Alan Minter

Speaker 10:00

Hello, I'm Kirsty Young and this is a download from the Desert Island Discs archive. This edition may be slightly different from what was actually broadcast, but it's the only version we have. It comes from the British Library's radio collection. It was archived without the music, so although the Castaways choices are introduced, they're not part of this recording. Full details can be found on the Castaways page on the Desert Island Discs website.

Speaker 10:26

The programme was originally broadcast in nineteen eighty.

Speaker 10:30

And the presenter was Roy Plumley.

Presenter0:33

Our castaway this week is a boxer, until recently World Middleweight Champion Britain's Alan Minter.

Alan Minter0:39

Uh

Alan Minter0:40

Now

Presenter0:40

Uh

Alan Minter0:40

But you

Presenter0:40

Yeah. Uh

Alan Minter0:40

Uh

Presenter0:40

Uh

Alan Minter0:40

Uh

Presenter0:40

Under music.

Presenter0:41

Yeah.

Alan Minter0:41

Yes, I'm fairly fond of music, you know in times I I have a few spare moments in between training where I like to listen to a few records, you know. Do you play an instrument yourself or single? No, I I can't sing a note, but so I'm in the process now of buying a piano because I've always loved to hear a piano. There's nothing better than going to a restaurant, you can forget the background music, but if you've got a guy on the pian playing a tune on the piano, it's just fantastic. And I might get my little girl to learn to play. You can learn to play yourself.

Speaker 10:50

Nothing

Speaker 10:55

Because I want to

Speaker 11:02

Yeah.

Presenter1:02

Just

Alan Minter1:07

But I might, you know, if I if I get time, yeah.

Presenter1:10

Now a boxer lives a g a gregarious life. He has his backup team round him. How well could you adapt to loneliness? Here you are on this island.

Alan Minter1:11

The

Alan Minter1:19

and all by yourself.

Presenter1:19

Uh

Alan Minter1:20

Well, it'd be it's a job to know really, you know, I mean, as a professional fighter I've always got somebody around me. No matter where I go, there's someone with me, or if I drive anywhere, there's someone driving me. So to be on my own for a long period of time

Alan Minter1:32

I don't know how how I would do it, but I would have to adapt.

Presenter1:36

Uh Yeah.

Presenter1:37

Wright, you've got just eight records with you. What's the first one you've chosen?

Alan Minter1:40

The first one is, um, by Net King Cole, it's Sweet Lorraine. I think I can guess why. It's'cause that's my wife and uh funny enough her parents named her that because of that record coming out at that particular time. Well, it was out a long time before she was born, but it was still a very big record in them days.

Presenter1:45

COVID

Presenter2:01

Sweet Lorraine by Nat King Coe, dedicated to Mrs. Minter.

Alan Minter2:05

Alan, you were born in Kent, right? South East Twenty. Penge. I don't know if that comes it must come under Kent, does it? Near Beckenham. Ah. Beckenham's Kent. Well, that's it. Well, near Kennedy. Penge must come under Kent, then. I don't know. But you didn't stay there very long. No, I left there when I was two years of age and I've been living in Crawley, Sussex, for the past well, since I was two years two years old. You went to school there? That's right, I started school there.

Presenter2:09

Good.

Presenter2:11

Uh

Presenter2:14

Near enough.

Presenter2:17

But now I would

Alan Minter2:27

How were you at school?

Alan Minter2:30

Well

Alan Minter2:31

I wasn't too well educated. The reason being is that I didn't want to learn. I hate to be honest with you, I didn't like school at all and I just I couldn't get out quick enough. I used to just dread it. You used to get a few hidings, I gather. I used to get the cane a few times. I think I held the record at a particular time for caning. It's just that I was more or less a practical joker, but I used to take jokes out on other people, just for just for a laugh. Always used to get caught, always used to get caned, but um I enjoyed myself, I think.

Presenter2:59

It's good training for a boxer learning to take physical punishment.

Alan Minter3:00

Also take physical punishment.

Presenter3:01

Uh

Presenter3:02

Now, your dad used to box.

Presenter3:05

And you were boxing in school very early. How old were you when you started?

Alan Minter3:09

Well I was I think I s started getting interested in boxing at about eleven, twelve years of age. And the reason being I think was that I was no good at other sports funny enough. I was football, rugby, cricket, gymnastics, anything like that, any f field events just didn't appeal to me. So one day it was rain it was raining so we couldn't get go out on the field and the P T Master brought a pair of boxing gloves in and he says what we're gonna do I want all you boys to form a ring.

Alan Minter3:35

And when I do some sparring and, you know, I've never had a glove on in my life and the P teachers give me the pair of there there was some big, massive old boxing gloves in them days and I'd put them on. And it just appealed to me. You know, I didn't hurt anyone, but it just felt good to have a pair of gloves on. Yes. You know. And we just done a little workout and I just enjoyed what I was doing.

Presenter3:51

Yeah.

Presenter3:55

Then later you used to go and work out at the

Alan Minter3:57

The um local amateur boxing club. Yeah, well the P T teacher asked us to represent our school.

Alan Minter4:03

And we wanted a bit of tuition and that, so we joint the local I'm saying we, the SME and my friends, joined the local boxing club to represent our schools in them days and, um, that's where I started training you. And I gather you almost used to live there? I was yeah, I I was just trained there three times a week and uh

Alan Minter4:19

And enjoy it, you know, it was it was for me sort of thing. From

Presenter4:23

School Boxing.

Alan Minter4:24

Uh What was your first appearance?

Alan Minter4:27

Yeah.

Alan Minter4:28

My first appearance in a boxing ring was at Queen's Park School, Brighton. Yes. Representing the Sir Romson School. That's my old school. And um I got beaten on points. But um that's very heartbreaking. I think I lost my first three fights. But then one day I won a fight and there's nothing better than having your arm lifted at the end and being declared the winner and that was something that I really thought then I achieved something. And you know, especially not being able to

Alan Minter4:56

Do anything at the schools like other sort of sports. You know, I used to go back to the school then the following day after winning a boxing tournament and they used to call me out in the assembly when the all the school was there and I used to get a lovely round of applause and it was yeah, it was terrific. Good moment. You won the local school championship. I got to the quarterfinals, but not the first time, I think the second time, you know, the f the following year when I was a year older.

Presenter5:18

No.

Alan Minter5:21

Let's have your second record. My second record is by Boney M Brown Girl in the Ring. Why'd you choose it? I know Boney M fairly well.

Alan Minter5:29

And um it was the first record that my little girl started dancing to and more or less singing to. Absolutely. She's four.

Presenter5:35

However

Presenter5:42

Boni M, Brown Girl in the Ring. Now, you left school at fourteen, I see, Alan. What job did you take up?

Alan Minter5:49

I was plastering at that particular time.

Alan Minter5:53

Well they used to stick me in the cupboard so I don't know if I was good or not. Why in the cupboard? Well because no one can see your work. I was in the cupboards for many years under the stairs, airing cupboards and that sort of thing, larders. And the moment when the plaster that was teaching me come in I said, Alan, I think you're good enough to go on big walls now. That was or that I achieved something at then see. Because you know that when you're doing a big wall everyone around can see the class of work you're leaving.

Presenter6:19

What about the first big war you did? Was it a good one?

Alan Minter6:21

It wasn't bad. The guy had to go back over it just to train it in, but I was pleased with it.

Presenter6:26

Good. Now back to boxing. There was a character in Crawley who took over your training when you were about fourteen, and he's still doing it. Yeah, that's right. And he's now your father-in-law.

Alan Minter6:36

Yeah, that's um Doug Bridwood. I when I first started boxing for Crawley, he was the competition secretary and he was the man that used to get all our fights. In fact, the first f time I represented Crawley he fixed me up with a guy from Croydon and God I got a right hammering. I mean he he thought I was better than I was I think you know and this guy give me a hammering and a lot of kids would have retired. I'll call it a day'cause I I was I wasn't hurt but I was a little bit marked up but um I loved boxing so I went back to the gym the next day. But that's right, that was m many years ago and he's still with me today in the professional game. We turned professional together.

Speaker 17:06

Uh

Presenter7:06

But

Presenter7:12

Now

Alan Minter7:12

You're a left hander. Did Doug or anyone else try to change that?

Alan Minter7:17

Never, no.

Alan Minter7:18

Funny enough, if I'm training now, working out, sometimes I'll turn round orthodox for a laugh, for a giggle, but it's not I just can't do it. You know, I'm a natural southboar, I'm left hand, I write with my left hand, I do everything with my left, you know, so it's a natural thing for me is is a southbo.

Presenter7:33

In your late teens you were Southern Counties champion four times, at three different weights. That's right, yeah. Well, it's uh light middle and middle. Uh

Alan Minter7:41

And that was when they began to talk about you for the Olympics. Yeah, well, it was the last Southern County's our fault.

Alan Minter7:46

which was seventy, I think it was nineteen seventy. I was then picked for England to represent England. I knocked out a guy called Tommy Joyce, who was boxing for his country at that particular time.

Alan Minter7:57

I think he was in the Scottish team, I'm not too sure.

Alan Minter8:00

And then boxing from the country was it was a g a real honour. Then I knew then I I was on my way to the games, yeah. 1972, Munich.

Alan Minter8:07

You were offered two different wigs. Well, I had to fight a lot of eliminators. I was never very fashionable with the the coaches of the ABL, the selectors. And so they kept putting me into eliminators. I had to box a guy called Tony Byrne twice, I had to box. I had another couple of fighters, I can't think that they are at the moment.

Alan Minter8:25

But still nothing was signed. Th then I w went on to win the ABA Championship.

Alan Minter8:31

And that was 1971, so 72 was the Olympic year. And so 72, all ABA champions will go to the Olympics. But I defended the championship, the ABA championship in 72, Olympic year, and I was beaten on the cut. So that was me, I mean, my chances were thrown out the window. Then the guy that beat me, or got the decision over me because of the injury, asked me to box him, or asked my manager if I would box him on his own show in Croydon. We jumped at the chance because I knew if I could lick this guy, I'll be picked. So I fought him, Frankie Luke is his name. I fought him, I knocked him out in two rounds and I thought that's it. I've clinched, you know, I've just licked the ABA champion, I must get picked for the Olympics. But it wasn't so, the night I fought a guy called Tony Byrne.

Alan Minter9:18

On another show in Wells.

Alan Minter9:20

And I managed to beat them on points, and then they couldn't refuse me no more. And I was picked at two weights. I was picked at light middle and middle. Right.

Presenter9:27

Now, you were very highly fancied in Munich for a gold medal. What went wrong?

Alan Minter9:32

Yeah.

Alan Minter9:34

I think the judges went wrong. You know, I got right the way through to the bronze middle stage, I was boxing for the bronze or the silver, and I fought with a West German called Dieter Kottisch.

Alan Minter9:44

I think he won the first round.

Alan Minter9:47

I won the second round, had him on the floor in the third, got a public warning for slapping after putting him down on the floor, and you can't put a man on the floor with a slap.

Alan Minter9:55

And when you get a public warning that loses you a hell of a lot of points. And he went on to get the decision. And the crowd, the German crowd, absolutely booed through at least three or four fights because they were disgusted with the with the verdict. Still you you brought back a bronze. Oh, yeah, but see when you're chosen for the Olympics you must win the gold medal. But I bought back a bronze, people were pleased, so that's all that matters. Let's have another record. What next? My next record is Billy Joel. Yes. The reason, I was invited to one of Billy Joel's concerts and all and he's crazy on boxing and all the time he's doing his routine, he's shadow boxing. And then he invited us to a restaurant after his show where he had all the girls dressed up in boxing gear, the shorts and T-shirts and all that. And uh he just appeals to me, that's all.

Presenter10:47

Billy Joel, just the way you are. Now, nineteen seventy two, at the stage in your career, let me run down the phone book, Olympic bronze medallist. You had boxed for England in thirty internationals and won twenty five of them.

Presenter11:00

Did the experts advise you to go professional?

Presenter11:02

Or was it your own determination?

Alan Minter11:04

It's my own decision because, you know, I'd never ever thought about turning professional, you know, because you was involved in boxing for your country. But after being stitched up, I would say, you know, I was absolutely choked and I thought, well, if I'm going to rep represent my country in the Olympicas again, I've got to wait another four years, which is a long, long time. And then you might not make it. So I thought, okay, the amateurs have been good at me, I've enjoyed myself, I've travelled the world.

Speaker 111:22

Which is

Alan Minter11:28

And I thought, well that's it, let's try and give the Pro game a try.

Presenter11:33

So no more plastering. No more plastering, it's right here. Now at this point, let's get your nickname sorted out. You were known as Boom Boom.

Alan Minter11:42

It started when I represented my country in Holland in a multination tournament. I was boxing and every time I threw a punch I used to make a terrible noise and it was a lot all fighters make noises but the noise I used to make was wicked, like loud.

Alan Minter11:55

And I was getting public warnings from the referee, then all of a sudden the crowd joined in, boom, boom, you know. And so the referee at that particular time had to say, Okay, Alana, you do what you want, because I had the crowd behind me. Then it all went quiet after that for a few years until the 72 Munich Olympics. And I'd done it again. I don't know why I'd done it, it was I suppose it was a habit, you know, it was like um when you were forcing punches you tend to make a noise, it's like weightlifters when they lift big weights they'd they'd scream out and I was I was doing that same sort of thing and then I was nicknamed Boom Boom Minter.

Presenter12:07

Yeah.

Alan Minter12:29

Right.

Presenter12:29

Right, now you're a pro. One big difference is that you have to work harder. The the contests now go up to fifteen rounds, not just three.

Presenter12:39

What was your first professional fight? My f

Alan Minter12:41

First professional fight was a guy called Maurice Thomas. What happened? Well, I stopped the f guy in about six or seven rounds I think it was. But I after Nimbix, which is very, very unusual, when guys turn pro, they normally go into sort of six twos or

Alan Minter12:56

Six three-minute rounds, but I went straight in in the big one, eight threes.

Presenter13:01

In the deep end, in other words.

Alan Minter13:02

Yeah, and um it was a big worry it's it was a worry for me because doing three rounds, three three minute rounds, it's like that's a hell of a long time and that's tough. But to do eight threes, I thought, God, you know, will I be capable? But it worked fantastically.

Presenter13:16

In fact, you won your first eleven professional contests.

Alan Minter13:18

Professor did.

Alan Minter13:21

Record number four. It's Miss Iris Williams Cavatina. She's a good friend of mine and the reason I've chose it is because it was a big hit for her and funny enough it came out on my birthday. So that's why I've chose it.

Presenter13:37

Iris Williams, he was beautiful, Cavatina.

Presenter13:41

Now the first professional fight you lost, Alan, is down on the records as because of a cut eye. You've mentioned that before. Eye trouble, cuts trouble. That's something that's plagued you. Why is it? Do you have sharp bones? I mean, what's the answer?

Alan Minter13:54

Pope

Alan Minter13:55

I after I suffered a few cuts, he went to see a Harley Street specialist and he says, You know, every time I fight I get a cut or a nick or something, you know, what's the reason? And he s he'd examine me, he says, Well, you've not got no sharp bone structure, you've not got no soft skin. He said the reason you're getting cut is'cause you're getting hit. Which cost me about fifty pound I think it was for that information. But that was that's right, I mean I was fighting them days, like a lunatic, when when I was tagged with a punch, I was driving my hands and going in and then it was a clash of heads or something like that and I was just getting cut.

Presenter14:27

In fact, it it became a bit of a phobia, you're getting cut. You went to a a a hypnotist to get treated.

Presenter14:33

Yeah.

Alan Minter14:33

That's right. And that worked? I think it worked, you know, I don't know, you know, because when he's laid me on the bed and he says, You're now in a deep sleep, I could hear Doug, my manager and his and his wife, talking downstairs, so

Alan Minter14:47

It was job to know and I told him that afterwards. I said, I don't think you put me to sleep, because I could hear the people downstairs talking. He said, Well, you was asleep Anna, but if I wanted you just to hear my voice and my voice only, I could have done it that way. But then after that I never got cut for a long time, you know, so it must have worked.

Presenter15:02

Now you talk about in some of your fights having flown in a cuts expert, a man who can can mend them. What is he? Is he a qualified doctor? Is he has he got some particular kind of magic? What does he do?

Alan Minter15:15

Well he's just a very experienced man on facial cuts inflicted by a boxing glove. I think the guy's had about five world chambers of his own. He's worked with guys that cut very, very bad and he's always um been able to see the the big thing in boxing is to stop the bleeding.'Cause you can have a cut, but as long as it doesn't bleed you're all right. But if it bleeds it you can't see'cause it runs into your eye and and that's we used a man that was in experienced in that way. But see that the first time I was cut

Presenter15:19

Yeah.

Alan Minter15:43

I never lost a round, it was going into the eighth round.

Alan Minter15:46

And I said to Doug, I said, Well, what I'm going to do, I'm going to have a right guy in this man.

Alan Minter15:50

and see if I can knock the guy out. He says well try it, but be careful. So I've gone out in the last round, won every round.

Alan Minter15:57

Drop my hands, clash your heads, and that was my first cut.

Presenter16:00

Uh

Alan Minter16:01

You're very good in last rounds, aren't you? I'd never lose a last round. You know, it's I th it's fitness, I think, isn't it, and determination, because when you know the fight's in the balance.

Presenter16:01

You're very good at

Presenter16:03

Not even as a lost man.

Alan Minter16:09

And you're at the last round and catch the judge's eye, and then I go to work. Yeah.

Alan Minter16:14

But yeah.

Alan Minter16:19

Yes, it is, but it's you know, you don't want to get cut anyway'cause it's it's very sad because, you know, you train for months and months for a fight and all of a sudden you might get a cut in the first round and the f the fight's stopped and it's heartbreaking. Nothing's been proved, but you've lost the fight.

Presenter16:33

Well, let's press on with the career. Despite all your troubles, you become British middleweight champion. You won the Lonsdale belt outright. Who did you take that title from?

Alan Minter16:42

I took the title off of Kevin Finnegan.

Alan Minter16:50

The first time at Wembley, the second time at the Royal Albert Hall, and the third time again at Wembley.

Speaker 116:54

And

Alan Minter16:54

And I will say the guy has probably given me the hardest fights of my career. I mean, each fight went fifteen rounds.

Alan Minter17:01

And I won it by the smallest possible margin of half a point, which is one round. And that's how it was in the balance all the time, and I was lucky.

Alan Minter17:09

that I was capable of winning the last round so could catch the judge's eyes.

Presenter17:12

Yeah.

Alan Minter17:13

And then on to the

Presenter17:13

The European title.

Presenter17:16

That's right. Now you you won the middleweight title twice.

Alan Minter17:20

That's right, yeah. The first time was in Italy against Germano Velsec, and I made history in that fight because I was the first middleweight ever.

Alan Minter17:28

To go to Italy to fight an Italian and bring the championship out of their country.

Presenter17:32

You sound a little bit cynical about the Italian point scoring, too.

Presenter17:36

No, this crime was all right. Good. And so on to the world title, but before we talk about that, let's have another record.

Alan Minter17:43

Yeah, Andy Fairweather Lowe, wide-eyed and legless. Now the reason I've picked that record is because I just bought Kevin Finnegan and we had a great celebration in this hotel and I woke up next morning with a terrible hangover and I put on the radio and the record was wide-eyed and legless and that was the number one at that time and that's how I felt as well. It seemed to sum things up. That's right.

Presenter18:12

White-eyed and legless, Andy Fairweather.

Presenter18:15

Alan, you couldn't go for the world title right away. You had to wait two or three years. Was that because of boxing politics?

Alan Minter18:22

Yeah, I think it was you know I had to prove myself as a good contender. They kept importing a lot of Americans and rated Americans and I had to keep beating them and beating them to get a place in the world ratings. I think I was rated about ten at the time. Then all of a sudden I made it. I made got to the number one position, the number one contender. So the next fight should have been a world title fight.

Presenter18:40

The answer.

Alan Minter18:43

But then for some unknown reason they dropped me from number one position to number two and they made Marvin Hager the number one contender and he got the first crack. But see, if I was a fighter that was getting beaten

Speaker 118:52

Mm-hmm.

Alan Minter18:56

I knocked out, I stopped a few times, then I could have got a world title fight more easy. I think, you know, all the time you're winning and you're winning fairly comfortably, the champion will avoid you, and that was what was happening. Uh

Presenter19:06

Yeah.

Presenter19:07

So your chance to be world champion, you fought Vito Antu Fuermi in in Las Vegas.

Alan Minter19:14

How seemed to

Presenter19:14

Bishop

Alan Minter19:15

Okay.

Presenter19:15

They were fortified.

Alan Minter19:16

Well I think all fighters are are superstitious but I'm terrible, you know I mean I try to do the same things all the time for every fighter. I like to stay in the same rooms, the same hotel, drive the same car, go to the same restaurant, eat the s same food whether I want it or not and um do your thing in order like you've always done. And uh that's what I do.

Presenter19:40

Uh

Alan Minter19:40

Yeah. Reassuring. That's right, yeah, if I didn't do it, you know, or I carry a a piece of coal in my bag. And one day I couldn't find the coal and I've got you know, I'm in the in the hotel and I thought my wife had put it in my bag and I looked through my bag and it wasn't there. Oh dear, I've felt terrible.

Alan Minter19:57

But I'll give her a phone call, Where's McColl? and within a few hours it was in the hotel with me. Does Lorraine go to your fights? Yeah, she she yeah, she goes to the fights. She hasn't been for a long time until

Alan Minter20:08

When I fought for the world title she was there and she came to the the second world title fight and then the and then the third.

Presenter20:14

She was at Las Vegas and so were most of the publicans from Crawley, I gather. Tell me about that well title file, that first one.

Alan Minter20:15

So we're moving.

Alan Minter20:17

Only I can

Alan Minter20:22

Well, it was a fight where, you know, I knew I was having to bring a lot of people in and I was training very hard for the fight in a fantastic place, Caesar's Palace.

Alan Minter20:32

And I was so relaxed for this particular fight and people were saying like, Are you too relaxed? I mean, you you don't see one of these. You're three days away, four days away from a world title fight and you're sitting by the swimming pool and talking to all your fans and

Alan Minter20:44

And I said now I feel alright. But funny enough I was a little bit relaxed. And it wasn't until I was sparring with a couple of Americans and I got cut in sparring. A little nick on the eye three days before the World Title fight. And God, that frightened me. It could have been a bad cut and it could have put me back years or months. And so it livened me up. It gave me something that I needed. It made it started the adrenaline rolling and that's just what I needed. And

Alan Minter21:11

The the fans over there at that particular time were unbelievable. As I left the dressing room to go to the ring, it was all Union Jacks and Union Jack coats and hats. It was and all singing, you know, singing the old English songs and it was tremendous. But um he gave me a tough fight and the family, you know, he was he was a very, very hard man, but everything went well, you know, I never got involved with the guy, I kept out of reach and moved around and kept boxing him and all of a sudden I got the decision. But it was very frustrating after the fight because

Alan Minter21:41

One thing I dreaded was them to say going 15 rounds with an American in America and them saying we have a split decision because nine times out of ten you would never get it and that's just what happened. After the fight, they said ladies and gentlemen, we have a split decision and the crowd went boo like, you know, what's it all about, you know. And the first judge give it to me.

Alan Minter22:04

By about three rounds and then the English judge gave it to me and I thought, God, you know, I've done it. I'm at last the champion. After all this hanging about and this this frustration, you know, I'm now the champion of the world and it was unbelievable. Then you beat Antwerp again? Then I defended the championship of the world against him at Wembley.

Presenter22:18

But they're not

Presenter22:21

Then in September this year you lost the title to the American Marvin Hagler at Wembley. You were bleeding once again from a cut and the referee stopped the fight.

Presenter22:31

Yeah. Whereupon there were disgusting scenes. The crowd started throwing beer bottles. Now that's something new in boxing in this country, isn't it?

Alan Minter22:38

Yeah, they built it up. See it wasn't that bad. I mean it should never have happened but it happened. And the reason it was built up is because it never happens in boxing, never at all. But you can understand how they felt the crowd. I mean the rest of the fights on the on the card were not very good fights so the fans were out in the bars having a drink. Then they they're just waiting for the main event. The main event comes on.

Alan Minter23:00

That goes two and a half rounds and it absolutely choked. And it was only a light handful of kids, I suppose, that started throwing throwing bottles. But th as luck would have it, the bottles were only plastic.

Presenter23:10

Yes.

Alan Minter23:10

People didn't know there was plastic, but there was.

Presenter23:12

We don't want that to happen again.

Alan Minter23:13

Yeah.

Presenter23:14

Now, at this time, at this moment, are you planning a return bout with Hagler?

Alan Minter23:18

Yeah, we hope to get a fight with the guy.

Alan Minter23:20

In

Alan Minter23:21

March

Alan Minter23:23

Or April, some way somewhere like that. Yeah. If he'd defend against me. I think he will because it was an easy night's work for him. I never give him no trouble, so I think he'll defend against me.

Presenter23:33

Yeah.

Presenter23:33

And in the meantime, y y you've got one little lark coming up, one gimmick, where you're inviting the public to come in and train with you.

Alan Minter23:41

Yep, well when I start training for my next fight, which will be January and February, I'm inviting the public to join me in Terramolinos to if they want to, this is to have a holiday with me and to work out with me, to do a little bit of running.

Alan Minter23:58

If they want to go in the gym they can do, but they can watch me work out anyway. That's in January and February.

Presenter24:03

And they can have a good holiday and take some weight off.

Alan Minter24:04

It takes a weight off.

Alan Minter24:08

Uh

Presenter24:08

Let's have Record number six.

Alan Minter24:10

Record number six was by Frank Sinatra My Way.

Alan Minter24:15

The reason I picked that one is because I just won the championship of the world in Las Vegas, Caesars Palace, and I was in the dressing room and the doctor come in and he says, Can you give us a urine sample?

Alan Minter24:26

So I'm I was just stuck in the corner trying to give a sample when a load of people rushed in, all fans of mine, and started singing my way. And I try and give a sample when they're singing it, well, it can't be done. It'll be unbelievable. That is the reason I picked it.

Speaker 124:37

Yeah.

Presenter24:38

Blade local

Presenter24:45

Frank Sinatra. Alan, I've been reading your autobiography, and on a number of occasions you complain quite philosophically about being robbed about unfair points decisions, as in Munich, for example. I've never worked out how point scoring operates. Who does the scoring?

Alan Minter25:03

Well it all depends on where you're boxing and what system they are judging under. Because when I boxed in in Las Vegas, when I won the World Title, we had three judges and the referee. Now the referee doesn't score, just the judges score and they they decide who's won it.

Speaker 125:18

Yeah.

Presenter25:18

Later

Alan Minter25:20

In this country we have no judges at all.

Alan Minter25:23

Just a referee and he scores, so it all depends on what system you're under. He's got to do the whole job.

Presenter25:26

He's

Presenter25:29

Now, something more serious, Alan. You had the shattering experience of having Antelope Giacopucci die from a brain injury a few hours after you had knocked him out. It wasn't your fault in any way. No.

Alan Minter25:36

I'm sorry.

Presenter25:40

But several boxers die every year. Is boxing too dangerous? Is it the gloves that are at fault? I mean, what's happening?

Alan Minter25:48

I'm not really in that position to answer that one. You know, I'm not a medical man or anything, but it's not like two guys getting in the ring and having a fight. Beach boxer.

Alan Minter25:56

Is trained 100% so their fitness is 100%, their reflexes are, and they're trained to take a punch and the rider punch.

Alan Minter26:04

But when a boxer gets injured and he dies, it makes the news. But do you know there's two farmers killed every day?

Alan Minter26:10

And nothing is said about that.

Alan Minter26:12

Any sport that's a contact sport, you're at a certain amount of risk. But I mean, if you enjoy the sport you're doing, you know, you don't worry about risk. I mean, I mean, you get mountain climbers climb mountains, I mean, they could fall off. You get guys doing pot holing, they could get stuck down there, couldn't they? How aggressive do you feel in the ring?

Presenter26:27

Pretty good.

Alan Minter26:29

I don't feel that aggressive, you know, but I've got a job of work to do, I've got to prove that I'm the best and I do everything in my power to show that I'm the best, that's all. But it's the only sport I know that after a hell of a fight

Presenter26:35

Hmm.

Alan Minter26:40

You're the best of pals of your friend. I mean, the three wars I've had with Finnegan, we we went to the Daily Express Sports from the Year a day after I fought Finnegan, which was an absolute war. And I've walked in, Finnegan's already there, and he's gone

Alan Minter26:55

Anon screamed out. I've gone over arm round each other, had a nice drink together. And people are saying, Look.

Speaker 126:58

Hey

Alan Minter27:00

You know they only fought last night and they had a right war and the best of powers. It's the only sport I know that is like this. Marvellous. Record number seven. Record number seven is by Jigsaw and it's called The Prize Fighter. Why did you choose it? Well I've made a film, it's not a boxing film, it's more or less in the life of Alan Minter. It's called A Cut Above the Rest. And what it goes, it shows me with my family, with the business side, in the restaurant, and then training and preparing for a world title fight and the world title fight. And this was the signature tune.

Speaker 127:18

Yeah.

Presenter27:36

Prize Fighter by Jigsawk

Presenter27:39

Right, you're you're making the film you are.

Presenter27:41

Quite a business, man. You got a restaurant as well.

Alan Minter27:43

Yeah, that's right, yeah.

Alan Minter27:45

Very, very old restaurant in Crawley High Street. The place was built in the year 1150, I believe it was. 1150. 1150. Marvellous building. You're good cook, yourself.

Presenter27:52

Yeah.

Alan Minter27:54

Uh no

Presenter27:54

Go good shit.

Alan Minter27:56

Chiffer.

Presenter27:56

Alright.

Presenter27:57

How good a castaway would you be? Obviously you have the physical strength for ripping down the materials to make a shelter.

Alan Minter28:03

Yeah, I suppose so, yeah.

Presenter28:04

You've got some ideas on on how you'd set about it. You you'd plastered the inside.

Alan Minter28:05

Good.

Alan Minter28:08

Yeah, with my hands, I suppose. That's right, yeah. But, um, I'll survive, yeah.

Alan Minter28:13

Any good at fishing? Yes, I'm not too bad. I mean, that's very that's very simple, isn't it? There's no fishing result at the island, but you can always use a branch, can't you?

Presenter28:20

Oh yes.

Alan Minter28:21

Yes, of course. Find something and do it later.

Presenter28:22

Are you a good swimmer? Did you have to swim in the in your superstars' appearances? Yes, I did, yes. So you're all right there? Yeah, not too bad. In that case, would you try to escape?

Alan Minter28:32

Well, I don't particularly like water, so I don't think no, I'll stay there.

Presenter28:36

All right, put your feet out for a bit. We'll come and fetch you.

Alan Minter28:39

Yeah.

Presenter28:39

Yeah.

Alan Minter28:39

Last record. My last record is Land of Hope and Glory. Why? Um the reason is that I was asked to go along to the St George's Day Club at the Grosvenor.

Alan Minter28:48

And the band struck up with this song and we all stood up and we sang it and it was a very, very proud moment.

Alan Minter28:55

And then

Alan Minter28:56

As soon as they finished Land of Hope and Glory, they they started with Aim Lander's signals your tune, this is your life and then he come in and he picked me on that day. Marvelous. Yes, you were landed with it. That's right, yeah, trick it though.

Presenter29:08

And Land of Hope and Glory would help you remember that.

Alan Minter29:11

The next

Presenter29:16

Land of Hope and Glory, Pomp and Circumstance Number One in D, conducted by Sir Colin Davis at the last night of the Proms. If you could take only one disc out of the H you played as Alan, which would it be?

Alan Minter29:27

Yeah.

Alan Minter29:29

Well the diss that I play the most or we sing the most when I'm out with my pals and that is Marway.

Presenter29:34

Right. Good. And one luxury to take to the island with you, nothing of any practical use.

Alan Minter29:41

Well, I think I would like to take one of them transistor radios ma worked on s a solar salite system. Yes. With one of them little televisions in Can't counter T reception. No, but might be able to

Presenter29:52

No, but it might be out there. And one book apart from the Bible and Shakespeare.

Alan Minter29:57

Well, there must have been someone in the same situation as me as me that's been on a desert island and survived and been picked up again. And he's wrote a book on survival. Yes. And that I think that would that would do me.

Presenter30:08

A good survival man. That's right. Very sensible choice. And thank you, Alan Minter, for letting us hear your Desert Islands. Thank you very much for having me, and it's been nice to.

Alan Minter30:09

Mess what?

Alan Minter30:14

The dialogue.

Alan Minter30:16

To

Presenter30:16

And the best of luck in that return match with Hagler. Thank you very much indeed.