The World Champion with a South Roscommon mother

This is an excerpt from a piece in the Westmeath Independent in July 1960

Paul Pender, of Boston, USA., the 30-year-old middleweight champion of the world, paid what he described as a "sneak" visit to Athlone, on Monday, to see his mother's birthplace, and meet his relations.

He was on his way to London to see the Terry Downes and Phil Edwards fight and in all probability will be meeting the winner. Paul, the former fireman, who ousted Sugar Ray Robinson to win the title, is the eldest of the two sons of former Miss Ann Lyster, of Grange, Curraghboy, on the Roscommon side of Athlone. She emigrated to America about 40 years ago. His father is an American of Irish descent.

Although his mother has been home since her marriage it was the boxing champion's first visit to Ireland and he was much impressed by everything he saw.

The relatives he met here were his uncle, Mr Bernard Lyster, Grange, Curraghboy; Mrs. Matthew Lyster, of Hatfield, England, and Mr and Mrs John Macklin, Knockcroghery, Co. Roscommon.

Following his brief visit they saw him off at Dublin Airport for London.

NOTE:

In 2003 Paul Pender died at the age of 72.

He suffered from Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), a disease caused by repetitive trauma to the head.

His brain has been used for research at Boston University and his life story was the subject of a movie, Unforgotten, The Paul Pender Story, which was later released as The Brain of a Boxer and is available on streaming platforms including Amazon Prime.