First Caribbean immigrant to win a British title Bunny Sterling died on Friday, November 16, after a long battle with dementia.
According to a UK Sun report, Sterling, who was the first Caribbean immigrant to claim a British title, after defeating Mark Rowe in British middleweight bout in 1970.
In 1976, Sterling claimed another milestone when he emerged European champion but on Friday, after a four-year battle with dementia (a conditions characterised by impairment of at least two brain functions, such as memory loss and judgement) passed on.
He was admitted on Thursday but he died at the medical facility on Friday. The cause of his death was not made public.
Speaking about the demise of his friend and former boxer Winston McKenzie said: "It had been a hard slog for him.
"He worked so hard and set an incredible example for young black fighters in this country. It is devastating to have lost him ."
He went further to share some boxing records Sterling achieved as an immigrant.
"All that Bunny put in and his creditable attitude to those around him, he did it all for boxing and being the first Caribbean immigrant to win a title.
"In those days, British black fighters couldn't fight for titles. It was really hard.
"Bunny would get the job done. He would have made today's middleweights look pedestrian," summed up the 62-year-old McKenzie.
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