PETER Jelley, one of the founding fathers of Bury Amateur Boxing Club, has died aged 91.

Jelley, who was a prodigious amateur boxer of almost 200 fights, was one of his dad Pop Jelley's first pupils when he set up the club in 1936.

From an early age he picked up the nickname Boy Peters, which he fought under and stuck throughout his life.

One of his biggest claims to fame came in July 1944, when Peter fought on the same bill as world heavyweight champion Joe Louis in Liverpool.

The open-air bout at the former Liverpool Stadium was arranged for Allied servicemen to boost morale following the Normandy landings.

While Louis fought a three-round exhibition against Sergeant George Nicholson, the remainder of the bill was taken from the region's best young fighters.

Jelley fought a decent amateur called Wally Thom, who would go on to become one of the country's most respected referees.

"I am too young to have seen Peter fighting in his heyday," said youngest brother Mick Jelley, aged 72, who has run Bury ABC since the 1960s.

"I am 19 years his junior and was actually born in 1944, the year he fought on the Joe Louis bill.

"But it was a story he loved to tell and was very proud of.

"His picture from that time still has pride of place on the club wall now.

"Peter was a very good amateur – the British schoolboy and junior champion – and went on to have an incredible number of fights.

"We don't know exactly how many, but we know it was well over 100 and just short of 200.

"He was one of the first boxers with Bury ABC and as the eldest of the Jelley clan he worked very closely with my dad in the early years of the club."

Peter, who lived at Whitburn Drive in Bury, died of pneumonia at Fairfield Hospital on April 29.

He is survived by wife Joyce and two children, Susan and Martin, as well as two grandchildren.

The funeral will be held at Radcliffe Crematorium on Thursday from 2.30pm.

Two of the four Jelley brothers remain, Mick and David, aged 82, who lives in Radcliffe.

Brian, who went on to become a professional and had the most successful boxing career, died two years ago, aged 82.