Colin Pitters - proud fighter, proud father

Colin Pitters proudly clutches the Lonsdale Belt won by Shakan

BIRMINGHAM’S boxing fraternity will be out in force tomorrow (Friday) for the funeral of Colin Pitters – a proud man, proud fighter and proud father.

They will gather at Cannon St Baptist Church, Handsworth, to pay tribute to a tough former pro middleweight and long-time trainer with Small Heath amateur club.

Colin, who died in January aged 68 following a battle with lung disease, became the first man to take future world champ Richie Woodhall the distance.

His four sons continued the proud ring legacy. Shakan became British light-heavyweight champ and will soon fight for the European title. Anwar was a fine army amateur who represented his country.

Shakan said: “My dad was a great leader, a strong, family orientated man. He loved his kids and he especially loved his girl kids.

“He was a man of great leadership, very confident. I got my strength and confidence from him. He was a very proud man.

“When he took me to school he would charm the teachers. If I got in a fight at school, he wouldn’t be mad at me, he’d just say, ‘did you win?’”

Shakan sports the leopard skin print on his ring attire that was his father’s trademark.

Colin’s 19 fight record, compiled over a six year period from 1989, does not do justice to a rugged warrior who hit with power. He was matched tough and held his own. As well as Woodhall, he faced British champ Neville Brown twice and Commonwealth champ Steve Foster.

Colin took IBO world super-middleweight champ Adrian Dodson the full distance. Dodson beat Lloyd Honeyghan in his very next fight.

He faced top-notch men away from home, often at short notice.

“He was proud of his pro career,” Shakan said. “When he had the proper training camp, he really showed up for a fight.”

Away from the ring, he studied at Birmingham University and gained a Masters degree in physics.

At Small Heath ABC, he was an old school trainer, following fighters on his bicycle as they did roadwork to ensure corners were not cut.

Shakan said: “Because of his health, he wasn’t strong enough to hold the pads for me and that hurts me a bit. He was a great influence on the careers of Frankie Gavin and Matt Macklin. Richie Woodhall speaks very highly of him. He was that trainer on a bike making sure you were running.

Father to five surviving children – daughter Naomi passed away at a tragically young age, Colin had grandchildren both here and in America. He was divorced, but retained a close relationship with his ex-wife.

Tomorrow, former fighters will remember a man who tested the best. Colin’s funeral takes place at 11am.