THE BELL for the final round is about to ring for the Richard Dunn sports centre.

The eye-catching structure – once seen as a futuristic vision of what sports centres would become – is due to be demolished next year.

Luckily, the sports facilities have not been lost – but the famous Richard Dunn name has.

For anyone under 40 who is unfamiliar with Richard Dunn, 40 years ago he was Bradford’s best known sportsman.

Plans for sports centre demolition to be submitted soon

A heavyweight boxer, he held the British, Commonwealth and European titles at a time when the sport was packed with great fighters.

His greatest claim to fame came in 1976 when he faced Muhammad Ali for the world heavyweight title in Munich, Germany.

Even though the Yorkshire man was put on the canvas five times before he was eventually stopped in the fifth, Dunn’s courage shone brightly. Afterwards, Ali said he was one of the hardest punchers he had faced - high-praise from the champ who had faced the fearsome George Foreman just seven months earlier.

That’s why Bradford’s sports centre was named in honour of the city’s famous son. Unfortunately, the name will soon be lost.

The new sports centre is named after Odsal Sedbergh rugby club. That’s fair enough because it does occupy some of the club’s land, but it seems a shame that a way couldn’t be found for the Richard Dunn name to live on as well.

It’s not too late. Perhaps the swimming pool or the gym could be named after him?

And wouldn’t it be great to ask the man himself back to Bradford to open the new facilities?