The funeral service for the country's first world title boxer Claude Noel will take place Saturday at 4 pm at the Chapel of Allen's Funeral Home in Arima. He will then be cremated soon after.
Noel, 74, died on May 21 at the Mt Hope Hospital after a long battle with diabetes. The funeral service is expected to bring out the entire boxing fraternity, some of whom boxed with him during his formative years at the Boys Industrial Home in Diego Martin.
His close friends Michael Paul, a former national undisputed champion in the light heavyweight division will be there, along with Michael Drayton, another former champion, and Ralph Peterkin, all of whom also boxed with him at the Woodbrook Boxing Gym.
President of the T&T Boxing Association, Cecil Forde, who manages amateur boxing in T&T is also expected to be present, as well as Barry Ishmael, the president of the T&T Boxing Board of Control, and his members.
Noel's name became a household one in 1981 when he defeated Mexican Rodolfo Gonzales for the WBA title in Atlantic City, New Jersey on points. He won the fight 145-140, 145-141, 144-141.
Due to his triumph, the government named the highway in his native Tobago after him.
His first defence of the title was on December 5, 1981, against USA challenger and late replacement, Arturo Frias. The American dominated the fight, which took place in Las Vegas, Nevada, before knocking Noel out in the eighth round.
