BOXING was in Henry Dean’s blood from an early age.

He followed a successful career as a boxer by becoming one of the county’s best coaches.

Our interest in his life in the boxing ring was sparked by Christine Horwood-Middleton’s memories of her brother Douglas Horwood’s years in boxing (Memory Lane, May 9).

She revealed how, after Douglas’s introduction to the sport, their father, Chris, became a judge and referee – and the whole family became hooked.

One of the pictures Mrs Horwood-Middleton sent in showed her father standing in the corner of the ring while a boxer named Dean received a trophy.

Readers wrote in to identify the boxer as Henry Dean.

His career began in 1949 when, as an 11-year-old pupil at SS Philip and James School in North Oxford, he arrived at the Oxford YMCA gymnasium in Walton Street and presented himself to boxing coach Alf Gallie.

He showed immediate promise, winning a Berks, Bucks and Oxon schoolboy title the following year.

At 16, he gained his first national title when he became the National Association of Boys’ Clubs lightweight champion.

He won three welterweight titles while on National Service with the RAF and, as a result, was chosen to box for the RAF eight times.

Success continued and Henry was chosen for the England team on four occasions, against Wales, the United States and twice against Nigeria.

His best year was probably 1962, when he won the North-West London welterweight title, the London championship at the Royal Albert Hall and reached the final of the ABA championship.

In his heyday, he trained seven days a week and regularly sparred with Oxford’s former British Empire featherweight champion, Percy Lewis.

Henry retired from boxing in 1962 and after a two-year break, took a coaching course and became coach to Morris Motors’ Boxing Club at Cowley.

He later worked as trainer to Abingdon Boxing Club and from 1988 to 2003, took charge of the Oxford University Boxing Club, inspiring one of their most successful periods in the sport.

He coached the Dark Blues to a record 13 consecutive victories over Cambridge.