Belfast boxer Ray Close dies aged 57

Belfast boxer and former European super-middleweight champion Ray Close has died at the age of 57.

Close, who turned professional in 1988, won the Irish super-middleweight title in late 1989, a belt he retained over the subsequent years.

In March 1993, he stopped Vincenzo Nardiello in a bout in Lombardy to claim the EBU European super-middle title.

He is best remembered for his two titanic world title bouts with Chris Eubank in 1993 and 1994.

His first bout with Eubank in Glasgow in May 1993 was scored a draw by the judges.

The rematch in Belfast 12 months later went in Eubank's favour on a narrow split decision.

The pair were due to meet for a third time in 1995 but the fight was abandoned after Close had his boxing licence revoked by the British Boxing Board of Control following the results of a brain scan.

Eubank subsequently fought Dubliner Steve Collins in Millstreet in Cork instead, losing his title in a famous contest.

Close retained a boxing licence from the Illinois State Boxing Commission, where he fought journeyman fighters, winning all five of his bouts in 1996 and 1997 before retiring from the sport.

In his last few years, Close was a resident of the Phoenix Clinic nursing home in Newtownards.