fought a hard road. He eventually came into prominence when he beat veteran Kevin Finnigan twice in 15 rounders for the British Middleweight title, Minter lost to Ronnie Harris, but beat ex-champ Emile Griffith and contender Sugar Ray Seales. After losing to Gratien Tonna for the European Middleweight title, Finnigan then beat Tonna twice in rematches for the European title, and decisioned Doug Demmings, propelling him into two world middleweight title bouts with Vito Antuofermo, which he won by 15 round decision and eighth-round stoppage in las Vegas and Wembley. However, a third-round stoppage loss to Marvelous Marvin Hagler at Wembley in 1980 sent his career on a downward spiral.
Minter had three comeback bouts in 1981. He decisioned 24-1 Ernie Singletary over ten rounds, lost a 10 round split decision to Mistafa Hamsho, then got stopped in three by compatriot Tony Sibson for the European Middleweight title with a badly swollen nose, ending his boxing career for good at age 30.
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