Tributes paid after death of boxing champion
Tributes paid after death of boxing champion
Liam Barnes - East Midlands; Mark Colerangle - Radio NottinghamThu, September 10, 2026 at 5:11 AM UTC
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Tony Laing has died at the age of 68
Tributes have been paid to former British and Commonwealth boxing champion Tony Laing, who died last month at the age of 68.
Born in Jamaica on 22 September 1957, he was raised in Nottingham and enjoyed a successful professional career in the 1980s, winning the British and Commonwealth light-welterweight titles.
He stayed in Nottingham after retiring and coached young boxers across the city.
Former world champion Jawaid Khaliq, who runs JK Boxing Academy in St Ann's, said Laing was "a legend" and "one of the greats" for Nottingham boxers.
'True professional'
"I think a lot of youngsters looked up to him, and he was very important," he said.
"He was old school, he trained like a madman... I watched some of his fights, and he was a tough, come-forward, aggressive fighter.
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"A lot of people like that kind of style, because it's very exciting and crowd-pleasing.
"I think he was well respected by a lot of the boxers, he was a true professional."
Marcellus Baz, a boxing coach and anti-knife crime campaigner, said he was "deeply saddened" to learn about the death of his friend, who he described as "a true boxing legend in Nottingham".
"He really put the sport on the map when he won the [championship], but his achievements go far beyond the ring as well," he said.
"I think his legacy's going to live on for what he achieved in the ring, but also his infectious personality and his dedication, not just to the sport but to the community.
"When I've been out and about loads of people have come up and said, 'We're really sad that he's gone, we've got to keep his legacy going', and that really now is on all of us to do something."
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'He's changed my life so much, I can't explain it'
Source: “AOL Sports”
