OLYMPIC gold medallist and arguably Hillingdon's most famous sportsman, Chris Finnegan, died in Hillingdon Hospital on Monday morning (2/3) after a short illness. He was 64.
The Hayes Amateur Boxing Club member shot to world fame when he won the middleweight title at the 1968 Mexico Olympics and went on to enjoy a fine professional career, even challenging legendary American champion Bob Foster for the World Light-Heavyweight Championship in 1970.
After being counted out in the 14th round it was a performance described by Harry Carpenter as the greatest display he had ever witnessed by a British fighter in a world title fight.
Finnegan spent his early years in Uxbridge before moving to Iver and more recently to Ickenham.
His younger brother, Kevin, himself a former British and European Middleweight champion, sadly passed away only four months ago.He lived in Hillingdon at the time of his death.
