Very Sad News Alan Rudkin.

[GlobalBox]

One of our great Bantamweights Alan Rudkin has died today, he was British, Commonwealth and European Bantamweight champion at various times throughout his career and challenged for a World crown several times if memory serves. I remember watching him on BBC as I was growing up, one of my first "favourites"

RIP Alan

[J]

sad news indeed RIP

[Smigga]

I'd heard this but didn't want to post as it wasn't confirmed. Sad news, great fighter.

[kevo]

Sad news.

Met him once in a pub (Ye Cracke) in Liverpool city centre. He was sat with his family, but still took the time to sit and talk boxing with me and my mate for over an hour. Even went to the trouble of getting us a signed photo each. Top bloke.

R.I.P

[GlobalBox]

I'd heard this but didn't want to post as it wasn't confirmed. Sad news, great fighter.

Understand Paul, just had it confirmed myself and as you know he was a great fighter and thought we should remember him, I realise it will be a great loss locally as well.

[Old bones Ian]

I'm sure it was Alan Rudkin who let 2 lads carry his flag into the ring in Japan , as they met him before the fight and didn't have tickets, so he sorted for them to carry the flag and sit ringside.

RIP

[$wifty]

Sad news...RIP x

[bynino]

Im saddened by this, used to see him a lot in ye craic, fantastic fella! used to sit and listen to him tell me all his old boxing stories! great family too! he will be sadly missed

[stevek3lly]

RIP Alan.

[Scrap]

I trained in the same gym for 2 years, The Butchers Arms. What a great person, He was a Gem. fornicate Im crying.

[hurlock]

great fighter :!: liverpool's finest r.i.p

[Boxingnut]

RIP to a great champion and my deepest condolences to his family.

[Chris W 1982]

Had the pleasure of speaking to him just a few weeks ago at the Merseyside Ex Boxers Association.

A wonderful man who played a significant part in Liverpool's boxing story.

Rest in Peace Alan Rudkin

[El Raincoat]

Ah no, i'm really sad to here this. I met Alan at the "WBC Night of Champions" he was with his son Alan Jnr i think and i also think some other members of the family were there. He was before my time and other than what you can see on his record don't know to much about him. I spoke to him and his son at length on the Saturday in Cardiff, they were both brilliant. I know his son is a big Boxing fan and may come across this so if you do you have my deepest condolances. It was a pleasure to meet him and i'm really sad to here this.

R.I.P champ.

[princess]

Very sad news Had the pleasure of spending 3 days with him at the WBC conference in Cardiff He was an inspiration to everyone in the boxing world xxx He will be sorely missed

[el_grande_mauro_mina]

RIP Alan Rudkin - beat Walter McGowan whilst he was WBC world flyweight champion (I think, I haven't checked) and also went far and wide to fight for the world title - going to Japan in 1964 was similar to going to the moon! The he went to Australia and the world famous cockpit which was the Inglewood Forum. Is that where Alan - who was worried about the Mexican fans getting to him was told by a local cop 'Don't worry about those fans - they will have to shoot us first to get to you'

[bennie]

Alan Rudkin, arguably the greatest bantamweight this country has ever produced and very much a forgotten hero, was found dead in a Liverpool street early yesterday morning. He was 68 and his death is not yet explained, and one hopes that the gifted little man, a modest man, was not killed in his beloved home city. Police are awaiting post-mortem results.
Alan did it all in a glittering career that won him British, Commonwealth and European titles and three cracks at the world title in a frightening era for the bantamweight division in the 1960s. Here, he might have won the world title but Alan was forced to travel to challenge Fighting Harada and Lionel Rose, dropping close decisions, and was stopped in two rounds by "Rockabye" Ruben Olivares in Los Angeles in 1969. All three champions were probably unbeatable at the time Rudkin faced them, and Alan was inexperienced when he took Harada the full 15 rounds in Tokyo in 1965.
Fresh-faced and with a mop of sandy hair, Alan looked very much the Beatle in his early career and first caught the eye as an amateur as part of the legendary Great Britain side which whitewashed the USA 10-0 at Wembley in 1961. Unlike Billy Walker, Rudkin was never a big puncher but destroyed many opponents mentally as he took over during the course of a fight, particularly the course of 15-rounders. Rudkin enjoyed 'sussing' his opponent before reacting. He won the British bantamweight title from Belfast great Johnny Caldwell on a rare stoppage in 10 rounds and enjoyed a fierce rivalry with Scottish great Walter McGowan, with whom he shared two 15-round pure boxing classics, and later saw off domestic challengers Evan Armstrong and Johnny Clark (twice). He also cleaned up in Europe.
His last fight with Walworth’s Clark at the Albert Hall in 1972 is arguably the best domestic bantamweight scrap ever seen on these shores, and Rudkin won it to leave the sport on a high and a huge void among the smaller weights in this country.
Sadly, Alan never really found meaning to his life after boxing. He ran pubs but too many idiots wanted to fight him, but he developed an inevitable liking for drink and you wonder why he was out in the early hours of Wednesday, although he was close to his city centre home.
Boxing historian Derek O’Dell saw him on Saturday night at the Shoreditch Town Hall bash, attended by hundreds of fighters who fought at the legendary cockpit arena, including Alan himself, and Alan "seemed a bit quiet" but perked up when he was reunited with Clark. Make no mistake, Alan Rudkin was right out of the boxing textbook, a complete fighter with every shot in the book, good stamina, defence and a brilliant boxing brain.
He is - and always will be - one of our boxing greats.

[bollox]

When Alan Rudkin was asked whether Lionel Rose was the biggest bantamweight he'd ever fought, he said "no. he's the biggest featherweight I've ever fought"

RIP Alan Rudkin

[bynino]

he only lived over the road from the pub, last time i saw him he was on crutches due to a new hip. I wouldnt want to speculate as to how he died. I would hope that noone has assualted him on his way home. Ye Craic isnt going to be the same without him there. I would always make a point of going in there to have a chin wag with him. Deepest sympathies go with the family

[SweetLikeSugar]

Sad news.

RIP - a true Liverpool great.

[bennie]

he only lived over the road from the pub, last time i saw him he was on crutches due to a new hip. I wouldnt want to speculate as to how he died. I would hope that noone has assualted him on his way home. Ye Craic isnt going to be the same without him there. I would always make a point of going in there to have a chin wag with him. Deepest sympathies go with the family

Keep us posted.

[bennie]

According to the Beeb, Alan's death is not being treated as suspicious by the police. It sounds like his great heart gave out.

[bennie]

A legend outside a legend

[Chris W 1982]

Bennie, that tribute was nothing short of beautiful

[bennie]

Thanks, Chris. Feel free to use any of my stuff.