Back in the mid 70's to the early-mid 80's when I was working in professional boxing I would be out at the clubs in NYC every weekend. At around midnight every Saturday night I would leave wherever I was and hurry over to the big newsstand on 42nd st at the corner of 7th ave to buy the latest edition of Malcolm "The Flash" Gordon's 'Tonight's Boxing Program (TBP) and Weekly Newsletter' fresh off the press. It was widely regarded in boxing circles as very incisive, well researched, and completely independant of any major media influence. His voice was truly independant and his viewpoint was very critical - funny as well. Flash lived to write that publication (it was a non-standard paper sheet folded in sections). Depending on the weather I would stand right there on the corner in Times Square reading the entire sheet, lost in the excitement that was the boxing world of that era. On some nights I would be joined by others from Gleason's gym who had also come down to get the latest copy. It was a glorious time to be in boxing. Does anyone else remember TBP and Flash?
I suspect most people on this forum are not old enough to remember. I'm not in US but when i started following boxing in the 1980s, this newsletter was legendary. I got hold of a few old issues and was fascinating stuff and very critical, funny, and to the point. Cut through a lot of the bull****. It's a shame in the internet age so many of the "independent" boxing media channels choose to kiss the asses of boxing promoters.
You bet. Far better than the fluffy magazines and the only one with current results. And really liked Herb's odds on fights---that guy was excellant. I'd actually kept them all but somehow lost decades worth during house moves.
Yeah, I suppose there aren't many here who go back that far but it's great to know you are familiar with Flash. And I agree that it's a shame that there are no such truly independent voices anymore. Cheers!
similar story here - i had many issues at one time. all gone now. i see lots of issues for sale on ebay.