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Knockout mural pays tribute to town's boxing legends

John Devine
BBC News, Cambridgeshire
Reporting fromChatteris
John Devine/BBC Graffiti art work inside a bus shelter shows three boxers from Chatteris, from left to right, Dave 'Boy' Green, Eric Boon and Jordan Gill. Two wooden benches are in front of the artwork which is done in black and white, with part of a Union flag in the middle.John Devine/BBC
Jordan Gill, who is depicted on the far right of the mural, says he feels honoured to be shown with two legends of the ring who inspired him

A small market town that has produced three renowned boxers has paid tribute to them with a new mural.

The bus shelter in Chatteris, Cambridgeshire, is now adorned with the images of Dave 'Boy' Green, Eric Boon and Jordan Gill, all champion fighters in their day.

The mural in East Park Street was commissioned by Chatteris Town Council and completed by Peterborough street artist Nathan Murdoch.

The council said it was "pleased to honour the town's three most famous boxers".

Getty Images Jordan Gill in a boxing ring after winning a bout. He has cropped black hair and a fine moustache with white trunks with 'The Thrill' embossed on the waist band.Getty Images
Gill says Boon and Green showed him that "working people could achieve greatness in sport"

Gill, 30, a former European and Commonwealth champion, said: "I feel really pleased to be in the company of such great boxers: Eric Boon, one of the best fighters in British boxing history, and Dave 'Boy' Green, who went to America to fight for the World Championship with Sugar Ray Leonard.

"And then there is little old me."

The boxer said he had lived in Chatteris for most of his life but had recently moved to nearby Wisbech, where he has opened a gym.

He said he had no firm plans to fight again as he was busy with his gym business.

Boon, who died in 1981, aged 61, was a British champion at lightweight who featured in the first televised boxing match.

After his retirement from the sport, he had a roles in a number of British films including Carry on Sergeant.

Green, now 71, had his last fight in 1981. He still lives in the town.

John Devine/BBC Graffiti art work inside a bus shelter shows three boxers from Chatteris, from left to right, Dave 'Boy' Green, Eric Boon and Jordan Gill. Two wooden benches are in front of the artwork which is done in black and white, with part of a Union flag in the middle.John Devine/BBC
Chatteris Town Council said the mural was completed on 6 May and cost just under £1,000, which it funded

The town council said one of its members, Sue Unwin, suggested the image of boxers would work well on the bus shelter, which has previously featured an image of The King in his Coronation year.

A spokesperson for the town council said permission for the work was given by Fenland District Council, which owns the bus shelter.

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