KENT'S former European boxing champion Ralph Charles is also a bit of a fighter when he has a golf club in his hands.

Charles, of Hawkshill Road, Walmer, won a charity tournament at Darenth Valley Golf Club, near Sevenoaks, involving around 100 former boxing champions, coaches and officials.

The event, organised by the Boxing Champions’ Golfing Society, was in aid of the hospice that cared for the late wife of former British heavyweight title challenger Billy Aird.

Charles, former landlord of the Rising Sun, in Kingsdown, near Deal, came first after scoring 37 Stableford points off his 19 handicap. He “It was a terrific day.

“There were lots of former British champions taking part like Alan Minter, Charlie Magri and Dave ‘Boy’ Green. Some £6,000 was raised for the hospice where Billy’s wife was cared for.”

Londoner Charles, 60, a member of Walmer & Kingsdown Golf Club, is a former British, Empire and Commonwealth welterweight boxing champion.

In 1972 he unsuccessfully challenged for the WBA world welterweight title, losing to Mexican Jose Napoles in the seventh round at Wembley.