Dennis Andries was a British

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 professional boxer

Boxing

Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...

 in the light heavyweight

Light heavyweight

In boxing, the light heavyweight is a weight division above 168 pounds [12 Stone or 76.204 kilograms] and up to 175 pounds [12.5 stone or 79.38 kilograms]), falling between super middleweight and cruiserweight...

 (175 lb

Pound (mass)

The pound or pound-mass is a unit of mass used in the Imperial, United States customary and other systems of measurement...

) division.

Andries turned pro in 1978 and won the WBC Light Heavyweight Title in 1986 in a decision over American JB Williamson. He defended the title once against fellow Briton Tony Sibson

Tony Sibson

Tony Sibson is a former professional boxer.Tony Sibson was well known as Britain's best as he was Commonwealth and European champion and world title challenger...

 before losing the belt in 1987 to Thomas Hearns

Thomas Hearns

Thomas "Hitman" Hearns is a retired American boxer. Nicknamed the "Motor City Cobra" and more famously "The Hitman", Hearns became the first boxer in history to win world titles in four divisions. He would also become the first fighter in history to win five world titles in five different divisions...

. In 1989 he captured the Vacant WBC Light Heavyweight Title with a win over American Tony Willis, but lost the title in his first defense to Jeff Harding

Jeff Harding (boxer)

Jeff Harding was a world champion boxer from Australia, known as "Hit Man". Jeff lived in South Grafton N.S.W. Australia and was a student at South Grafton High School...

.