His son Jim could not have put it better when he said ‘My dad led a wonderful life. Sadly, many of the great people from that generation are gone. This is the end of an era.’

His passing marks another hugely important and historical boxing name to leave us. Born Angelo Mirena in Philadelphia in 1921 he served in the Second World War and eventually helped his brother Chris with some prospects during the golden era of boxing in the 1950s.

His first notable success was with Carmen Basilio who went on to become world welterweight and middleweight champion, including a notable and highly impressive victory over none other than Sugar Ray Robinson.

But it was with a certain youngster from Louisville, Kentucky that Dundee really made his name and became celebrated worldwide: Muhammad Ali. An unlikely pairing at first glance yet the two made it work as Dundee kept everything businesslike and professional taking care of the boxing and not interfering with his precocious charge’s religious or political beliefs which stirred up everyone else at the time.

Dundee was the consummate professional over the next fifty years or so and worked with many world champions including Carmen Basilio, Willie Pastrano, Ralph Dupas, Luis Rodriguez, Sugar Ramos, Muhammad Ali, Jimmy Ellis, Jose Napoles, Sugar Ray Leonard, Wilfredo Gomez, Pinklon Thomas, Trevor Berbick, Michael Nunn and George Foreman.

It is strange that sometimes a reputation for a whole lifetime can be made in just a matter of seconds or minutes, but Dundee has three such occasions that illustrate why he was so respected in boxing.

In the first Cooper versus Clay (Ali) fight Clay was floored heavily towards the end of round four and was still badly dazed in the corner during the interval. The quick thinking Dundee worked frantically to revive his fighter and also drew attention to a split in his fighter’s glove.

Legend has it that this bought his boxer much needed recovery time when in reality the interval was only 65 seconds rather than the customary 60. Yet after Dundee’s efforts and remonstrations with the referee Clay/Ali came out for the fifth round fully revived and won the contest by a stoppage.

The second time when Dundee more than proved his worth was when Clay/Ali challenged the fearsome Sonny Liston for the world heavyweight title. At the end of the fourth round his fighter came back begging Dundee to cut his gloves off as a substance had been rubbed into his eyes which were burning so badly that he was blinded.

Again, the quick thinking actions of Dundee saved the day as he poured water into Clay/Ali’s eyes and convinced him to continue with the words ‘This is the big one daddy. Suck it up. This is where we separate the men from the boys!’ At the bell he slapped Clay/Ali’s posterior and bellowed ‘Get on your bike!’

His fighter obeyed, his eyesight improved and he saw out a horrendous fifth round where Liston did everything he could to knock him out before coming out and hammering Liston into submission at the end of the sixth.

These two incidents show that without a wise cool head like Dundee in Ali’s corner he may never have become the legendary figure he was. Both of these contests were there to lose, yet thanks to Dundee he turned potential disaster into victory.

The third and final example of his greatness as a chief second was in the Sugar Ray Leonard versus Thomas Hearns world welterweight unification contest. This fight was simply huge and the richest of all time up until that point in 1981.

Imagine if Floyd Mayweather Jr and Manny Pacquiao had actually got it on two years ago (when both were still in their primes) and that should give you an idea of how big Leonard v Hearns was.

Late in the fight with Leonard’s eye swelling nearly shut, behind on all scorecards and looking despondent Dundee bellowed to his man ‘You’re blowin’ it son! You’re blowin it!’

Cue a rejuvenated fired up Leonard coming off the stool for the next round brimming with self belief. Leonard went on to stop a flagging Hearns in the fourteenth round of a dramatic edge of your seat fight that was watched by millions. It was no fluke that Dundee was at the centre of yet another historical moment in the sport.

Boxing can be very lonely but with someone like Angelo Dundee in your corner you had someone who looked after your best interests, someone who could motivate you and bring out the best in you. It is little wonder he had so much success and was so revered by everyone.

He was softly spoken and a master of psychology and knew what made all of his fighters tick and what he had to do to help them win. He was also a family man with many friends.

As a fan the enduring image I will have of him is of the slightly built, genial and impish man who was behind the success of so many of my favourite boxers. He will be hugely missed.

RIP Angelo Dundee.