Pat Ryan

Pat Ryan was trained by his elder brother Martin and was already successful as a junior. He then won four successive national titles (two in the bantam- and two in the featherweight divisions) starting in 1968 and retired after participating in the 1972 Olympics. Five years later he had a national comeback in the welterweight division taking his fifth national title, when the championships were held in his native New Plymouth. In 1970 he was named New Zealand’s most scientific boxer. Internationally his greatest achievement was the 1972 Oceania championship in Tahiti winning gold in the featherweight division. His record in the ring was 105 wins and eight losses.

After his definite retirement he started coaching and refereeing and held official positions in boxing for several years. Besides sports he worked in the timber industry and eventually started his own business in 1996. His deteriorating health forced him to stop working two years prior to his premature death.