What are the top ten most historically significant fight venues?

Holy shoot, that's a good question, Rumsfeld, and I have no idea besides a few obvious ones like Madison Square Garden and Caesar's Palace.

The National Sporting Club in London would be one from the early days, as would the Coney Island Athletic Club (maybe the California Athletic Club too?). Boyle's Thirty Acres, maybe, due to the first million dollar gate and the other big fights there. Maybe the Blue Horizon, Felt Forum, and earlier, St. Nicholas Arena due to the regular television exposure they got? What about the Royal Albert Hall in London, maybe? (Or the White City Stadium? *shrugs*) The bigger stadiums like the Polo Grounds, Soldier Field, Municipal Stadium, Yankee Stadium, etc.?

To be honest, I have absoltuely no idea, but it is a hell of a question, Rumsfeld, and I'd be curious what you guys come up with as a ranking.

 

Some other names which could be bandied about include the old Olympia Arena in Detroit, the Olympic Auditorium in LA, the Cow Palace and Mechanics Pavilion in SF, the Spectrum in Philly (or Convention Hall, Shibe Park or other venues there), Boston Garden, Miami Beach Convention Center, Luna Park in Buenos Aires, Stade Louis II in Monte Carlo, Motor Square Garden and Forbes Field in Pittsburgh (Harry Greb's turf), Foley's Hall, Sydney NSW Australia (stomping ground for Fitz and Peter Jackson), the MSG Garden Bowl in Long Island City NY, and plenty of others.

Hopefully, I managed to somehow toss a couple of new ones in there which might actually stick to a consenus top ten listing.

 

Well, indoors in the US Madison Square Garden and Chicago Stadium.
Outdoors, almost all the major league ballparks were used at one time or another, but Yankee Stadium from the late 20's through the 50's was certainly the venue for the biggest fights, with the Polo Grounds and Chicago's Comiskey Park and Philadelphia's Municipal Stadium as back-ups.

Outside the US, British posters could help, but wasn't there Harringay Arena and Earl's Court, and White City and Wembley Stadiums, in London. Paris had the Palais des Sports. Luna Park was a top venue in Argentina for decades, as was the Rand Stadium in Johannesburg.

 

Long Island bowl as been called the graveyard of champions as No one was able to defend there title there. Baer, Ross, McLarin, ete all defended and lost the title on the first defense.

Of couse this was 1930's, Wonder if in the 40's, 50's, 60's and up, if some one was ABLE to defend the title there? When was this place tear down, or is it still active. I can not belive one arena had so many champions failed in defended the title.

 

the forum in LA.

 

How 'bout Fritzie's house, the Zivic Arena in Pittsburgh, Millvale actually, and the Duquesne Gardens on Craig Street in Pittsburgh's Oakland section?

 

MGM Grand:yep

 

Of course the old Spectrum in Philly perhaps the Blue Horizon where many came up as well

 

Boyles 30 acres (first million dollar gate venue) pops into my mind.

 

Madison Squaure Garden

Yankee Stadium

Atlantic City

Ceasars Palace

 

St Nick's Arena in New York, Hollywood Legion out in Californis, Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto, Montreal Forum, Houston Astrodome, Syracuse War Memorial,

 

Eastern Parkway Arena
Harringay Arena
Wembley Stadium
Plaza de Toros

Scartissue