Ray Cattouse - RIP

[bennie]

Former British lightweight champion Ray Cattouse has died at the age of 71, according to a reliable source on X.

[Bladder]

Former British lightweight champion Ray Cattouse has died at the age of 71, according to a reliable source on X.

Sad to hear. Who could forget the classic fight with George Feeney in defence of his British Lightweight title.

[bennie]

You're right, an absolute classic. Ray could have been special with more snap in his work because he threw lovely short punches and proved his temperament when he stopped unbeaten Scot Dave McCabe for the vacant British lightweight title in Glasgow in 1980. He stopped McCabe again in defence of the title but dropped the belt to Feeney after 14 incredible rounds at the Albert Hall in 1982 and a shot at the European lightweight title ended in a draw in Italy against hard-hitting Joey Gibilisco. Ray whipped himself into great shape for a second shot against Germany's Rene Weller in Frankfurt in 1984 when Weller got injured and the fight was called off. A dejected Ray, who was 31, decided to call it a day. Lovely fella, Ray, who was brought up in children's homes and had every reason to be bitter but he was just the opposite. His brother, Trevor, also a fighter, challenged Tom Collins for the British light-heavyweight title in 1982.