Is boxing second to football in atmosphere terms

First topic message reminder :

I am a huge football fan (more so than boxing) but one thing that is clearly evident is how much better a football atmosphere is than boxing, and indeed all other sports. A top football match will surpass and top boxing match in terms of atmosphere by some distance.

I dont watch, or have a remote interest, any other sports so I would be keen to know where you think boxing fares in the rankings.

Scottrf wrote:He did get sent off.

Yes, because of the punch. With Barton, there was no punch. This is the whole point. Keep up Scott.

captain carrantuohil wrote:Jack, I was just amused that you felt that the threat of violence was what gave football matches their distinctive spice. Even more amused by your description of the quality fare on offer these days...particularly the wine in plastic glasses with the foil top - any good?

I'm not a wine man myself so I didn't try. A friend of mine managed to down two glasses in about 10 seconds without being sick so it can't be all bad.

The threat of violence is strangely enjoyable. Don't get my wrong I don't go out with the sole purpose of beating people, I just find the whole experience exhilarating. I like to live life on the edge.

So it wouldn't be an offense if he stayed standing? I don't agree, it wasn't in play and would have been noticed if he stayed standing, he just showed himself to not be a real man by going down.

If Barton stayed standing there would more than likely be no repercussion, apart from a lot of handbags and pushing and shoving.

Hence why he went down easily.

Your rugby man had no need to go down if he was clearly punched like you say. (I haven't seen it, do you have a link?)

High praise indeed!!

Yes, I used to as well; as I've got older, however, I've grown to insist that my "edge" be well upholstered and padded. I'm guessing I'm a bit older than you, mind, but I do understand your point.

Na but it was Manu Tuilagi on Chris Ashton, probably on youtube.

Jack, I have to admit, you crack me up. You and Young Towzer are peas from the same, slightly strange pod.

Scottrf wrote:Na but it was Manu Tuilagi on Chris Ashton, probably on youtube.

Found it cheers...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vZBjqRzZOM

Cracking punch, but it says he escaped with a yellow card.

A yellow card is a sending off.

Scottrf wrote:Na but it was Manu Tuilagi on Chris Ashton, probably on youtube.

Him and Ashton were hugging like brothers at the end.

Julian White was sent off when he floored Andrew Sheridan with a right cross that Lennox Lewis would have been proud off. Best punch I have seen in years. Up there with Robinson v Fullmer.

I think its fair to say that only a handful of bouts a year provide a quality atmosphere.

In Belfast, the Ulster Hall & Kings Hall are above and beyond anywere else in the North. Ulster Hall being the smaller fitting around 1000 or so being the best in my eyes. Its not just the crowd, but the feeling you get when you are just sitting in it.

As Scott said, the MEN for Khan vs McClampet was a great atmosphere, but that was due to the Irish fans mostly. I was sitting amongst a lot of Khan fans and they just sat there watching how the place went crazy down below. Thats about as good as the night got though for such a shambolic night of boxing.

I would even go as far to say boxing is behing Rugby in terms of atmosphere. Been to see Ireland Vs England at Croke park and the atmosphere nearly gave me a heart attack.

Scottrf wrote:A yellow card is a sending off.

What is a red card then?

A sending off with no supper.

Union Cane wrote:

Scottrf wrote:A yellow card is a sending off.

What is a red card then?

A permanent sending off.

Thinking about boxing again, Jim Watt's fights at the Kelvin Hall and Ibrox and McGuigan's at the King's Hall were incredibly atmospheric. I seem to recall that you could almost feel the sweat through the television when Barry beat Bernard Taylor; often the smaller halls are the ones for pure tingles up the spine.

So a yellow is a sending off but you can come back on in ten minutes?

That's a sin-binning, not a sending off.

Anyway, that's all beside the point. Atmosphere at football was much better when standing on the terraces was allowed, that feeling of being one with the crowd as everyone surged forward after a goal was unbeatable, although the racist chanting was terrible.

I think it's better in the lower leagues anyway.

Could hear a pin drop at Stamford Bridge, Wembley is even worse.

Scottrf wrote:I think it's better in the lower leagues anyway.

What, the racist insults? I think you can just hear them more clearly.

As a Grimsby fan I can only comment on the lower leagues. (And, currently, below).

Have been to Wembley 3 times though, for a play-off final and twice in the Autoglass Paint Johnstone's Trophy thing, terrific atmosphere every time.

Union Cane wrote:As a Grimsby fan I can only comment on the lower leagues. (And, currently, below).

Have been to Wembley 3 times though, for a play-off final and twice in the Autoglass Paint Johnstone's Trophy thing, terrific atmosphere every time.

Try an England game and you will change your mind.

Union Cane wrote:As a Grimsby fan I can only comment on the lower leagues.

I do myself a dis-service, we were top of the Championship 10 years ago.

Scottrf wrote:I think it's better in the lower leagues anyway.

Could hear a pin drop at Stamford Bridge, Wembley is even worse.

And at Old Trafford you can only hear the sweet sound of business deals being made in the stands and the munching of prawn sandwiches.

Reborn-DeeMcK-Reborn wrote:

Scottrf wrote:I think it's better in the lower leagues anyway.

Could hear a pin drop at Stamford Bridge, Wembley is even worse.

And at Old Trafford you can only hear the sweet sound of business deals being made in the stands and the munching of prawn sandwiches.

Almost brought a tear to my eye at the Scholes testimonial, you could feel the love. I'm not even a fan.

Scottrf wrote:Almost brought a tear to my eye at the Scholes testimonial, you could feel the love. I'm not even a fan.

Third eye more like. Chuff.

i think the occasion makes the atmosphere, you cannot say catogrically that football is a better atmosphere than boxing or any other sport. circumstances make the night exciting, for example a new zealand haka or slam dunk in basket ball, a penalty with 2 mins left at 0-0, a KO in the 12th when behind on cards, a 9 dart finish to win a game. if a game/fight/event is boring the atmosphere will not be as high. if the action is intense then it will be, and that is same for every sport.

Having been to boxing matches and also growing up on the terraces of Ninian Park which was considered by many as the most hostile ground in the football league during the 80s and 90s while also attending Wales rugby matches with the old man at the old National Stadium I would say boxing is also behind rugby in terms of atmosphere. So probably 3rd by European standards

Boxing and football have completely different types of appeal. Matches between teams like Sunderland and Newcastle are built on decades of close rivalry, whereas boxing matches are between two individuals who probably don't owe any allegiance to something bigger than themselves, these matches rely on one off appeal. I would say that at its best a boxing classic can beat any football atmosphere, but football produces a great atmosphere week in week out that boxing promoters can only dream of.

its personal tastes at the end of the day, one person will think a certain game or fight boring, whilst another will love it- i personally dont think you can beat boxing, there is more at stake, a team can give a poor performance and the worst that will happen is they lose, a boxer on the other hand can get seriously hurt if he is not 100% focused all the time. something more epic about 2 fighters going toe to toe than there is 22 men passing a ball around- for me at least

Top 2 sporting events in terms of atmosphere I've been to:

Lords: India v England - T20 World Cup.
Lakeside: Robert Wagner v Brian 'Pecker' Woods - BDO World Darts

I remember being at Old Trafford when Benn V Eubank fought.The atmosphere was electric, Benn coming in to the chimes of Big Ben. The fans of Benn were screaming it was deafening or the jeering from Eubank fans was just as loud.... A great fight..a draw.. Eubank for me.. however Old Trafford had never seen a night like it.. so to me Boxing can be equal to football in atmosphere.. Then Again College Football wow oh wow

I've never experienced an atmosphere like Alex Arthur vs Michael Gomez ever, don't think i ever will again.