Boxing purses/figures from 1945

Discussion in 'British Boxing Forum' started by kosaros, May 13, 2011.


  1. kosaros

    kosaros Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    I'm currently reading Jack Solomons book and he revealed the purse figures for one of his fight cards, which I thought made for interesting reading. These figures, for the card headlined by Bruce Woodcock vs. Jack London for London's British and Commonwealth heavyweight titles, are as followed:

    Jack London (£4,000) vs. Bruce Woodcock (£1,600)
    Eric Boon (£200) vs. Henry Hall (£65)
    Jock McAvoy (£400) vs. George Howard (£225)
    Dave Crowley (£275) vs. Tom Smith (£183)
    Alf Brown (£135) vs. George Davis (N/A)
    Jimmy Webster (N/A) vs. Tommy Plowright (N/A)

    Stand-bys got £10 a piece and the total purse amount was £7,436. According to a currency converter, £4,000 back then was the equivalent of £103,800 in today's money.

    Some other figures from the bill:

    Rental of White Hart Lane - £450
    5,000 chairs + transport - £650
    Contribution to BBBoC - £336 5s
    Printing - £500
    Stewards - £148

    The paid attendance for the bill was 26,479 and Solomons made a £400 profit overall.

    Not bad considering this was during the end of the second World War!
     
  2. GazOC

    GazOC Guest Star for Team Taff Full Member

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    Good find Kos, interesting stuff.
     
  3. wrimc

    wrimc Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    What is the Jack Solomons book you are reading Kos been dying to find a book on him as my former avatar suggested i was a (sort of) fan
     
  4. JFT96

    JFT96 Boxing Addict Full Member

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    that is interesting. Indicates how boxing must always have been a sport where the big men are very well paid in their particular era whereas you consider football where at that time their respective salaries in comparison to players wages in modern day football were vastly different
     
  5. kosaros

    kosaros Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Jack Solomons tells all :good

    Has been an interesting read so far. I didn't realise he had three pro fights (under aliases; record was 2-1) and was born with 6 fingers on each hand :yep
     
  6. ishy

    ishy Loyal Member Full Member

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    Used the BofE inflation calculator to work out how much that would be in 2010 (they don't have data for 2011 yet) and 4k comes out at £134, 641.22!!

    Good stuff Kos :good
     
  7. wrimc

    wrimc Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Cheers :good

    I think its interesting to note that the size of the show was masive by todays standards 25k attendance at a large football stadium.

    Solomons however was only making a medium sized profit probably about £20-£30K in modern money.

    Today the sport has a less general appeal across the country but the methods of revenue have been maximised TV, Sponsorship,ticket prices. To keep the money involved at similar levels.
     
  8. Threetime no1

    Threetime no1 Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Very interesting read. What book is it from mate?
     
  9. Flea Man

    Flea Man มวยสากล

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    Why hasn't Rob hit this thread yet? :lol:
     
  10. Beeston Brawler

    Beeston Brawler Comical Ali-egedly Full Member

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    It doesn't involve Floyd, Haye or PPV sales, or slagging off undercards.

    Historical data is of no use to him.

    Really good read :good
     
  11. bluenoseshf

    bluenoseshf Active Member Full Member

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    It cost more for printing than to rent white hart lane? That cant be right surely?
     
  12. wrimc

    wrimc Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Im guessing that printing in 1945 post war Britian was a much more lengthy and expensive process than it is today were you can get flyers and poster done digitally for a fraction of the cost.
     
  13. kosaros

    kosaros Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    [ame]http://www.amazon.co.uk/Jack-Solomons-Tells-All/dp/B0000CHY1P/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1305384606&sr=8-1[/ame]


    :good
     
  14. wrimc

    wrimc Boxing Junkie Full Member

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  15. kosaros

    kosaros Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Nice :good

    Mines a paperback (2nd edition) which came with five other books. Something like £15 for all of them (ebay), but the main one I wanted was the Solomons one.