SIBBO: The Tony Sibson Story: Former British, European and Commonwealth Middleweight Champion

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In the fall of 1975, Minter edged Kevin Finnegan to win the vacant British title. After making an initial defense, he bested Finnegan in a return to win the Lonsdale belt outright.

With the Acaries fight slated for February 1984, Duff pushed to fill a January 14 slot on NBC. It took the promise of an expenses paid trip to convince Sibson to return to the United States. And after top target Czyz slipped away, somehow, the promoters came up with “Dangerous” Don Lee. On the night, Minter succumbed in three rounds, his face slashed as though Hagler's gloves were adorned with razor blades. Another Briton, Tony Sibson, suffered a similarly bloody defeat in Hagler's sixth title defence in 1983. Sibson lasted six rounds but caught Hagler on a night when the champion chose to display the bulk of his repertoire, the accuracy and delivery of the punches all part of a masterclass in ring generalship. I KNOW now what I’ve got to do to become champion of the world,” Sibson told the morning-after press conference with wry humour: “I’ve got to improve.”Matthew Hilton vs Buster Drayton: Jim Lampley said it best during commentary: “You will seldom see a more spectacular demonstration of sheer courage and competitiveness on the part of two boxers.” Matthew Hilton’s gruelling victory over veteran Buster Drayton is how all world titles should be won, with maximum effort expended against a redoubtable foe who just keeps coming. The big title fights came in London and overseas, but it was at the Digbeth and Wolverhampton Civic Halls, the Gala Baths in West Bromwich and Dudley Town Hall where he honed his craft.

With Tommy Hearns, finally they gave me what I’m looking for,” Hagler told The Ring. “I knew it was going to be that kind of a fight because [during] the buildup to the fight, he didn’t like me, I didn’t like him.”

One more matter for Sibson to pay mind to was the grisly cut above his swollen left eye which was sliced open by three consecutive Hagler jabs early in the fifth which compelled him to fight with renewed urgency and an obvious sense of desperation. A furious exchange in the closing moments of the round culminated with Sibson landing a left hook after the bell. A perturbed Hagler lifted his right glove threateningly while boring through Sibson with a menacing scowl. Sibson made an earnest attempt to quell the situation by repeatedly patting Marvin on the cheek although, given the heightened level of aggression with which Hagler responded in the sixth and ultimately final round, the apologetic gesture didn’t seem to have the impact Tony had hoped for.