Alan Minter was born in Crawley, Susex on August 17, 1951. He had a good amateur career before turning pro, winning the 1971 ABA Championship, and a Bronze at the 1972 Munich Olympics. He turned pro in October 1972, knocking out his first opponent in the 6th.
Minter came from the long tradition of rugged British middleweights. He therefore did not enjoy the spotless record of an Americn boxer on the rise, and lost a few fights on his way to the top in the same way the old timers did. He stood 5’9″, boxed as a southpaw, and enjoyed fast hands, good power, and a solid chin. However, he was a typical European fighter, fighting from the stand-up stance, and his head movement was therefore lacking. He also had a bad tendancy to cut.
For the first year and a half of his career, Minter racked up an 11-0 record with 8 knockouts, including a win over undefeated 10-0 George Aidoo. Then he met solid 28-17-5 journeyman Don McMillan, who stopped Minter on cuts in the 8th. It was the start of a bad time in Minter’s career. Over his next 7 bouts, he lost 3 and had a 4th stopped as a No Contest, all of them due to cuts. 2 of the losses and the NC were to Jan Magdziarz, a good fighter with a similar level of experience. Minter kept going back and trying to get revenge at the Royal Albert Hall, and kept getting torn up.
November 1974 was the beginning of Minter’s breakout. He went to Munich and outpointed Shako Mumbu, who had previously knocked out his bitter rival Magdziarz. From there he kept winning, picking up the British Commonwealth Middleweight Title in 1975 bout with Kevin Finnegan. In 1977 he captured the Europen Middleweight title. However, right after that Minter’s 12 fight winning streak came to an end in a bout with 23-0 Ronnie Harris. A 1968 Olympic champion who would challenge for the world title, Harris busted Minter up, leading to an 8th Round stoppage. Once again, Minter’s soft skin caught up with him.
Minter restored his reputation somewhat by outpointing a faded, 39 year old Emilie Griffith (Griffith retired shortly after that). He then fought a rematch with Kevin Finnegan, winning back the Commonwealth title Minter had vacated upon winning the European belt. In 1978, he won back the European title, but the victory was marked by tragedy as his opponent, Angelo Jacopucci, died of his injuries. The ringside doctor was later convicted of manslaughter.
World Champion
By 1980, Alan Minter was a 36-6, two-time Commonwealth and two-time European middleweight champion, and on an eight fight winning streak. In March he challenged Vito Antuofermo for the Undisputed World Middleweight Championship at Caesar’s Palace, Las Vegas. Antuofermo was a mauler, and Minter was able to stymie the Italian’s rushes for much of the fight with his left jab. However, Minter still found himself bulled back onto the ropes and pounded from time to time, and both men had a propensity to bleed. Amazingly, although both were cut over the eyes, the cuts remained minor and neither man was terribly busted up. Antuofermo put Minter down in the 8th with a left hook-right to the body combo, but Minter got to his feet. The decision considered controversial in light of the lopsided scorecard of the Briton Roland Dakin (149-137) was a Split Decision victory for Minter. The middleweight title was going the the United Kingdom.
As their March bout had ended so controversially, Minter and Antuofermo fought a rematch in June. A energized Minter stopped Antuofermo in the 8th.
Minter made his 2nd title defense against his #1 challenger, a man who had previously fought Vito Antuofermo and many thought had been robbed: Marvin Hagler. Minter infamously declared that he would never let a black man take his title. When Minter met Hagler at Wembley Stadium in September 1980, he opened by firing aggressive, straight-punching combos. However, the 1st Round was not even over before Hagler’s jab (also a southpaw) was finding its mark. He went back to his stool already cut. Minter came out in the 2nd looking to brawl, and rocked Hagler with a left hook, but the American retaliated, raking Minter’s eyebrows with hard shots and busting him wide open. The fight was stopped in the 3rd. In a classic display of British hooliganism, the crowd rioted and pelted Marvin Hagler with bottles.
In 1981, Minter promised the Queen he would beat Syrian-American Mustafa Hamsho , but dropped a points loss to him. He then challenged for the European title again, only to be stopped by Tony Sibson. After this, Minter hung up the gloves. Minter remains a popular figure in the UK.
