A FORMER Royal Navy boxer and international security officer who grew up in Keighley has died at the age of 72.

Tony Oxley represented England at the Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh in 1970.

He later toured the US with an England team including top boxers John Conteh and Alan Minter and was selected as NATO Sportsman of the Year.

Mr Oxley was born in Bradford but moved to Steeton when he was about four years old, growing up in the village with sister Jean.

He lived in Steeton until he was 19, leaving school at 15 and working as a telegram boy in Keighley.

He joined the Royal Navy in 1961 and took up boxing during his first posting to the Far East, winning several local championships throughout the mid-1960s.

After returning to the UK he was based at Portsmouth, winning the Royal Navy and Combined Services championships, and in 1971 he won the ABA bantamweight title at Wembley.

Just four years after his Commonwealth Games involvement, Mr Oxley was appointed the Royal Navy coach in 1974 and an England coach the following year.

Between 1978 and 1982 his team won five back-to-back Combined Services championships, five ABA titles and numerous international vests.

His team became arguably the most feared boxing team in the UK with internationals in most weight divisions.

Tony led England teams in multi-nation tournaments in Finland and Greece, collecting a record-breaking 11 gold and two bronze medals.

After leaving the Royal Navy in 1983 after 22 years’ service, he joined HM Diplomatic Service as a security officer and served in 12 countries including Iraq and Kenya.

Mr Oxley lived first in Hampshire and more recently Maidstone, Kent. He is survived by his wife Wenda, son and daughter Sean and Lee, five grandchildren and one great grandchild.

Mr Oxley’s funeral will be tomorrow (May 1) in Maidstone.