MOVING tributes were paid to Newport boxing legend Colin Waters at his funeral at St Mary's Church in the city today.

A packed congregation heard family friend Lyn Millinship say, "Colin transferred belief, respect and self-confidence to all, he guided his family and he treated all the same way.

"He was open, honest and sincere and he gave his love and respect to all, he will be greatly missed by everyone."

Colin, who was 74, was a top amateur boxer who won seven Welsh titles, four at the middleweight championships, and represented his country 22 times.

He succeeded his father Walt as Newport Sporting Club coach and also coached the Welsh team at the European Championships.

He trained eight Welsh champions, coached Newport SC for 41 years and put on many dinner shows, raising thousands for charity, spending almost 60 years in boxing.

He also worked for the South Wales Argus as a compositor for 38 years, then spent 11 years with British Rail before retiring.

Many of his former colleagues at the Argus were re-united at the funeral and many of the boxers he fought with and later guided to the top were also present, as well as civic leaders and Newport West MP Paul Flynn.

"Colin represented his school, town, battalion and country and he also loved baseball, football and rugby, but many people didn't realise that cricket was his great sporting love.

"He played well into his 50s with the South Wales Argus as a solid left hand batsman and demon right hand spin bowler, as he always used to tell us," joked Mr Millinship, drawing wry smiles from everyone who knew him.

"But he discounted 40 years of modern sport, there was no better rugby player than David Watkins and no better boxer than Sugar Ray Robinson, for Colin loved an argument!

"He loved sport, but he was a family man who was married at St Mary's and had four children, a devoted husband and a hands-on father figure with 12 grandchildren who were his pride and joy."