Joe the 'grandad of boxing' - Maloney

Grimsby boxing promoter Joe Frater marked his 40th year in the town with a special fight night packed with household names - and was described as one of the sport's biggest characters.

Frank Maloney, top matchmaker and the former manager of Lennox Lewis, was at the Winter Gardens bash - and heaped praise on Frater. He said: "Boxing is full of characters and Joe is one of the best I have ever met. I have been in the sport for 25 years and Joe was one of the first people to help me when I started out. It is nice to pay back a favour to the grandad of boxing.

"The sport's promoters are dominated by white men, and Joe has done a lot for black people. He never moans. He just works and works.

"I have done big shows in London that haven't had the number of celebrities that have come to Cleethorpes.

"It is a mark of the high regard that boxing people hold for Joe."

The A-list line-up included Ernie Shavers, a heavyweight who fought Muhammad Ali and is widely regarded as being one of the hardest punchers in history.

Former world super-middleweight champion Richie Woodhall was there to lend his support, as was former European light-middleweight champion Herol 'Bomber' Graham.

Dave 'Boy' Green - the former British and European welterweight champ, who fought Sugar Ray Leonard for the WBC World title in 1980, also made an appearance.

Carl Thompson - who defeated Grimsby's Steve Lewsam in a British cruiserweight title fight back in 1992 - was another well-known face.

Meanwhile, Maloney revealed that he had brought a camera crew to the event which will be broadcast on the internet.