A FULL house, which included top boxing officials and a former world challenger, turned out at Leominster Rankin Club for a sporting tribute to Cliff Curvis, the oldest surviving British champion.

The tribute, organised by John Beaman and Pat Perry, came as a complete surprise to the 77-year-old Welshman whose exploits as British and Empire welterweight champion earned him the admiration of the sporting public over half a century ago.

A distinguished fight career followed by service to the British Boxing Board of Control ensured that the esteem has remained beyond his native Swansea.

His links with Leominster began when he married Adele, who was from the town, and formed friendships in the area, particularly with the late Frank Barber and his family.

Curvis was honoured by life membership of the Rankin Club and it was there that some of boxing's elite, together with rugby stars and local sportsmen, paid their tribute.

In a professional career which began as a 16-year-old in 1944 and ended in an unsuccessful European title bid in 1953, Curvis had a record of 55 fights of which he won 42, lost 12 and drew one. He lifted the British and Empire title in 1952 with a ninth-round knockout of Wally Thom.

Another welterweight champion from Swansea, Colin Jones, who held the British, Commonwealth and European titles, was among those who spoke in tribute to a predecessor. And Jones knows the ropes - he featured in three world title fights, drawing with Milton McCrory in 1983 before losing a split decision to the American, and then being stopped on a cut by the exceptional Don Curry in the Welshman's final fight in 1985.

Also speaking at the Rankin Club were Charles Giles, chairman of the Boxing Board, Simon Block, secretary to the Board, and John Morris, former secretary, together with rugby's Dai Morris, Wales former star number six, and Dai Parker, the former Neath fly-half. There were also contributions from Rankin club secretary John Beaman and Rotarian Harry Conod who organised a collection on the night which raised £250 for the tsunami disaster appeal.