Keighley’s mayor was reunited with a star of the boxing world at a sportsman’s evening.

Councillor George Metcalf, himself a former professional boxer, met up with John Conteh at the Engineers’ Club, in Russell Street.

The club had invited Mr Conteh along with former heavyweight boxer John Celebanski and comedian Farrell Butler.

Coun Metcalf recalled how he had shared a bill with Mr Conteh at the Liverpool Stadium in 1981.

He said: “I was fighting in the chief supporting bout, while John was fighting James Dixon. He won in five rounds but that was the last fight of his career. He called it a day and never came back.

“He had ten glorious years – out of 38 contests he only lost four. He was a credit to the sport.”

Mr Conteh won a gold medal at the 1970 Commonwealth Games, and went on to win the WBC Light Heavyweight title in 1974, holding the title until 1977.

Like Mr Conteh, Coun Metcalf is originally from Liverpool, and was Army Combined Services boxing champion three times. He turned professional in 1978 and boxed for another four-and-a-half years before eye injuries forced him to retire. By then he was Lightweight Central Area Champion and rated fifth in Britain.

He said he had last seen Mr Conteh in 2010 when they both attended the funeral of boxer Alan Rudkin.

Earlier this year Mr Conteh texted Coun Metcalf to say he was coming to speak in Keighley on June 26.

Coun Metcalf said: “He got in touch to say that he was aware that I was now town mayor and that he was coming to Keighley in a month. He said it would be nice to renew old acquaintances.

“He was tireless on the night. He was very responsive and made sure people felt welcome and had a cracking night.

“We shook hands, enjoyed a bit of banter about his career and talked about old times. He signed my copy of the programme from the night we both boxed.”

The evening was organised by David Ingham and Robert Mitchell, and attended by more than 100 people.