Funeral service for boxing great

The funeral of legendary Belfast boxer John Caldwell who died of cancer at the age of 71 has taken place.

Caldwell, as an 18-year-old, won a bronze medal in the flyweight division at the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne.

Five years later, he clinched the world bantamweight title after beating Frenchman Aphonse Halimi.

Requiem Mass for the father-of-five was held at St Agnes' Church followed by interment at Milltown Cemetery in west Belfast.

Hundreds of mourners - many from the boxing world - gathered at the church.

During the service, he was described as a family man.

Fellow fighter Jim McCourt said he was "a role model to younger boxers. A clean living man who never tolerated bad language whenever I was in the gym. One of the best fighters I've ever seen."

Promoter Barney Eastwood said: "He's got to be be rated as one of the all-time greats from Ireland - if not the greatest".

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British Boxing Board
Amateur Boxing Association
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