To Herbert Minn the idea that a boxer could be both cerebral and a champion was not incongruous.

In fact, two of his most accomplished pupils went on to become a pediatrician and internationally recognized economist, and his most celebrated successes were at the University of Hawaii, when the school had a national-caliber boxing team.

Minn, who spent more than 80 of his 95 years in and around boxing preaching a reasoned style, died Jan. 16.

He was an insurance agent by vocation, but Minn’s passion was boxing, a sport he took up as a young amateur fighter, branching out to become a trainer, coach, referee, judge, promoter and state boxing commission chairman.

When the National Golden Gloves Championships was awarded to Honolulu for 1977, competing cities wondered how it was accomplished. “Ask the man over there — he’s Hawaii’s Mr. Boxing,” they were told with a point in Minn’s direction.

Upon taking over as executive secretary of the state boxing commission in 2006, Alan Taniguchi said Minn’s introductions and contacts were invaluable. “He knew everybody,” Taniguchi said.

In a posting on its website this week, the World Boxing Council, a major governing body in the sport, said, “The entire WBC joins with Herbert’s family and many friends in mourning, but also recognizing a memorable life.”

The third youngest of seven sons — Gilbert, Phillip, Henry, Wilbert, Albert and Robert — born to Korean immigrants, who would all make their mark in local sports, Herbert was the last surviving brother.

After coaching local youth and military boxing teams, Minn was recommended to UH for its opening and coached there from 1949 to 1958 in its heyday as an NCAA sport. It was discontinued by the NCAA after 1960.

In 1952 Roy Kuboyama won the 112-pound title, becoming the first UH athlete in any sport to win an NCAA championship.

“I (had) just started boxing and I couldn’t ask for a better boxing coach,” Kuboyama said.

Kuboyama earned a medical degree at Wisconsin and later served as president of the Hawaii Medical Association.

Seiji Naya won 125-pound titles in 1954 and ’55 and was awarded the LaRowe Trophy in ’55 as the nation’s best collegiate boxer. He became an economist and East-West Center official.

Kuboyama, Naya and Minn have all been inducted into the UH athletics Circle of Honor.

To them, Minn preached winning with strategy and class. “He liked to say, ‘You just want your hand raised at the end (as the winner), and you don’t have to just stand there and throw haymakers to do that,’” his son Hubert said.

“My father wanted his fighters to reach their full potential in the ring and in life,” Hubert said. “He was proud of how so many went on to good careers and lives after boxing.”

Minn followed older brothers Gilbert and Wilbert into officiating and was in high demand as a pro referee and judge, licensed to officiate fights here between 1973 and 2004, according to the state boxing commission. He worked more than 40 world title bouts across the spectrum of the WBC, World Boxing Association and International Boxing Federation, even working side by side with Hubert, who is the chairman of the WBC ring officials.

Services are scheduled for Feb. 24 at the Nuuanu Mortuary, with 11 a.m. viewing and 12:30 services.

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@staradvertiser.com or 529-4820.