Everyone at West Ham United has been deeply saddened to learn of the passing of former British and Commonwealth middleweight boxing champion Mark Kaylor at the age of 64.
An ardent Hammers supporter, Kaylor was born in Canning Town and brought up in Stanford-le-Hope in Essex before moving back to Canning Town as a teenager to enhance his boxing prospects.
Having joined West Ham Boxing Club, he claimed the revered ABA (England Boxing National Amateur Championships) trophy in 1980, and then competed at that year's Moscow Olympics, where he reached the quarter-finals.
Kaylor went on to forge a successful professional career, during which he sported Claret and Blue trunks in the ring and was duly backed by huge numbers of his fellow West Ham fans.
He beat Roy Gumbs within five rounds to claim the British and Commonwealth titles in September 1983, and enjoyed a feisty rivalry with Errol Christie which culminated in a knockout-victory over his fellow Brit in November 1985.
In 1991, Kaylor retired with a record of 40-7-1 (34 KOs), before moving to the USA and working as an aerobics instructor in California.
Everyone at West Ham United would like to express their sincere condolences to Mark’s family and friends at this sad time.