Brian Anderson

As a young boxer, Brian Anderson had a far from impressive career in his native Ireland, winning only the Donegal junior bantamweight title. After a move to London as an 18-year-old in 1957, however, that all changed. Anderson joined the Middle Row Amateur Boxing Club, an Anglo-Irish club, and within three years had won north-west London ABA bantamweight and featherweight titles. Between 1959-66 he won six divisional titles and in 1964 came close to winning his first, and only, ABA title.

After beating Dick McTaggart in the light-welterweight semi-final, Anderson started as favourite to win the final against Bob Taylor but was cruelly robbed of the title by an extremely controversial decision. Having boxed for both England and Ireland, Anderson missed out on a GBR Olympic place in 1964, with McTaggart getting the GBR light-welterweight slot. Anderson was, however, selected for Ireland after Jim Neill was forced to withdraw.

Anderson retired from boxing in April 1966 for business and domestic reasons, and eventually returned to Ireland to live. He took up coaching in Donegal and in 1979 helped form the Twin Towns Boxing Club, where his son Brian was a coach and his grandson (also called Brian) was a member. Anderson’s granddaughter Ciara was also an Irish champion boxer.