'She went the full 15 rounds'.Byline: By Lisa Jones South Wales Echo The South Wales Echo is a daily newspaper distributed in south Wales. It was founded in 1884 and is based in Thomson House, Cardiff city centre. It is published daily, in a tabloid form, by Media Wales Ltd (formerly Western Mail & Echo Ltd), part of the Trinity Mirror group. The matriarch of a celebrated South Wales South Wales south n → sud m du Pays de Galles boxing family has died. Josie Avoth, mother of three fighters and wife of boxing manager Jack, died at the University Hospital of Wales University Hospital of Wales (referred to locally as "the Heath" or UHW), opened in 1971, is situated on the outskirts of central Cardiff, Wales. It is also the third largest University Hospital in the United Kingdom providing 24 hour Accident & Emergency and various surrounded by her family. The mother of five, aged 83, had suffered a heart attack. Mrs Avoth had been living at the Regency Court Care Home, Mill Road, Ely, Cardiff, for the past four years. She was mother to Bob, 61, Eddie, 60, Dennis, 58, Leslie, 55, and Yvonne, 52. Eddie was British and Commonwealth light heavyweight boxing champion, and was managed by Eddie Thomas, who was responsible for producing fighters such as Howard Winstone. Dennis was the undefeated Welsh heavyweight champion and Leslie was a promising middleweight. Both were managed by their father. Both Eddie and Dennis agreed that Mrs Avoth, born Jospehine Yolanda Conti Conti (kôNtē`), cadet branch of the French royal house of Bourbon. Although the title of prince of Conti was created in the 16th cent. , from French Maltese stock, and formerly a cook at Howell's School, Llandaff, was a strong woman with an indomitable in·dom·i·ta·ble adj. Incapable of being overcome, subdued, or vanquished; unconquerable. [Late Latin indomit spirit. Eddie, who was at his mother's bedside when she died on Thursday, said: 'She was a great lady. She gave us all the encouragement that we needed for boxing. 'She loved the sport herself. She came along to my first fight when I was about seven and was in the back shouting 'kill him'. She was never asked to come again.' He added: 'She was very proud of us. She had 15 major operations in her life. She went the full 15 rounds.' Mrs Avoth had suffered from a number of health problems, including a broken hip five years ago and a stroke a year ago from which she had bounced back. Daughter-in-law Sue said: 'She just kept coming out fighting.' But she never overcame the death of her husband of more than 50 years, Jack, who died in 1994, aged 76. Jack, who boxed while in the Royal Engineers, was a steelworker and a leading light in the boxing community both in Ely and South Wales. Dennis Avoth said: 'She was a very good cook and a strong lady; always full of fun. 'She could read and write in five languages. Everybody loved her. 'We had a wonderful upbringing. There wasn't much we wanted for.' |
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