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Former world champion boxer sues Observer

Terry Marsh, the former light-welterweight world champion boxer, is seeking £100,000 libel damages from The Observer over an article published in the May edition of Observer Sport Monthly.

Marsh’s post-ring career has been littered with controversy, including a 10-month spell in a remand prison when charged with the attempted murder of his former manager, Frank Warren, in 1989.

Marsh was acquitted at trial, but the consequences have continued to cause difficulties, including a libel case brought against him by Warren in 1992.

Marsh, a former Royal Marine and firefighter, has filed court documents claiming that Observer Sport Monthly‘s Last Man Standing feature this year, written by Andrew Anthony, distorted the outcome of the libel case, in which the court found in his favour. An amended version of the article was still available on the OSM website this morning.

Marsh claims the reporting undermined his personal and professional reputation and caused him distress and embarrassment.

“We do not believe this to be the case and we have made an application for a judge to decide on the meaning of the article. We are currently waiting for a date for the hearing,” a Guardian News Media spokesman said.


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