The Boxing Venue: It's Role in the Fight

How important is the boxing venue?

If you go through the list of great club and arena style venues, how do you feel they affect the fights that take place in the ring?

Madison Square Gardens.

I think of that venue and i think of blood, i don't know why, i think of blood and brawls and a hell of a lot of spirit and even more heart. I love watching fights (TV) at the MSQ, it has this real sense of pride that venue.

The York Hall in Bethnal Green.

I used to live round the corner from Bethnal Green and let me tell you, the place is vibrant and lively. When scraps take place in this great venue you often see utter slug-fests and beat downs, and a hell of a lot of pride. The crowd is begging for a fight, and they let you know what they want. The slightly more shady characters (to say the least) that fight night attracts only adds to the atmosphere, a vibe that is of bear-pit proportions.

The MGM Grand.

Now, this is the celebrity vibe: the cool, the classy. It means that often fighters are made to feel as if they don't belong among the bright lights, the glitz, the fake tans and fancy clothes, as it's all very alien to them. It means, in my opinion, that sometimes fighters are psyched out and don't really perform to their best ability as a result. They aren't feeling that they need to survive, and then fight for that survival. It can often seem more like they feel that they need to get the hell out of there and give a performance that seems to reflect this (Ortiz, the random way he butted?). It works both ways of course, Manny goes into the ring and lays it on the line, and Mayweather obviously feels he was born to be in the MGM Grand's ring.

Anyway, venues, thoughts?

Venue's can also play a role on the decision, depending on who is fighting, if it's a hometown fighter then there's a huge chance it could be a 'hometown decision'.

i feel the MGM grand is saved for the best fighters out there.
lennox lewis, mayweather etc. it's more of an 'event' than a fight.

davidemore wrote:How important is the boxing venue?

The York Hall in Bethnal Green.

I used to live round the corner from Bethnal Green and let me tell you, the place is vibrant and lively. When scraps take place in this great venue you often see utter slug-fests and beat downs, and a hell of a lot of pride. The crowd is begging for a fight, and they let you know what they want. The slightly more shady characters (to say the least) that fight night attracts only adds to the atmosphere, a vibe that is of bear-pit proportions.

I have always found the York Hall to be a bit of a let down. I have been there maybe 10 times over the last decade and it has never really lived up to its reputation. Of course I could have just been unlucky but I think sometimes it gets a billing that it fails to live up to. Walking up those steps and then into the arena always gets the blood rushing, but it has been deathly quiet on occasions and certainly not a 'bear-pit' atmosphere. There is always a lot of pride on show though and there is something strangely ethereal about being so close to the action, something you certainly don't get at big venues. You can literally hear every thud and grunt and it brings home how tough these guys are.

You're bang on about the characters though, e-more. There is always a selection of guys you just know have monikers like 'the knife', 'the cleaner' or 'Mr White'. I saw Lloyd Honeyghan there one night, it was a really hot and humid evening, and he rocked up wearing a thick leopard print fur-coat with a top hat, cane, high-heel boots and oversized sunglasses. Brilliant image.

If you want a really earthy venue, try The Troxy in E1. Now that is a rough place. It makes the York Hall crowd seem like a female cribbage meeting.

As for the question, I think it probably can help if you have a big crowd cheering you on, it must get the adrenalin rushing but you have to control it. I always remember comments from Barry McGuigan about using fear/the crowd as a metaphor for fire. If you control it then you can heat your house, if it controls you then it burns the place down.

I certainly have fond memories of playing one of the 3 wise men in our schools nativity play. The round of applause we got was like being bed bathed by an angel. One more curtain call, darling?

Mind the windows Tino. wrote:I certainly have fond memories of playing one of the 3 wise men....One more curtain call, darling?

Not sure you'd be eligible for that particular role anymore, Tino....

Tino, that is one of the most insightful and funny responses i have ever had, thank sir. The Troxy i never made it to, heard it does good music shows too. Great insight.

All points thus far are superb to be fair.

I think for that rough (but in a sort of enjoyable British way!), blood, sweat 'n' tears feel of a small venue, Harvey Hadden in Nottingham isn't a bad shout - you usually get a good atmosphere there, too, especially considering what a small venue it is.

Anyone here swung by it, if you've had the misfortune of visiting Notts? I know good old Klutey has been to a few shows there, can't remember anyone else saying the same, however.

88Chris05 wrote:

Mind the windows Tino. wrote:I certainly have fond memories of playing one of the 3 wise men....One more curtain call, darling?

Not sure you'd be eligible for that particular role anymore, Tino....

You're right Chris, I am definitely too old now......

Never been to the Harvey Hadden, Chris. Being to Notts a few times for various things but don't recall that place. Sounds like The Troxy though, which also being small lends itself to a great atmosphere sometimes.

Thanks e-more. I tried to flower up the end of my post to appeal to your sensibilities as I know you like to get emotional now and again!

Good thread, buddy.

i like the sheff area, same size roughly as nottingham 10,000. ita big enough so the crowd is deafening, whilst small enough to not need a telescope to see the action.

never been to a fight at a footie game, which i would like

This was nearly 30 years ago, alma. There were only 3 of us, and I was clearly the best. I was originally down to hold up a cardboard North Star but they soon saw my potential and gave me a key role.

I like the Sheffield Arena, eddy. Saw Calzaghe - Eubank and Hamed - Badillo there on the same night. It is a decent place to watch a fight, and they certainly know their boxing up there.

I went to the Harvey Hadden a couple of years ago to watch Jason Booth defend his cw title, with Munroe fighting Kiko martinez as the main event.
Brilliant little venue and as I was on my own managed to get a seat right at the front about 12 feet from the ring, it is a lot more up close and personal and you can hear a lot of the punches landing.

What a bunch of great responses, Tino, you know me so well, love an emotional thread or two at times. Love it. Chris88, great shout, never been but want to after what you have written, love it mate.

Trying to think of other venues but to be honest i only have the common knowledge know how. You guys are trumping me! Trump me some more boys! I need to be enlightened.

Great comments.

I forget who said it, Sugar maybe, but MSG, it really does make me think "great fight". I don't remember too many stinkers there. "Hope", that's a word that also springs to mind. The hopeful challenger. Atlantic City, the Boardwalk, i like the look of that venue, makes me feel strangely nostalgic for a time i never knew, lol.

aja424 wrote:I went to the Harvey Hadden a couple of years ago to watch Jason Booth defend his cw title, with Munroe fighting Kiko martinez as the main event.
Brilliant little venue and as I was on my own managed to get a seat right at the front about 12 feet from the ring, it is a lot more up close and personal and you can hear a lot of the punches landing.

when i went to see kell brook, i manage to walk straight into the ring side area as he was making his enterance, was stood next to darren barker too.

did same for fury fight.