Terry Marsh (boxer)
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Terry Marsh (born 7 February 1958) is an English former
professional boxer Professional boxing, or prizefighting, is regulated, sanctioned boxing. Professional boxing bouts are fought for a purse that is divided between the boxers as determined by contract. Most professional fights are supervised by a regulatory auth ...
who was an undefeated world champion in the
light welterweight Light welterweight, also known as junior welterweight or super lightweight, is a weight class in combat sports. Boxing Professional boxing In professional boxing, light welterweight is contested between the lightweight and welterweight divisions, ...
division. Marsh was a three-time
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senior
amateur champion An amateur () is generally considered a person who pursues an avocation independent from their source of income. Amateurs and their pursuits are also described as popular, informal, self-taught, user-generated, DIY, and hobbyist. History His ...
who went on to become the
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,
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and IBF light welterweight world champion as a professional. He was the second European boxer to retire as an undefeated
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, after Jack McAuliffe, a feat later equalled by
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Michael Loewe Michael Arthur Nathan Loewe (2 November 1922 – 1 January 2025) was a British historian, Sinologist, and writer who authored dozens of books, articles, and other publications in the fields of Classical Chinese as well as the history of ancien ...
, Germany's Sven Ottke, Welshman
Joe Calzaghe Joseph William Calzaghe ( ; born 23 March 1972) is a Welsh former professional boxer who competed from 1993 to 2008. He held multiple world championships in two weight classes, including unified and lineal titles at super-middleweight, and ...
, and Russian
Dmitry Pirog Dmitry Yurievich Pirog (; born 27 June 1980) is a Russian politician and former professional boxer. In boxing he competed from 2005 to 2012, and held the World Boxing Organization (WBO) middleweight title from 2010 to 2012. Although his career w ...
. Marsh was charged with the
attempted murder Attempted murder is a crime of attempt in various jurisdictions. Canada Section 239 of the ''Criminal Code'' makes attempted murder punishable by a maximum of life imprisonment. If a gun is used, the minimum sentence is four, five or seve ...
of his former manager, the
boxing promoter A promoter works with event production and entertainment industries to promote their productions, including in music and sports. Promoters are individuals or organizations engaged in the business of marketing and promoting live, or pay-per-view ...
, Frank Warren following Warren's shooting in London in 1989. Marsh spent 10 months on
remand Remand may refer to: * Remand (court procedure), when an appellate court sends a case back to the trial court or lower appellate court * Pre-trial detention, detention of a suspect prior to a trial, conviction, or sentencing See also

*''Reman ...
before he was released after being acquitted at trial. Marsh changed his name by
deed poll A deed poll (plural: deeds poll) is a legal document binding on a single person or several persons acting jointly to express an intention or create an obligation. It is a deed, and not a contract, because it binds only one party. Etymology Th ...
to "None Of The Above X" and stood in the
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and
2015 2015 was designated by the United Nations as: * International Year of Light * International Year of Soil __TOC__ Events January * January 1 – Lithuania officially adopts the euro as its currency, replacing the litas, and becomes ...
UK general elections as an
independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in Pennsylvania, United States * Independentes (English: Independents), a Portuguese artist ...
candidate in protest against there being no option to vote for "
none of the above "None of the above" (NOTA), or none for short, also known as "against all" or a "scratch" vote, is a ballot option in some jurisdictions or organizations, designed to allow the voter to indicate disapproval of the candidates in a voting system ...
".


Early life

Marsh was born in Stepney, East London, where he grew up in a small terraced house with his parents and three brothers. Marsh, who was a junior
chess Chess is a board game for two players. It is an abstract strategy game that involves Perfect information, no hidden information and no elements of game of chance, chance. It is played on a square chessboard, board consisting of 64 squares arran ...
champion, began boxing as a youth at the St George's Club in Stepney before the family moved to
Basildon Basildon ( ) is a town in Borough of Basildon, the borough of the same name, in the county of Essex, England. It had a recorded population of 115,955 at the 2021 United Kingdom census, 2021 census. In 1931, the town had a population of 1,159. ...
in
Essex Essex ( ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the East of England, and one of the home counties. It is bordered by Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, the North Sea to the east, Kent across the Thames Estuary to the ...
. Marsh attended
Westminster City School Westminster City School is a state-funded secondary Academy (English school), academy for boys, with a mixed sixth form, in City of Westminster, Westminster, London. The school educates over 800 students, with links to more than 100 different c ...
between 1969 and 1971. Before he became a professional boxer, Marsh was a
Royal Marine The Royal Marines provide the United Kingdom's amphibious warfare, amphibious special operations capable commando force, one of the :Fighting Arms of the Royal Navy, five fighting arms of the Royal Navy, a Company (military unit), company str ...
who served in Cyprus and in
Crossmaglen Crossmaglen (, ) is a village and townland in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. It had a population of 1,610 in the 2011 Census and is the largest village in South Armagh. The village centre is the site of a large Police Service of Northern Ir ...
in
Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ; ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, part of the United Kingdom in the north-east of the island of Ireland. It has been #Descriptions, variously described as a country, province or region. Northern Ireland shares Repub ...
during
the Troubles The Troubles () were an ethno-nationalist conflict in Northern Ireland that lasted for about 30 years from the late 1960s to 1998. Also known internationally as the Northern Ireland conflict, it began in the late 1960s and is usually deemed t ...
. He later became a firefighter with the Essex County Fire and Rescue Service, serving on White Watch, Tilbury.


Amateur career

As an amateur Marsh was a National schoolboy champion, NABC champion and twice junior ABA champion before going on to win three senior national titles whilst representing the Royal Navy boxing team. Marsh's first title came in 1978 in the
lightweight Lightweight is a weight class in combat sports and rowing (sport), rowing. Boxing Professional boxing The lightweight division is over 130 pounds (59 kilograms) and up to 135 pounds (61.2 kilograms) boxing weight classes, weight class in the spor ...
division beating Edmund Gajny in the final. The following year Marsh moved up to the light welterweight division and again reached the final but was this time defeated by Eddie Copeland. In 1980, Marsh again moved up a weight, to welterweight, and again reached the final, defeating Edward Byrne. 1981 saw Marsh's final year as an amateur: this year he remained at welterweight and again reached the final, his fourth in a row. In the 67 kg final, he defeated the future British, Commonwealth and WBO champion Chris Pyatt to win his third senior title. He also won a multi-nations gold medal representing England in the Philippines in 1981 capping an unbeaten international amateur record.


Professional career

He had his first professional fight in October 1981, defeating Andrew DaCosta on points over six rounds, in
Bloomsbury Bloomsbury is a district in the West End of London, part of the London Borough of Camden in England. It is considered a fashionable residential area, and is the location of numerous cultural institution, cultural, intellectual, and educational ...
, London. In his thirteenth fight he won the vacant Southern Area Light-Welterweight Title, defeating Vernon Vanriel on points over ten rounds, at
York Hall The York Hall, officially known as York Hall Leisure Centre, is a multi-purpose indoor arena and leisure centre in Bethnal Green, London. The building opened in 1929 and it is most famous as an international boxing venue with the first nights o ...
in
Bethnal Green Bethnal Green is an area in London, England, and is located in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It is in east London and part of the East End of London, East End. The area emerged from the small settlement which developed around the common la ...
. In September 1984, he defeated
Clinton McKenzie Clinton McKenzie (born 15 September 1955) is a former British professional boxer. He fought in the light welterweight division and became the British light welterweight title holder and briefly held the European title. Background McKenzie was ...
to take the British Light-Welterweight Title. The fight was at the Britannia Leisure Centre,
Shoreditch Shoreditch is an area in London, England and is located in the London Borough of Hackney alongside neighbouring parts of Tower Hamlets, which are also perceived as part of the area due to historic ecclesiastical links. Shoreditch lies just north ...
, and Marsh won on points over twelve rounds. In October 1985, he fought the Italian, Alessandro Scapecchi for the vacant European Light-Welterweight Title. The bout was held in
Monte Carlo Monte Carlo ( ; ; or colloquially ; , ; ) is an official administrative area of Monaco, specifically the Ward (country subdivision), ward of Monte Carlo/Spélugues, where the Monte Carlo Casino is located. Informally, the name also refers to ...
and Marsh won by a knock out in the seventh round. He successfully defended his European title against the Frenchman Tusikoleta Nkalankete in January 1986, with a further successful defence on April 12, 1986, when Marsh faced Italian Francesco Prezioso at the Palace Lido,
Douglas, Isle of Man Douglas (, ) is the Capital (political), capital city and largest settlement of the Isle of Man, with a population of 26,677 (2021) and an area of . It is located at the mouth of the River Douglas, Isle of Man, River Douglas, and on a sweepi ...
, securing a win on points after 12 rounds. On 4 March 1987, he fought the American,
Joe Manley Joe Louis Manley Jr. (born June 11, 1959 - May 2, 2023) was an American former boxer who fought at light welterweight. Amateur career Manley qualified as a lightweight for the 1980 United States Olympic team, defeating Frankie Randall on his w ...
for the
International Boxing Federation The International Boxing Federation (IBF) is one of four major organizations recognized by the International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF) which sanctions professional boxing bouts. The others are the World Boxing Association (WBA), World Boxing C ...
(IBF) World Light-Welterweight title. The fight was at his home town of Basildon, and Marsh won on a technical knockout in the tenth round. On 1 July 1987, he defended his IBF title against Japanese fighter, Akio Kameda at the
Royal Albert Hall The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall on the northern edge of South Kensington, London, England. It has a seating capacity of 5,272. Since the hall's opening by Queen Victoria in 1871, the world's leading artists from many performance genres ...
,
Kensington Kensington is an area of London in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, around west of Central London. The district's commercial heart is Kensington High Street, running on an east–west axis. The north-east is taken up by Kensingt ...
. Insisting it would be his last fight Marsh won, by a technical knockout in the seventh round. He then retired as undefeated IBF world champion. In September 1987 he announced that he had
epilepsy Epilepsy is a group of Non-communicable disease, non-communicable Neurological disorder, neurological disorders characterized by a tendency for recurrent, unprovoked Seizure, seizures. A seizure is a sudden burst of abnormal electrical activit ...
. He took up chessboxing at the age 56 winning the World Chessboxing Association welterweight title against Dymer Agasaryan from Armenia.


Shooting of Frank Warren

On 30 November 1989, Warren was to attend one of his
boxing promotion A promoter works with event production and Entertainment industry, entertainment industries to promote their productions, including in music and Sport, sports. Promoters are individuals or organizations engaged in the business of Promotion (marke ...
s at
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theatre in
Barking Barking may refer to: Places * Barking, London, a town in East London, England ** London Borough of Barking, 1965–1980 ** Municipal Borough of Barking, 1931–1965 ** Barking (UK Parliament constituency) ** Barking (electoral division), Greater ...
which featured
Colin McMillan Colin McMillan (born 12 February 1966) is an English former professional boxer who competed from 1988 to 1997. He fought his way to the British featherweight title in 1991. After successfully defending his British title, he added the Commonwea ...
. As he arrived at the venue he was approached by a masked gunman who appeared from the crowd and shot him twice in the chest with .22 bullets from a
Luger pistol The Pistole Parabellum or Parabellum-Pistole (Pistol Parabellum), commonly known as just the Luger or Luger P08, is a toggle-locked recoil-operated semi-automatic pistol. The Luger was produced in several models and by several nations from 1 ...
at close range. The gunman fled and Warren was taken to hospital. Warren lost half a lung and was in great pain after the shooting. The business style of Warren had made him enemies, and following his shooting there were a number of suspects. The ongoing
libel Defamation is a communication that injures a third party's reputation and causes a legally redressable injury. The precise legal definition of defamation varies from country to country. It is not necessarily restricted to making assertions ...
case between Marsh and Warren led police to believe Marsh had a strong personal motive to undertake the attack due to the bad blood between the pair. During a search of Marsh's home police found ammunition in his possession, but this was explained by Marsh's previous career as a Marine and it did not match the bullets used in the attack. Two months after the shooting and despite the lack of forensic evidence, any confession or identification Marsh was charged with the attempted murder of Frank Warren and was remanded in custody. During the trial a prison confession was used against Marsh. Marsh did not appear in the witness box to give evidence. He was subsequently
acquitted In common law jurisdictions, an acquittal means that the criminal prosecution has failed to prove that the accused is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt of the charge presented. It certifies that the accused is free from the charge of an o ...
. The outstanding libel case was subsequently contested by the two protagonists and the jury found in favour of Marsh.


Personal life

Marsh retired in December 1987 after he was diagnosed as having
epilepsy Epilepsy is a group of Non-communicable disease, non-communicable Neurological disorder, neurological disorders characterized by a tendency for recurrent, unprovoked Seizure, seizures. A seizure is a sudden burst of abnormal electrical activit ...
. In the late 1980s, the Terry Marsh Leisure Centre in
Pitsea Pitsea is a town and former civil parish in the Borough of Basildon in south Essex, England. It comprises five sub-districts: Eversley, Northlands Park Neighbourhood (previously known as Felmores), Chalvedon, Pitsea Mount and Burnt Mills. It is ...
,
Essex Essex ( ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the East of England, and one of the home counties. It is bordered by Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, the North Sea to the east, Kent across the Thames Estuary to the ...
was named in his honour. However, subsequent squabbles between local councillors have seen this renamed the Eversley Leisure Centre, although the plaque bearing his image remains. Since then, Marsh has attempted to enter politics, first for the Labour Party. However, when Labour announced they would have a female-only short-list for Basildon, he stood for the Liberal Democrats at the 1997 General Election, but was forced to withdraw from the contest, as he was charged with fraud and deception for allegedly having fraudulently claimed two student grants after going back to the then London Guildhall University at the end of his boxing career. He was later cleared of the offence. In 2009, he set up a new political party, NOTA, which stands for "None of the Above". He had an acting role in the 1989 film ''
Tank Malling ''Tank Malling'' (re-released as ''Beyond Soho'' in the UK and ''Crossfire'' in America) is a 1989 British thriller film directed by James Marcus and starring Ray Winstone. The film was written by James Marcus and Mick Southworth. Graham Thomas ...
'', and has since written and published his autobiography, ''Undefeated''. Following his retirement from boxing Marsh became a
stockbroker A stockbroker is an individual or company that buys and sells stocks and other investments for a financial market participant in return for a commission, markup, or fee. In most countries they are regulated as a broker or broker-dealer and ...
.


Political campaigning

Marsh stood in the 2010 general election in the seat of
South Basildon and East Thurrock South Basildon and East Thurrock is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by James McMurdock of Reform UK. Constituency profile The seat had a very similar proportion (4.0%) of jobseekers to the n ...
as an
independent candidate An independent politician or non-affiliated politician is a politician not affiliated with any political party or bureaucratic association. There are numerous reasons why someone may stand for office as an independent. Some politicians have polit ...
. He changed his name by deed poll to "None Of The Above X" as a protest against there being no facility to select "
none of the above "None of the above" (NOTA), or none for short, also known as "against all" or a "scratch" vote, is a ballot option in some jurisdictions or organizations, designed to allow the voter to indicate disapproval of the candidates in a voting system ...
" as an option on the
ballot paper A ballot is a device used to cast votes in an election and may be found as a piece of paper or a small ball used in voting. It was originally a small ball (see blackballing) used to record decisions made by voters in Italy around the 16th centu ...
. Under UK law, a political party cannot call itself "None of the Above", but this restriction does not apply to candidate names. His chosen surname of "X" meant that he was likely to be the last entry on the ballot paper. He said that if he won he would not take his seat. He received 125 votes, placing last out of six candidates. In the same election a candidate who changed his name to "None of the Above Zero" stood in
Filton and Bradley Stoke Filton and Bradley Stoke is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by Claire Hazelgrove from the Labour Party. History The seat was created by the Boundary Commission for the 2010 general electio ...
. Marsh stood again as "None Of The Above X" in
2015 2015 was designated by the United Nations as: * International Year of Light * International Year of Soil __TOC__ Events January * January 1 – Lithuania officially adopts the euro as its currency, replacing the litas, and becomes ...
, this time receiving 253 votes and placing sixth of seven candidates. In other
UK elections There are five types of elections in the United Kingdom: elections to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom (commonly called 'general elections' when all seats are contested), elections to devolved parliaments and assemblies, local electio ...
Marsh has symbolically voted for none of the above by leaving the
polling station A polling place is where voters cast their ballots in elections. The phrase polling station is also used in American English, British English and Canadian English although a polling place is the building and polling station is the specific ...
carrying his uncast ballot paper.


Amateur achievements

*1973 Junior ABA champion *1974 Junior ABA champion *1974 National schoolboy champion *1976 NABC champion *1978 ABA Lightweight champion *1980 ABA Welterweight champion *1981 ABA Welterweight champion *1981 Multi-Nations Gold Medalist - Manila


Professional boxing record


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Marsh, Terry Living people 1958 births English male boxers People with epilepsy Sportspeople from Basildon People from Stepney Boxers from the London Borough of Tower Hamlets Royal Marines ranks International Boxing Federation champions Independent politicians in England England Boxing champions Undefeated world boxing champions Light-welterweight boxers British military personnel of The Troubles (Northern Ireland) British politicians with disabilities Novelty candidates