Former boxing promoter Mickey Duff dies, aged 84

Duff died peacefully in a South London nursing home, aged 84

Boxing has lost one of its most charismatic figures with the death yesterday of Mickey Duff, for many years the British fight game's most influential matchmaker.

Often called a better matchmaker than Eros, he was involved with numerous world champions including Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, Frank Bruno, John Conteh and Barry McGuigan across three decades.

He eventually lost his fiefdom to Frank Warren, who said last night: "He was one of the most dominant players in the sport, at his best a brilliant matchmaker."

Duff, who in recent years suffered from Alzheimer's, died peacefully in a South London nursing home, aged 84.