What did boxing look like when you first got into it? (nostalgia thread)

Sorry to hear mate. Mine died back in 2009, so I was lucky to get to spend so much time with him really. I wish he'd been computer literate; he'd have loved it over on the Classic forum with some of the elder lemons on there and would've added a lot to it. His family were from Merthyr Tydfil and I always wanted to take him there to see the statues of Howard Winstone and Johnny Owen, but he disliked traveling and was generally too ill to go far. Owen's fate really knocked the stuffing out of him.

I've seen a lot of live stand up that I love and god knows how many funny films and sitcoms, but I can't get past Stan and Ollie. Sweeping statements usually get on my wick, so it's odd that I never tire of believing (or saying) that Stan Laurel was the funniest man to ever draw breath.

 

My first boxing memory was Errol Christie vs Mark Kaylor. I would have been 12 years old at the time, cant remember much about it except I wanted Christie to win, I remember not liking Kaylor, dunno why, he just annoyed me! Anyway Kaylor won, & I still remember the feeling of disappointment and sadness! I dont remember if it was live, or highlights or what, but thats my first boxing memory.

second memory, being on holiday in Butlins & the shock when Barry McGuigan lost. Everyone from the top to the bottom of Britain & beyond had a love affair with the guy, he was the Hatton of his day looking back. I remember watching highlights or clips of the fight on the news, I cannot be sure which, in utter shock at seeing Barry McGuigan hitting the canvas! surely not, but I was quickly consoled by adults everywhere telling anyone who would listen "The heat beat barry, not his opponent" & to this day, its still commonly believed Cruz didnt beat Barry, but infact it was the sun wot did it

Then the 90's, buying glossy boxing mags, putting posters from KO & Ring magazine up on the wall, I had a poster of the guy who beat Johnny Nelson James ****** alongside james Toney, Herbie Hide etc taking pride of place on my poorly decorated by myself wall, back then a colour poster was amazing, as the tabloids still mainly posted black & white pics of boxing! I could go on & on, but thats just a snippet of my early life as a boxing fan.

 

Exactly the same for me.

 

I was in a bar in Athens Georgia watching that fight and to be honest I was really rooting for Douglas. The University of Alabama were in town playing UGA at basketball....Three or four rounds into the fight this little white guy walked into the bar, all white shirt and slicked back hair, he looked like he'd wandered in off the set of Mississippi burning. He stopped right in the middle of the floor, looked up at the TV and shouted "Kill the n*****!!".....It was one of the most bizarre things that Ive ever witnessed.

 

****ing brilliant post.:good

 

My biggest regret with my Grandad was that I never knew him when I was a man.

I was only in my mid teens when we lost him, I would have loved to be able to go to the pub with him and sit and chat.

I love 'The Music Box' the classic with the piano, but I have a soft spot for 'Way Out West'' it was my Grandads favourite and it still makes me laugh so much, particularly the musical interludes!

When watching the films you realise just how many modern comedians (such as Robin Williams and Jim Carey) owed to Laurel; as famous as they are I really believe that Laural is underated.

 

mike tyson fights on itv sunday mornings is my start. :yep

tyson's brutality is enough to get any kid hooked. :bbb

remember watching all the benn - eubank - watson fights.

over the years the big fights went over to sky.

listened to most of the big fights on the radio (bruno-mccall, naz kelley etc)

finally ended up getting sky and started following the domestic scene around 1998-99.

sad the way things have gone really.

the sports profile has plummeted in recent yrs compared to those days. :-(