To cut a long story short I got into a conversion with a pal of mine talking about boxing and I was talking about the Hagler / Hearns fight. Well he got onto the subject of Alan Minter. Now Im going to be honest and the only real thing I knowe about Minter is that Hagler stopped him and he was middleweight champion? (I think). My mate compared him to Ricky Hatton, how the fans loved him etc etc. SO how good a fighter was Alan, did Hagler expose him or was he just not on Haglers level, not many where!! Ive been through Boxrec but it doesn't really give you a real insight to a fighter. Not sure if this should be in classic or British, apoligises if Im wrong
Hagler turned out to be an ATG and Minter fought a dumb fight (not that it would have mattered other than what round it would have ended in) so there was no real "exposing". Minter fought in a time when there was one middleweight title and he earned his shot with some decent wins.
Minter was initially an awful spoiler who was barely better than a domestic journeyman. This peaked with the infamous third Magdziarz fight, where both fighters just looked and feinted at each other for three rounds before referee Harry Gibbs just had enough in the fourth and walked out the ring in disgust. Then it all changed, the fight seemed to shake Minter up, and seemingly overnight, he sorted himself out. He became more aggressive, without going too over the top, making sure he kept his cuteness. Within a year he had beaten some fair Continental opposition, and beat the quality British Champion Kevin Finnegan. The excellent form continued in 1976, he beat Finnegan in a rematch and the fringe world class American Tony Licata, impressively. He topped that by beating the top American Sugar Ray Seales in five rounds, Seales having held Hagler to a draw. He followed this up by winning the European title, before his soft skin cost him two fights and his European crown. During this bad spell Minter did beat the Great Emile Griffith, flooring the man on the way to a decision, but obviously Emile was some way past his best. Minter beat Finnegan again and also regained his European crown. His good form continued into 1979, and he earned himself a shot against Antuofermo for the World Championship. Many felt Vito deserved the nod in their March 1980 fight, but Minter became World Champion on a Split decision. Minter grew as a Champion and he dominated the rematch with Antuofermo, winning every round before cuts forced Vito to call it quits at the end of the eighth. The Hagler fight was next, Minter made a disgraceful comment that led to high tensions between the fighters and their camps, not helped when an ounce or so overweight, Minter made Hagler strip naked to make weight. Minter was dominated by Hagler, but he did get Hagler's attention with a big left hook during the bout. Post Hagler, Minter beat fringe contender Ernie Singeltary by 10 round shut out, before dropping a very close split decision to fellow contender Mustafa Hamsho. Minter's finale saw him lose to Tony Sibson in three rounds, Alan's heart was just not into it anymore and he retired. Minter got a job with the Beeb as an analyst, but sadly a battle with the bottle, cost him that job, and pretty much ruined his and his neighbours lives in the late 80s/90s.
Best post fight speech after winning the WBA/WBC title ,which was undisputed then, ever. Something along the lines of. " I did it for you. I did it for England and when I get back home were all going out and getting pissed" Great stuff.
Apparently Hunter S Thompson was terrified of him! I think he's mellowed a lot in middle age however. Gave a very decent and modest interview a couple of years back. As for a fighter Ring magazine described him as a 'smart boxer with a stiff punch'. He fought a lot of decent world class fighters and usually beat them but often his fragile skin let him down. Also,although I've not seen it myself the Hamsho fight was something of a hometown decision? Anyone seen that fight? Oh and for the 1st Antoufermo fight I thought Minter won fairly clearly although at the time the americans were pretty annoyed and got an immediate rematch.(thus preventing Kevin Finnegan from a much deserved and overdue tittle shot)
I remember watching the Minter/Hamsho fight back then on BBC i think? Alan boxed well in a tough fight as Hamsho tried to drag Minter into the trenches but Minters jab appeared to get him through by 2/3 rounds. Must go & see if this is on u-tube. Yeh it appeared a typical Vegas decision at the time, tough fight & think it was a SD & what with the yanks scoring on aggression ect gave any close round to Hamsho.
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQdeQkYDABs[/ame] [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1AG4xD6It8&feature=related[/ame]
Yeh he was a top man & extreamly popular back then, he got robbed ****in blind at the munich olympics when Dieter Kottysch had his hand raised after Minter had whacked him all over the place & i think he actually dropped him as well. There was uproar but thats the olympics for yer. I remember some wanker of an aussie ref penalising Alan for the boom boom grunting sound he always made when he double jabbed. Back then it was a long hard slog to ever get a crack at the world crown & you had to do the very tough route as it was back then in getting the British/Euro title's & defend them. A real hard ****er Jan Magdziarz from Eastliegh down my way seemed to have alans number when he started out as a pro stopping him twice. But all in all Alan was a real popular figure & a household name along with the Finnighan bros & Conteh
Finnegan was not getting the first shot no matter what, as Hagler was the WBA and WBC mandatory... But as you said, they (the alphabet crap), broke their own rules to give Vito a rematch (which he deserved, but after a Minter/Hagler, which he got anyway). Obelmejias was at the Hagler/Minter fight, and both agreed the Venezuelan would be up next for the victor.
Minter was a good battler; no shame in not being on Hagler's level as precious few were. A bit of a bore as a commentator on Sky Sports, though.
His best qualities were his long arrow of a right jab and his sideboards, weren't they? Defense was certainly not.
He fought like a nutter against Hagler. Although no Willie Pep, he was pretty sound defensively most of the time. When you know your paper thin skin can cost you a fight at any moment, you learn how not to get hit!
There are some really fair and balanced posts on here...:yep Alan Minter is the reason is why I got hooked on boxing. I was allowed to stay up late by my Aunty bless her to watch Minter v Auntofermo in their first fight, I am sure it was a Sunday...:think I was sold on boxing from that moment on...:deal I respect the journey that Minter had to take to get where he got. He showed great character early in his career. He boxed some very tough opponents at the Domestic and European Level...:yep He had to overcome the tragedy of Angelo Jacapucci RIP. The Championship distance was 15 Rounds back then with same day weigh in too...:yep Regardless of what has a occured after his career ended with things that have been said about him, Alan Minter lit up British Boxing for a while and got me hooked on this sport...:yep He gets my vote...:deal
