Liz knocked out by her father's past
A Lancashire woman has uncovered some astonishing secrets about her late father.When champion boxer Fernando Tena Vildarraz met his wife Kath in a ballroom in the 1960s, he told her he was an Italian trapeze artist in a visiting circus.
His wife-to-be would later find out the truth about Fernando, who had just arrived from the Basque region of Spain to start a new life.
But over the four decades he lived in Preston, he told no-one just how much he achieved as an amateur boxer in his home country.
His only daughter Liz, of Allerton Road, Walton-le-Dale, knew of her dad's fighting past, but he always just told her "it was a long time ago".
It was only after Fernando's death at the age of 69 in October 2004 that Liz began researching her family history and uncovered a knockout secret.
Fernando, a 6ft-plus bear of a man but a 'gentle giant' to family and friends, was a boxer in the 1950s – an unbeaten amateur fighter who beat one of Spain's greatest pugilists.
After he died, Liz and her mother began clearing out his wardrobe and found piles of photos, cuttings and promotional posters for his fights.
Fernando's illustrious amateur career saw him fight across the five Basque regions of France and Spain and included a victory in 1955 over "unbeatable" Luis Folledo, who went on to hold the Spanish welterweight and middleweight belts for a decade.
Fernando also turned professional for one fight.
Liz said: "He was always a very shy, private man and he never bragged about anything.
"When I found out I was so proud of him. He was massive, but he was the most gentle man you would ever meet."
The discovery of her father's secret opened up a whole new chapter in Liz's life.
Fernando had married and had another family in Spain before coming to England and following his death, Liz's research led to the discovery she had two long-lost half-brothers.
More than a year after their father's death, the three had an emotional meeting in Barrow.
And just weeks ago, after months of exchanging letters and e-mails, she visited her father's family in Spain for the first time.
She said: "The last 18 months have just been amazing."28 September 2006
Correction to the last paragraph, she visited the Basque Country, I mean, after all the mentions to his Basque background it is just logical to leave that other country out of the picture.
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