I can't believe this. Seems like just the other day his brother Kevin died.
RIP to this gallant warrior.
Outside of Britain, he is remembered mainly for his terrific challenge of Bob Foster in one of the most thrilling and dramatic light-heavyweight fights of the '70s. He stood tooth and nail with Foster all the way, until the champion finally put him down and out with a sledgehammer right hand in the 14th round.
RIP Chris Finnegan - Chris has passed now too
Re: RIP Chris Finnegan - Chris has passed now too
The home page links to this article: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/others ... es-64.html
Seems like every time you turn around, another figure in the sport has passed away.
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Chris Finnegan, the former British, European and Commonwealth light-heavyweight world champion, has died aged 64.
The former Buckinghamshire bricklayer will be best remembered for winning as a middleweight in the Mexico Olympics in 1968, and it was 32 years before another Brit, Audley Harrison, struck Olympic gold.
He beat the Soviet Union’s Aleksey Kiselyov in an outstanding final, turning professional soon after.
But, despite taking three titles, he missed out on the world crown when he lost to American Bob Foster in 1972 in an epic duel which lasted 14 rounds at Wembley.
It was considered one of the all-time classic fights and was voted fight of the year. Finnegan was rated the second best pound-for-pound fighter in the world — unfortunately Foster was No 1.
Knocked down in the 10th round, Finnegan fought back and was considered to be winning the contest until caught by a vicious left hook.
Finnegan came from a boxing family. His younger brother Kevin, who passed away just four months ago aged 60, was British middleweight champion.
Legend had it they both built their strength for training by drinking pints of Guinness every day.
Chris was actually ruled out of the 1968 ABA semi-finals because of a cut eye and was considered fortunate to be selected for the Olympic team.
Many critics at the time insisted only ABA champions should be included, but the selectors took a chance and were rewarded when he became the first Briton since Harry Mallin in 1924 to win the Olympic middleweight crown.
He showed massive courage after surviving two standing counts against American Al Jones in the semi-finals, and then won the final on a split decision.
Awarded the MBE shortly after his Mexico triumph, his career went into decline after the defeat to Foster.
Within a year he had lost his British and Commonwealth crowns to John Conteh, and his European title to Rudi Schimdke, in each case being stopped because of cuts.
Seems like every time you turn around, another figure in the sport has passed away.
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Chris Finnegan, the former British, European and Commonwealth light-heavyweight world champion, has died aged 64.
The former Buckinghamshire bricklayer will be best remembered for winning as a middleweight in the Mexico Olympics in 1968, and it was 32 years before another Brit, Audley Harrison, struck Olympic gold.
He beat the Soviet Union’s Aleksey Kiselyov in an outstanding final, turning professional soon after.
But, despite taking three titles, he missed out on the world crown when he lost to American Bob Foster in 1972 in an epic duel which lasted 14 rounds at Wembley.
It was considered one of the all-time classic fights and was voted fight of the year. Finnegan was rated the second best pound-for-pound fighter in the world — unfortunately Foster was No 1.
Knocked down in the 10th round, Finnegan fought back and was considered to be winning the contest until caught by a vicious left hook.
Finnegan came from a boxing family. His younger brother Kevin, who passed away just four months ago aged 60, was British middleweight champion.
Legend had it they both built their strength for training by drinking pints of Guinness every day.
Chris was actually ruled out of the 1968 ABA semi-finals because of a cut eye and was considered fortunate to be selected for the Olympic team.
Many critics at the time insisted only ABA champions should be included, but the selectors took a chance and were rewarded when he became the first Briton since Harry Mallin in 1924 to win the Olympic middleweight crown.
He showed massive courage after surviving two standing counts against American Al Jones in the semi-finals, and then won the final on a split decision.
Awarded the MBE shortly after his Mexico triumph, his career went into decline after the defeat to Foster.
Within a year he had lost his British and Commonwealth crowns to John Conteh, and his European title to Rudi Schimdke, in each case being stopped because of cuts.
Re: RIP Chris Finnegan - Chris has passed now too
Sad news indeed.
Re: RIP Chris Finnegan - Chris has passed now too
64 is much too young! Rest in peace, Chris!
Re: RIP Chris Finnegan - Chris has passed now too
A sad day indeed I followed chris & brother kevin during their careers around the smallhalls & then on to the big arenas like The albert hall, wembley,& nottingham chris never gave less than his best & gave a very worth world champ Bob Foster one of his toughest fights, his fights with John conteh were classics. He was without doubt one of the toughest british boxer of the last 50 years. Rest in peace Champ