Classic boxing venues (that no longer exist)

the Ring, Blackfriars
Granby Halls, Leicester
the Olympia, Liverpool
London Casino / Queensberry Club, London.
NSC, London
Bellevue Manchester
St. James Hall, Newcastle

many, many more, gone.

 

Boxing history is all over the place!

When I lived in Bristol, I lived near the Old Hatchet Inn. This is one of the oldest pubs in the UK, and Tom Sayers used to train there.

When I lived in Leicester, I used to eat at a restaurant called Pop Newmans. The man who opened it, used to be a sparring partner for Larry Gains, and the walls wee adorned with pictures of him with Gains.

I think these venues still exist.

 

The Blue Horizon in Philadelphia

 

Yes, what a classic venue for fights.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Blue_Horizon

I think another is the Philadelphia Spectrum, which is also gone.

 

Verricks boxing gym.
The original 5th street gym
Johnny O'brien's boxing gym.
Al Cook's boxing gym-
Steve Sheppards Boxing/Kick boxing gym.
Joe Valentino's gym that was held in Pompey
Park recreation center.
All were run by well known former boxers or
trainers . All were the real deal.
I got in some serious work and headaches from
those gyms lol.

 

Not sure if it counts as a "boxing venue," but Jimmy's Corner for me.

 

Jimmy’s Corner closed? Damn. That was always a stop for me whenever I ventured to NYC (which was once or twice a year before COVID). Sad news.

Olympic Auditorium in LA.

Caesars Palace Outdoor Arena (which would be constructed in a parking area for big fights, I think starting with Holmes-Ali)

Polo Grounds in New York held a lot of events including boxing and, presumably, polo

 

Windy City Boxing Gym

 

Yeah, Jimmy passed away last year, and the bar is listed as permanently closed online. I know what you mean. I spent a lot of time there back in the early ‘00s (a good friend lived nearby) and before some fights at the Garden and Barclays more recently.

 

I share the same name as Jimmy Glen, I always wanted to meet him...

an Old Black Avid Boxing Fan, meets a Younger Pastey White Boxing Fan, with an interest in the Past, more so than the Present.

I think it would have been a few Beer Afternoon.

 

RIP Jimmy. I don’t think I ever met the man on my occasional trips here but I loved the place. Even took a couple at-best casual boxing fans there and showed them all the posters and photos and they were impressed. I can picture the place now.

Damn.

 

In Germany there was e.g. Berlin's Sports Palace. Not only famous for horrible political events, but also hosted sporting events like boxing fights from Max Schmeling etc. In the postwar years, it hosted even music/rock concerts (Louis Armstrong, Jimmy Hendrix, Pink Floyd...).
Later it was demolished and today there is a block of flats there.

I read, that Stillman's Gym was quite a famous spot in New York.

 

Great poster McVey met him. The picture with the 2 of them was McVey's avatar

 

Sunnyside Gardens in Sunnyside, Queens, NYC