Former Aussie heavyweight boxing champion Colin Wilson has died at the age of 54.
His death was announced by Tasman Fighters director Matt Clark on social media on Tuesday.
Boxing champion Col Wilson has died. X
The news comes eight months after Wilson was rushed to hospital, where scans revealed a cancerous tumour on his brain.
He was with friends in Emerald, in central Queensland, when he began slurring his words and friends feared he was suffering a stroke.
“An absolute larrikin,” Clark wrote on X.
“Could often be seen polishing off a few schooners after the weigh in.”
Clark’s post attracted several tributes, with respected boxing journalist Grantlee Kieza saying, “very sad news, Col was a ripper bloke”.
Wilson was born in New Zealand but became an Aussie and flew the flag for boxing in this country.
He held the Australian heavyweight title three times and fought the likes of Joe Bugner, Lucas ‘Big Daddy’ Brown, and even polarising footy star John Hopoate.
Wilson was known as “Kid Coalminer” and fought an astonishing 89 times throughout his professional career, winning 35 fights and 21 by way of knockout.
His other nickname was “The Birdsville Butcher”, which was the moniker he fought under while touring with Fred Brophys Boxing Troupe.
He was also knocked out 19 times in his 33 losses inside the ring.
Wilson fought as recently as 2019, but lost the last eight fights of his career. His last win came over Hopoate in 2009 which netted him the Australian heavyweight title again.