Kyogle heavyweight, Athol McQueen, who represented Australia at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, and famously floored a then-unknown Joe Frazier, visited Byron Boxing at the end of May.
McQueen is one of the Northern Rivers’ most significant sporting figures. A dairy farmer by trade, he won four Australian amateur boxing titles before representing his country at the 1964 Tokyo Games at just 23 years of age.
At those Games, McQueen first defeated Japan’s home-crowd favourite Tadayuki Maruyama, then stepped into the ring against a relatively unknown American reserve named Joe Frazier – a late inclusion in the US team after the original selection was injured. McQueen knocked Frazier to the canvas in the first round, becoming the first boxer ever to do so. Frazier recovered, won the bout, and went on to take Olympic gold before becoming undisputed world heavyweight champion and one of the greatest fighters of all time.
Frazier later cited McQueen as the hardest he had ever been hit. McQueen has always taken that with his characteristic good humour.
During his visit McQueen watched sparring, spoke with members, and offered advice on what he’d observed.
‘To have someone of Athol’s history turn up, sit ringside, and be that generous with his knowledge – that’s exactly the spirit we’re trying to build here,’ said Sam Jackson, Head Coach and co-owner of Byron Boxing.
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
