I never went to either but from TV the Olympic Autitorium in LA and the Blue Horizon in Philadelphia looked like exciting environments to see a fight. Rabid, working class fans who loved boxing, not highrollers in sanitized conditions who just want to see and be seen.
Here in London, I used to like the Royal Albert Hall. York Hall was pretty good, small venue. Both you can get pretty close to the action.
Blue Horizon. That upper deck seemed to lean over almost into the ring. I really doubt current building codes would even allow for that steep of incline. And it seemed like it provided the type of environment that just lead to a bunch of competitve matchups in back and forth type fights.
The old MSG on 8th ave and 49-50 St, NYC. Where the greatest fighters in the world fought every Friday night. Where I as a boy growing up saw so many great fighters in the 1940s and 1950s like Henry Armstrong, Ray Robinson, Ike Williams, Willie Pep, Sandy Saddler, Beau Jack, Bob Montgomery, Al Bummy Davis, Kid Gavilan, Rocky Graziano, Billy Graham, Emile Griffith, Johnny Bratton, Rocky Marciano, Ali, Frazier, Tami Mauriello Bruce wood****, Lee Savold, Eduardo Lausse, Jimmy Bivins, Melio Bettina and so many more greats of yesterday all for $1.50 to a few bucks more. Yes the old MSG, the mecca of boxing. I sure miss those days...
Wow, Burt! You must have some amazing memories from those day, right? Any you'd like to share? I can listen to the old tales all day! :good
I used to like the Albert hall great arena for boxing and it has a rich history which for me adds to the atmosphere least favourite wembley arena
I sure do BB...So many great memories of those great days remain with me to this day.Before I entered the U.S. Navy, my dad who in his day saw Greb, Tunney, Mickey Walker, Benny Leonard etc, and I would attend a boxing card in a local club in New York EVERY NIGHT of the week if we desired. So many young fighters developed their talents fighting monthly in those boxing havens and some developed into HOFamers...And then, the crème,de la crème Saturday, where I would go every week to Stillman's Gym on 8th Ave, where for 50 cents I would watch the greatest fighters in the world train in 2 rings, rub shoulders with celebrities, ex boxing immortals, and wise guys...Oh it was heaven to me BB...As an old song states, "bring back the hands of time "....Ciao...