John Conteh
(1951-), BoxerSitter in 4 portraits
Professional boxer from 1971-1980; Born in Liverpool to an Irish mother and Sierra Leonean father, Conteh was raised in Kirkby. He was encouraged by his father to take up boxing at an early age. Conteh showed a natural talent and nine years later won the Amateur Boxing Association belt. He won the middleweight gold medal at the 1970 Commonwealth Games. Muhammed Ali, a friend and confidant, persuaded him to fight at Light-Heavyweight instead of Heavyweight which Ali believed Conteh was not built for. In October 1974 he out-pointed the Argentinean Jorge Ahumada to win the WBC light heavyweight crown. At the height of his sport's career, he also acted in films such as Man at the top (1973), The Stud (1978) and Tank Mailing (1989). He also made a starring appearance as a washed-up boxer in the television show Boon (1989). Awarded an MBE in 2017.
Harry Goodwin; Muhammad Ali; John Conteh
by Harry Goodwin
bromide fibre print, 1970s
NPG x87881
by Clive Arrowsmith
digital chromogenic print, 28 October 1973
NPG x199704
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