Judo champ Elvis Gordon loses brave fight with cancer

Black Country heavyweight judo legend Elvis Gordon has died at the age of 52 following a brave battle against cancer, it was announced today.

The 11-times British champion was one of the region's best known and most respected sports stars.

Weighing in at 23 stone, he also struck gold in the European Championships and Commonwealth Games, silver in the World Championships and competed in the Los Angeles, Seoul and Barcelona Olympics Games before retiring in 1992.

The father of five, who worked as a caretaker at Moseley Park School in Bilston, went on to pick up a silver medal at the British Masters Championships in 2009.

He was taken ill with pancreatic cancer late last year and died yesterday morning at New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton with family and friends by his bed.