Boxer Brian London, who challenged Muhammad Ali for the world heavyweight title in 1966, has died aged 87. London, who took his nickname of "The Blackpool Rock" from his hometown, fought Ali days after England had won the football World Cup. Despite being buoyed by a spirit of national optimism, the Hartlepool-born boxer was defeated in the third round. London, who was born Brian Sidney Harper, moved to Blackpool when he was 16 and was encouraged to take up boxing while doing national service with the RAF, after an officer discovered his father was former British and Commonwealth heavyweight champion Jack London. He beat Joe Erskine to become British heavyweight champion in 1958 but was deposed a year later by Sir Henry Cooper, who said nobody hit him harder in his career. London was involved in two world title fights - the 1966 clash with Ali and a match against Floyd Paterson seven years earlier, in which he took the American to 11 rounds before losing by a knockout." Rest in peace, Champ.
The man had enough heart to make up for the combined cowardice of Rocky Fielding, Callum Smith and BSJ. Rip brave soulja
