Reg Gutteridge

Reg Gutteridge, OBE (born 29 March 1924 in Islington, London) is a retired boxing journalist and television commentator.

Biography

Gutteridge was born into a renowned boxing family. His grandfather (Arthur) was the first professional boxer to appear at the original National Sporting Club, and his father and uncle (Dick and Jack) were the famous Gutteridge Twins who were recognized as the premier cornermen and trainers in the British fight game throughout the 1920s and 1930s. Gutteridge was an exceptional amateur flyweight boxer when he was conscripted as a foot soldier with the King's Royal Rifle Corps in 1942. During the D-Day Campaign two years later, Gutteridge jumped from his tank and landed on a mine. It cost him his left leg and any dreams he had of becoming a boxing champion.

He switched to writing about his sport, and was an outstanding reporter with the London Evening News for more than thirty years. He became even better known as ITV's Voice of Boxing, a job he performed with style and authority for thirty years from 1962. His awards as a commentator included the Sam Taub Award for Excellence in Broadcast Journalism and Presenter of the Year. He covered six Olympiads and commentated on sports as diverse as greyhound racing and tug o' war while working on the popular Saturday show World of Sport.

Gutteridge formed a memorable commentating partnership with former world lightweight boxing champion Jim Watt. One of his most bizarre experiences was to be summoned by Muhammad Ali to interview him in the corner during a world title fight defence. Gutteridge and Ali became close friends, and when he was dangerously ill in a London hospital during the 1980s, he woke up to find Ali kneeling in prayer at his bedside. He has been married to childhood sweetheart Connie for nearly sixty years, and they have two grown daughters (Susan and Sally-Ann) and four grandsons.

Gutteridge, an amusing after-dinner speaker, was became an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1995. He is also an inductee of the International Boxing Hall of Fame and the World Boxing Hall of Fame. His autobiography "Uppercuts and Dazes" was published in 1998, and Muhammad Ali provided the foreword.

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