Prized boxing possessions and memorabilia

Howdy, chaps.

I mentioned a little while back to a couple of posters what my favourite boxing-related possession was, and it garnered a wee bit of interest, in particular with the likes of Rodney, who is a great Jack Dempsey fan. As I'm about to present mine, it left me wondering - does anyone else have any particular boxing possession or piece of memorabilia which is particularly dear to them, for any reason at all, be it personal, materialistic or just something you can't really put your finger on?

Anyhow, my own favourite piece is shown below - apologies for the dodgy picture quality, had a few 'technical issues' but I'm sure you can catch the flow of it all!

This little beauty was given to me by my old man who, by some incredibly strange and microscopic chance, came about it under a pile of old rubbish in an abandoned council flat in Nottingham! It's a long way from its beginnings, I can assure you!

It's a framed post card which was produced in the very early years after Dempsey's famous New York restaurant opened (1935), which has an illustration of Dempsey's 1919 fight against Jess Willard on it, in which he won the Heavyweight title. Around that time, the post card fell in to the hands of a young American who had joined the US Navy not long before the beginning of America's involvement in World War Two. A boxing fan (and in particular a great admirer of Dempsey), the young sailor paid a visit to Dempsey's restaurant in 1940, not long before his career with the Navy began to gather momentum, and had Jack sign the card for him (in the second picture, Dempsey's signature, which I'll hasted to add is a real one and not a print, can be seen in the top right as you see it).

You'll also see, looking at the second picture, that the card was found with a letter, written by the sailor's wife, which tells what happened to both the anonymous man himself and also this card. Written to a friend of some sort, the wife explains within the letter that her husband was such a great Dempsey fan that he carried the post card with him everywhere he went during his six year stay in the Navy between 1940 and 1946, even when in battle across various points of the globe at the height of the War.

The wife of the sailor then explains that her husband has since passed away, but that she'd like whoever the letter was intended for to have the card, presumably because they must have been a boxing and / or Dempsey fan, too. Anyway, over the course of the next few decades, the card and the accompanying letter somehow made it over to these shores and then, of all places, the East Midlands, where it was found by my dad two or three years ago. Once he had it checked out to make sure it was all legitimate, he had it framed and gave it to me as a gift.

For me, it's the bit of history and pathos attached to this card and the letter which makes it such a great piece of memorabilia. Owning something which is decades upon decades old and has been touched and signed by one of the most iconic sports stars of all time is great in its own right - but knowing that, from Dempsey's restaurant in New York, this tatty, worn out card has travelled all over the world, survived arguably the greatest and most significant event in human history, been passed down a long line of people from all over the shop and then, somehow, ended up with me really adds to the appeal and makes it feel like a really special thing to have.

Pictures are attached below for anyone interested in my favourite piece of boxing memorabilia (or boxing possession) - but what are yours, and why does it command top place for you?

Cheers, fellas.

Spoiler:

Spoiler:

Rub it in why don't you. All i've got is a foam glove that i forged roberto durans signature on and is now dangling from the rear view mirror. Great story btw it just adds to an already special item.

Hell of a story, would love to have something like that.

I got a signed Sugar Ray Leonard book for a my birthday last year which I'm considering asking him to sign again, he'll be at London Comic Con in July.

Have a few bits and bobs but think my favourite is also Dempsey related. I have a signed copy of one of his autobiographies I found in a second hand book shop in New York. Had wanted a Dempsey autograph for years and when I found it TSMR bought it me for my birthday. Reminds me of a brilliant holiday as well. Not quite as good a story as yours Chris but such is life.

Christopher & Jeffrey

Lock your windows, lock your doors , get an armed guard !

I'm coming for them.


Cheers Rodders

Got a signed Marciano as well. Did not want to mention it as AZ would be bothering me trying to buy it off me.

The only thing I've got is a Harry Greb 30 fight collection transformed on Blu ray.

Cheers Rodders

I have a signed left hand boxing glove by John H Stracey that he gave me after a rather strange night where he sang some Sinatra covers at the York Hall.

I did have the pair, but I got so drunk on the way home I left the right hand glove on the train and didn't realise till too late. So someone else has a right hand glove signed by John H Stracey wishing me all the best.

Great Story and an amazing thing to have Chris!. I have a few things now, nothing as rare as that though!. For me, my framed signed Nigel Benn shorts/pictures combo i put together myself from the stuff i have got signed by him from the few times i have met him is the most personal to me. Has pride of place above my tv!

http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=bejats&s=5

Nice story chris. i sold that to your dad on ebay... I have several more available if anyone wants one... Just let me know which city you live in so I can authenticate the council house attic, it was 'found' in.

There are a couple of stores in Vegas that sell memorabilia and a lot of the time you can meet the old fighters there especially on the big weekends.

The signed photos/pictures are the most interesting to me Chris, a very nice find.

Met Winky Wright at one such signing in Vegas Strongy. Was a genuinely nice guy and seemed touched that so many people in Britain had actually heard of him. Had a decent chat with him as I saw him fight a couple of times over here. Also as the signing was in Hooters was a winner all round.

Found a copy of "No Baloney" by Frank Maloney in a shop many years ago for £1. It's even autographed. Wouldn't say it's a collector's item although after Frank's health scare when Price was beaten by Thompson, it's value wold have trebled overnight. I'll wait and see what happens in July!!!

My only (and prized) possession is a VHS cassette recording of Benn v McClellan. Not sure why I kept it.

Rowley wrote:Met Winky Wright at one such signing in Vegas Strongy. Was a genuinely nice guy and seemed touched that so many people in Britain had actually heard of him. Had a decent chat with him as I saw him fight a couple of times over here. Also as the signing was in Hooters was a winner all round.

Norton and Shavers were there when I was over. Shavers was there for a week and sat in the memorabilia shop all day even when there was nobody in there. I dropped in for a couple of words 3 or 4 days when the store was empty, I was staying in the hotel. He was very nice just shooting the breeze. He'd been to Dublin a few times he was telling me.

Shavers was on the same flight over as me Strongy, has a bit of a chat with him in the departure lounge. As you say one of the nicest guys you could ever hope to meet. Have spoken to a few people who have met Earnie and not a one has a bad word to say about him.

seanmichaels wrote:My only (and prized) possession is a VHS cassette recording of Benn v McClellan. Not sure why I kept it.

And my only bit of boxing memorabilia is a programme from the same fight.

If we pool resources, it could be the start of something big.

milkyboy wrote:

seanmichaels wrote:My only (and prized) possession is a VHS cassette recording of Benn v McClellan. Not sure why I kept it.

And my only bit of boxing memorabilia is a programme from the same fight.

If we pool resources, it could be the start of something big.

I have a copy of Kevin Mitchell's book War Baby about the same fight. This collection is getting bigger than any of us could have imagined.

Rowley wrote:

milkyboy wrote:

seanmichaels wrote:My only (and prized) possession is a VHS cassette recording of Benn v McClellan. Not sure why I kept it.

And my only bit of boxing memorabilia is a programme from the same fight.

If we pool resources, it could be the start of something big.

I have a copy of Kevin Mitchell's book War Baby about the same fight. This collection is getting bigger than any of us could have imagined.

Yep, me to. Add it to the collection.

Sorry tino, if you have nothing new to add, you ain't gatecrashing this party.... Unless you're prepared to take a lower % cut than rowley. Business is business.

I have also got the fight on DVD, lent it a mate though and did not get it back so if you can bear with me a bit on that one.

Rowley wrote:I have also got the fight on DVD, lent it a mate though and did not get it back so if you can bear with me a bit on that one.

Can we just stick with the VHS cassette? I think it gives the collection more authenticity. It has been a while but there are some cracking adverts if i remember rightly.

Just as well Sean as my mate is unlikely to give it me back anytime soon.

Wow. Epic story chris. I too was in the navy for 7 years. (All be it from 05-12) so no real wars! And yet I could manage to lose my phones, wallets, uniform among others within a 9 month period at sea!!

For this to end up over here after nearly 70 odd years is amazing.

Fair play mate.

Oh and the only boxing memorabilia I have is an amir khan vs barrera ticket.....purely because its barrera in the UK!!

milkyboy wrote:Sorry tino, if you have nothing new to add, you ain't gatecrashing this party.... Unless you're prepared to take a lower % cut than rowley. Business is business.

A lower cut than someone from Yorkshire? That leaves enormous scope.

You can have my left hand boxing glove if you like. Seems a bit pointless just having the one.

I used to have a much used item of boxing memorabilia. Old, chipped scarred, gouged and in generally poor condition however, it served it's own faithfully and then I aquired it. Sadly Audley took his drawing board back.

Shame really, I was using it to put a jigsaw puzzle on.

I've got a signed photo of SRL and Duran and it's my only piece of memorabilia.

Paid £130 for it a few years ago then another £40 on the frame as it wasn't standard size!

I have got a signed picture of me with Leonard, genuinely lovely bloke, but at £65 a ticket guess he could afford to be nice.

I've got a signed Frank Bruno book,

But my cherished memorabilia is signed Roberto Duran gloves which I won at a charity auction. They sit nicely in a glass case in my front room.

Rowley wrote:I have got a signed picture of me with Leonard, genuinely lovely bloke, but at £65 a ticket guess he could afford to be nice.

Panoramic?

seanmichaels wrote:

Rowley wrote:I have got a signed picture of me with Leonard, genuinely lovely bloke, but at £65 a ticket guess he could afford to be nice.

Panoramic?

Got to be honest Sean the fat idiot grinning like a fool on the picture does spoil it somewhat. Got one of him and TSMR, that is better, she scrubs up better than me.

Got a copy of the Ring magazine from 1952...With Charles and Walcott on the cover......Basically saying Charles was ripped off..........Carries the story of Robbo ducking a third match with Turpin too.............

Went to a Works function and won a bid for some Naseem Hamed signed gloves...(It was a for a good cause)...He was a c**k...........

Owned a few prize butts in Boston......When the old Trussman trembler was being chucked around in the 80's.............

Got Larry Holmes jock strap.

Bet you couldn't carry it!!

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:

Owned a few prize butts in Boston......When the old Trussman trembler was being chucked around in the 80's.............

Truss, my mind is boggling at what the above might mean, are you in blue oyster mode?

I got a couple of Tweets from Lennox Lewis. But that's it. I have only met Henry Cooper & I don't really collect things so no memorabilia round my gaff!

Good article Chris, I got one just like it on a trip to China some time back. I could have got a genuine Mona Lisa but the paint was a bit tacky which made me think it may not be genuine. The only keepsakes I have are a programme from when Joe Frazier came to New Zealand and did a bit of sparing with a Kiwi boxer and another programme of when Ali brought a bunch of amateurs over prior to the 1980 Olympics,which they didn't go to anyway and I think there was a plane crash that killed a lot of them.Jim Ellis and Joe Bugner were amongst his entourage.

I think there was a plane crash that killed a lot of them

What a lovely story