Before the internet days, or at least when I could afford a connection, there was a fold over, plain paper newsletter that was mailed to subscribers every 10 days called Flash. It had all the uptodate boxing results from across the globe and even some articles. I can not describe the anticipation when the next issue was due in the mailbox. When it arrived, I would drop everything and read every result intently, looking for up-and-comers, prospects, especially those from beyond US shores. Meanwhile, the regular rags, Ring, KO, BI, would come out with a lot of gloss and shoddy articles, and results that were months old. Was anyone as addicted to this publication as I was? Or are you all youngsters who were but gleams in your daddys' eyes in those prehistoric times?
By far the best of the bunch. Got the most up to date, relevant information into just a few pages. Good stuff.
Interesting. Before the internet I subscribed to just about every boxing mag you could name, Ring, KO, Boxing (year), World Boxing, Boxing Illustrated, even a few of the British mags, including one which was basically a newspaper - but I never heard of this publication
It was fully called, Flash Gordon's Tonights Boxing Newsletter or Program, if I'm not mistaken. I would buy all the mags off the rack but Flashes and Britain's Boxing News were the only two I subscribed to. I loved getting the up-to-date news so much earlier than all the other mags. Flash was really an acerbic type of writer. Man, if he didn't like someone he would just tear into him. And I don't mean in a way with finesse. I mean he would just come right out and call them a j**off. I was like stunned reading it windering how he got away with it. He was the one who labelled Don King, Dung King which really stuck around the globe.
Wasn't it called "Professional Boxing Update" before (or maybe after) changing the name to Flash? It was the exact same newsletter with a different name at some point... One of the things that sticks out in my mind from when I had a subscription was the coverage of the Pierre Coetzer-Johnny DuPlooy fight. The article described it as a "spectacular affair", and I remember wishing I was able to see it, which I did decades later on YouTube. Actually turned out to be quite the fun fight. Also remember waiting to find out the result of the Lennox Lewis-Gary Mason fight. Without internet, I had no idea who won until the Flash publication arrived. Always quickly read that thing from cover to cover when it arrived.
Flash was one part of the subscription and then you'd get an issue once a month of the "boxing update". It was a small newsletter and not a magazine. No color, just black and white and full of nuggets every issue.
Malcom "Flash" Gordon even had his "Tonight's Boxing Program" nationally televised on the syndicated "Calvacade of Boxing" ppresented by founder Steven Bass with Harold Lederman supplying analysis. I've still got issues obtained from a boxing friend who was a charter subscriber and source of innformati9n for Flash. This righteous take no prisioners Woody Allen doppleganger was an enttertainingly literary savage with an army of fannatically devoted acolytes. Alex Wwllau and medal wearing Jack "KO JO" Obermayer were among his legendary collaborators. Flash became a boxing hero to millions of fanns during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Yes, folks familar with my posting style and his weekly newsletter know what an obvilus idol and inspiration he became to me.
Tonight's Boxing Program was also copiously illustrated with black and white photographs. Revered Burt Randolph Sugar for Burt's integrity.. Flash was the anti Cosell with his lavishingly gushing praise for both Larry Holmes and Tex Cobb. Howard had justifyingly ulterior motives for turning against that bout as it proceded, and ABC never should have assigned Cosell to that very poorly timed Thanksgiving weekend match. for him. Most of us who read Fllash predicted exactly what would happed, and we were not disappointed. Cosell's xelf servingly anger tarnished account of Holmes-Cobb should not have influenced anybody else's opinion of it. Chris Schenkel was also in Houston that night and should've been in Cosell's place. Gordon never pulled punches, was fabled for his colorful language, and left his devoted readership in good humor.
