FORMER undisputed world middleweight boxing champion Alan Minter has spoken of his pride at being awarded the boxing world's most prestigious honour, the Ring Belt.
It is given only to undisputed world champions and has taken several decades to be presented after Minter's career finished in 1981.
Owners include the likes of an elite group of boxing legends such as Rocky Marciano, Muhammad Ali, Marvin Hagler, Roberto Duran and Sugar Ray Leonard.
The Ring Belt was produced around 50 years ago, but organisers stopped handing out such awards officially more than a decade ago.
The memento will sit alongside Minter's Lonsdale Belt, which he earned domestically, with the other award having been presented by The Ring magazine, which is the American boxing bible.
Minter, 55, who was brought up in Crawley, but has spent the past 15 years in Reigate, received the Ring Belt unexpectedly at a Sir Henry Cooper golf day in Muswell Hill where he had turned up to present the prizes.
When Minter's son Ross, English welterweight champion, turned up out of the blue his father became suspicious, with the secret of the presentation having been kept for six weeks.
He soon had the honour lauded on him "This is Your Life" style.
He admitted: "The Ring Belt is out of this world and I could not believe it when it was given to me.
"It was a complete shock to the system and it was just like winning the world championship all over again.
"They don't really make the Ring Belt any more but people were determined to produce this one for me no matter how much it cost."
Minter was particularly indebted to golf day sponsors, Speedy Hire tools company and Genset concrete manufacturers for funding the Ring Belt and making it all possible.
Minter, who took the WBC and WBA titles, was also crowned European middleweight champion in 1977.
He also took the bronze medal at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games before starting his professional career in London.
But Minter's run as world champion came to an end on September 27, 1979 when he lost by knockout to Hagler at Wembley Arena.
Minter retired at the young age of 29, after 19 years in the ring.
He admitted: "I had won everything that there was to win and there was no excitement left for me. I could not get keyed up for fights any more and I decided that enough was enough."
Nowadays Minter commentates on boxing for satellite channel Eurosport and is on the after dinner speaking circuit.
And he also spoke with understandable pride about the exciting exploits of his son "Ross The Boss."
Paying tribute to his considerable improvement in recent months, Minter admitted: "I can't believe what he has achieved.
"The change in Ross has been superb since five fights ago and he has gone from a mediocre fighter to something else."
Alan Minter Honoured.
Alan Minter Honoured.
From icsurreyonline.
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