A DEDICATED boxing coach has been presented with a prestigious award for 50 years of service to the sport.

Dave Brown, 72, of Monks Close, Lancing, was awarded the World Boxing Council medal – an honour bestowed on very few by one of the sport’s most renowned organisations – at a dinner show at the Metropole Hotel in Brighton.

Former undisputed world middleweight champion Alan Minter, IBO world super-middleweight champion Chris Eubank Jr and former British and Commonwealth heavyweight champion Scott Welch handed Dave the award as he was joined in the ring by amateur boxers from the Brighton and Hove club.

Dave started out as an amateur boxer but began helping out as a coach as a 16-year-old in Worthing.

His involvement with the Brighton and Hove club spans 35 years but is battling cancer and almost did not attend the show.

He said: “It was pretty awesome to receive the award but until the last minute I had not made my mind up whether to go or not. They got me up in the ring on false pretences. It’s a beautiful medal for 50 years of dedicated service to boxing.

“I believe I am only the 259th person presented with a medal by the WBC across the world as they only give them to champions and in exceptional circumstances.

“I really did appreciate it and it came out of the blue.

“It was a really great evening for me and will probably be my last as I am now in palliative care with St Barnabas Hospice.

“My wife and I have only just celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary too.”

Hundreds of boxers have been coached by Dave, including Scott Welch when he was an amateur and Chris Eubank Jr before they embarked on their professional careers.

Mr Welch, who trains amateurs and professional boxers at the Brighton and Hove Pro-Am Gym, said: “Thousands of boxers have been helped by Dave over the years.

“He used to work from 6am in the morning as a butcher, finish work, pick me up and drive all over the country to take me to fight and then jump back in the car and do it all again. He did that for lots of boxers and it was all voluntarily. He richly deserves this award.”