All posters on this forum and there links to boxing?

[Counter-puncher]

oh, indeed. but even as a passionate cricket fan i can see the other side of the argument. grassroots cricket, hell even county cricket, is pretty much literally subsidised by Sky money, and bearing in mind the sh1tty financial state of the game, its difficult to turn down, when the only way you can pay for kids' coaching is via Sky, as cricket as a sport simply isn't able to opay its own way (not dissimilar to smallhall boxing nowadays?).

i think actually the boxing/ cricket analogy is closer than i may have though. perhaps both in danger of being 'niche' without mainstream coverage, where they could be huge given the right platform??

[J]

I can't remember when I fell in love with boxing; I can't remember when I fell out of love with boxing.

I know how you feel.

Too much bullshit. Too much talk. Not enough action.

Most of the big fights are dissapointing too.

x 3 ....Too many shitheads involved in the biznizz also.

my interest has waned in recent years.

[lefty]

I like boxing. Started watching it around the age of 7 and then began reading the Henry Cooper books and manuals on technique and whatnot then started to teach myself the basics. Learned how to box properly at West Gorton ABA but realised I didn't have the temperament for fighting, though I did get an am license.

My experience of the sport was confined to tapes, mags and books until 2005, this is when I went viral and started to post on the BM guest book. Saw people dropping links to articles and decided to give it a bash. Had help from Paul Concanon and Ian McNeilly early doors and things moved on from there.

Still do some stuff for Rick Reeno (who kept me involved after BBN went down by making me UK Editor) over at BS and another site. Enjoy talking to the fighters about boxing itself, the politics bores me to an extent as there are only 5-6 conversations you can have about the other matters, and you see most of them pop up here ad nauseam, so I try to stick to talk about fights, technique and whatnot when in the gym.

I'll continue to plug along for the time being. I've a good technical understanding of the game, some basic writing skills and enough interest in the actual art of boxing to keep me afloat when the political stuff gets too much. I'm also quite an innocuous person so think this helps me muddle my way along.

My nous for stats etc isn't what it used to be but I am a strong believer in research so although vague in person (to be fair this is just my temperament and nothing, nothing to do with illicit substances) I think I do/sound alright online.

Give me a fight to watch, leave me the eff alone and I'm a happy bunny. I've also met some good, pretty high-level people in the sport and get on well with them as I'm not massively awed, arsed or fussed about reputations and all that. Best to take them as you find them. I don't read much modern writing on the sport as it tends to be sluice stuff about fights that aren't, can't or may never happen and contradictory stories about stuff I genuinely don't give a poop about. I don't want to read about the backdrop to the signing of a fight, once the fight is made you can get all you need from ring records, fight tapes and video interviews.

Been trying to overcome the 'fan' writer tag so look further afield for ints. I've had differences of opinion with most promotional groups so I'm claiming objectivity on that basis. My job keeps me in good shape time and finance-wise so I'm not trying to forge a career in boxing -- I'm not a 'journalist', I'm just mired in boxing for now and can't/won't get out.

I genuinely fear for my sanity at times.

Bennie raises a good point, most people are jaded by the game and prolonged exposure does increase this feeling of disappointment but one stonking fight and that is all washed away for a few days and you feel full of optimism surging through your veins. Then the walls come crowding in and you end up weeping at a keyboard for two hours straight, which is disconcerting.

PS Only kidding, I only cry at the conclusion of Brokeback Mountain, Terms of Endearment and Ghost -- you have to, it is in the Magna Carta.

PSS I deleted my last post in this thread as it made me weep profusely. It was a cut and paste of the final scenes of Terms of Endearment -- prime Debra Winger has that effect on me.

Another great post mate!

[lefty]

I like boxing. Started watching it around the age of 7 and then began reading the Henry Cooper books and manuals on technique and whatnot then started to teach myself the basics. Learned how to box properly at West Gorton ABA but realised I didn't have the temperament for fighting, though I did get an am license.

My experience of the sport was confined to tapes, mags and books until 2005, this is when I went viral and started to post on the BM guest book. Saw people dropping links to articles and decided to give it a bash. Had help from Paul Concanon and Ian McNeilly early doors and things moved on from there.

Still do some stuff for Rick Reeno (who kept me involved after BBN went down by making me UK Editor) over at BS and another site. Enjoy talking to the fighters about boxing itself, the politics bores me to an extent as there are only 5-6 conversations you can have about the other matters, and you see most of them pop up here ad nauseam, so I try to stick to talk about fights, technique and whatnot when in the gym.

I'll continue to plug along for the time being. I've a good technical understanding of the game, some basic writing skills and enough interest in the actual art of boxing to keep me afloat when the political stuff gets too much. I'm also quite an innocuous person so think this helps me muddle my way along.

My nous for stats etc isn't what it used to be but I am a strong believer in research so although vague in person (to be fair this is just my temperament and nothing, nothing to do with illicit substances) I think I do/sound alright online.

Give me a fight to watch, leave me the eff alone and I'm a happy bunny. I've also met some good, pretty high-level people in the sport and get on well with them as I'm not massively awed, arsed or fussed about reputations and all that. Best to take them as you find them. I don't read much modern writing on the sport as it tends to be sluice stuff about fights that aren't, can't or may never happen and contradictory stories about stuff I genuinely don't give a poop about. I don't want to read about the backdrop to the signing of a fight, once the fight is made you can get all you need from ring records, fight tapes and video interviews.

Been trying to overcome the 'fan' writer tag so look further afield for ints. I've had differences of opinion with most promotional groups so I'm claiming objectivity on that basis. My job keeps me in good shape time and finance-wise so I'm not trying to forge a career in boxing -- I'm not a 'journalist', I'm just mired in boxing for now and can't/won't get out.

I genuinely fear for my sanity at times.

Bennie raises a good point, most people are jaded by the game and prolonged exposure does increase this feeling of disappointment but one stonking fight and that is all washed away for a few days and you feel full of optimism surging through your veins. Then the walls come crowding in and you end up weeping at a keyboard for two hours straight, which is disconcerting.

PS Only kidding, I only cry at the conclusion of Brokeback Mountain, Terms of Endearment and Ghost -- you have to, it is in the Magna Carta.

PSS I deleted my last post in this thread as it made me weep profusely. It was a cut and paste of the final scenes of Terms of Endearment -- prime Debra Winger has that effect on me.

Another great post mate!

Thanks. I was about to delete the text and replace it with ..., but I can't do that now. I've started to dabble with the idea of replacing my posts with photos of Bernard Bresslaw.

[el_grande_mauro_mina]

I'm starting to look more and more like him by the day!

[BunglesFingers]

Strictly a fan.
First fighters I watched were Bruno, McGuigan, Hagler, Hearns, Honeyghan, Tyson etc etc from the 80's. Then Benn, Watson, Eubank, Jones, Toney, Holyfield, Lewis in the 90's and too many other fighters to mention, even Hamed, if only to see him KO'd!
I used to watch every Sky/BBC/ITV fight night no matter what, would even stay in or insist that it be on the tv/radio wherever I was and gamble on quite a few fights too. I must have been fun to hang around! In the past few years I've ditched Sky due to the lack of quality matchups and the lack of characters in the sport. I'd watch more boxing if there was more on terrestrial tv but I will rarely pay for PPV after seeing so much garbage. The big fight night atmosphere of the past seems to be rare these days.
Had to give my heavy bag away recently too

[bluenoseshf]

My cousin trained as an AM for a couple of years and brought me along for when i was 12. Stuck at it for 3 years and had 15 fights. Unfortunatly i feel out of love with the training and had no respect for the coach so i gave it up (my cousin stuck in and is now a pro). When i went to uni when i was 17 started training a bit but never really applied myself to it fully as drink and birds were always more appealling. Have been training on and off for the last 5 years, wish i had stuck in when i was younger tho. Right now iam just a fan, dont get to many live shows but there arent many in scotland nowadays, hopefully ricky burns latest win will have changed this.

[Wake up call]

Terry Dooley aka King Geedorah (pretty certain he was God Father of Dole at one point) is one the most informed people in the game. Well known and respected by fighters and trainers and always writes good copy.

[Srebmun]

This is a pretty good thread, I must say.

[DavidPayne]

Its well known that you don't need to add the gritty, hardened prefix to Yorkshireman. Its a bit like saying Fast bowler Curtley Ambrose or fatty, sugar coated donut.

Just say Curtley Ambrose or donut.

Come on tel, we've been through this.

[JamesH]

I became hooked during the era of Benn, Eubank, Watson, Collins et al. My family would have only really had an interest in McGuigan prior to that period (the Irish connection), but that changed through the period of mids/supermids from 1990 and the years that followed. I was 10 at the time and had no appreciation of how good the coverage was, or the quantity.

I remember Jonathan Ross hosting a show featuring Eubank and Benn before their rematch; they had James Toney on video link offering out both Brits, and their 'mummas'. The audience packed with soap stars who I can't recall and various other stalwarts of 'family entertainment'. Eubank-Watson split our family, I, Tottenham against the rest, Arsenal. The fight at White Hart Lane and both fighters wearing shorts in the style of their respective football teams. Like Benn-McClellan, the outcome remains one of the saddest memories I have from the sport.

Bruno and Naseem took over attention for a while but my interest waned during my late teens-early twenties, I'd catch the odd fight here and there but without Sky, it was difficult to stay entirely in tune with the fights.

The internet was helpful in filling the void, albeit later than it should have been. Despite being online since 96, it never dawned on me that there would be an active scene for boxing. I eventually bookmarked the now defunct BritishBoxing.net and watched the first series of the contender (2004), the revitalised interest pushing me to start purchasing Boxing News. I remember reading a piece on BBN by Terry Dooley about Billy Graham and feeling inspired (around 2005) to write myself. I'd always wanted to write, circumstances (namely falling into another career) prevented me from following that path but here I found the chance to scratch that itch.

I contacted Ian McNeilly on the site and began sending articles in and benefitting (I hope) from his fantastic editing, but also insights to which I hadn’t previously been privy to. I ended up interviewing boxers I was a fan of (David Haye before the Mormeck fight and Cazalghe before Kessler were particular high points). BBN died, BoxRec news was born, the sun shined again

[DavidPayne]

I became hooked during the era of Benn, Eubank, Watson, Collins et al. My family would have only really had an interest in McGuigan prior to that period (the Irish connection), but that changed through the period of mids/supermids from 1990 and the years that followed. I was 10 at the time and had no appreciation of how good the coverage was, or the quantity.

I remember Jonathan Ross hosting a show featuring Eubank and Benn before their rematch; they had James Toney on video link offering out both Brits, and their 'mummas'. The audience packed with soap stars who I can't recall and various other stalwarts of 'family entertainment'. Eubank-Watson split our family, I, Tottenham against the rest, Arsenal. The fight at White Hart Lane and both fighters wearing shorts in the style of their respective football teams. Like Benn-McClellan, the outcome remains one of the saddest memories I have from the sport.

Bruno and Naseem took over attention for a while but my interest waned during my late teens-early twenties, I'd catch the odd fight here and there but without Sky, it was difficult to stay entirely in tune with the fights.

The internet was helpful in filling the void, albeit later than it should have been. Despite being online since 96, it never dawned on me that there would be an active scene for boxing. I eventually bookmarked the now defunct BritishBoxing.net and watched the first series of the contender (2004), the revitalised interest pushing me to start purchasing Boxing News. I remember reading a piece on BBN by Terry Dooley about Billy Graham and feeling inspired (around 2005) to write myself. I'd always wanted to write, circumstances (namely falling into another career) prevented me from following that path but here I found the chance to scratch that itch.

I contacted Ian McNeilly on the site and began sending articles in and benefitting (I hope) from his fantastic editing, but also insights to which I hadn’t previously been privy to. I ended up interviewing boxers I was a fan of (David Haye before the Mormeck fight and Cazalghe before Kessler were particular high points). BBN died, BoxRec news was born, the sun shined again :TU:

...and it was tab centred.

[Chris W 1982]

My first encounter with boxing was the first Mike Tyson-Frank Bruno fight. That was viewed with my excited father, who insisted beforehand that Bruno was out of his depth and would be stopped inside a round.

Following that, my interest only seemed to focus on the big fights that were occuring in Britain in the early to mid nineties. As a gullible youngster, any sporting promo that featured a thumping soundtrack ensured it was must-view TV for me and as a result I witnessed many great spectacles. Lennox Lewis-Razor Ruddock was special and so was the tragic Nigel Benn-Gerald McClellan fight. The rise of Prince Naseem Hamed was also popular amongst the playground on Monday morning too.

It was attending school with Tony Bellew that turned me from casual fan into hardcore addict though as his bedroom full of boxing beauties gave me a thrill that still remains to this day. Bellew, as he still is now, was a massive student of the game and his book, magazine and video collection was something to behold. He introduced me to the wonderful sights of Erik Morales, Roy Jones Jnr, Felix Trinidad, Ricardo Lopez, James Toney and Sugar Shane Mosley. He wasn't the most generous when it came to lending his collectables but every so often he'd give you the opportunity to borrow a number of tapes or the odd magazine. I made it my personal mission to compile a video library larger than his (something I achieved) and began buying Boxing Monthly/Boxing News religiously.

As the passion grew, so did Bellew and it wasn't long before I was following my friend around Britain as he went on to capture three ABA titles as well as a Four-Nations crown as well. His exploits took me to Portsmouth, Bradford, Leeds, Preston, Nantwich, London and a number of venues in Liverpool that I origiginally thought only served as nightclubs. The lack of attendance at amateur shows was an issue that shocked me at first but after reading about the sport on a regular basis, I came to realise that this was the norm.

I came to cover the sport in 2009 after years of saying "I'd eventually do it." Throughout school and college, I was informed by teachers and tutors that I had a good style of writing but I never fully believed in myself to give it a go. Along with a friend, I set up Merseygloves last September as I believed Liverpool was a hotbed for talent and I'd always had a caring feeling towards our city's boxers. Lots of people advised me to interview Bellew first but I thought that would be too easy and instead turned my focus towards Tony Dodson. Paul Smith was about to challenge Tony Quigley for the latter's British title and I thought Dodson would have an excellent opinion on it due to his background with both fighters. I obtained his number through a mutual friend and sent him a weak text message asking him if he could donate some of his time. He rang me back immediately and two days later I was sitting in his front room talking boxing for nearly three hours. The interview was well recieved by the public and I've been penning articles ever since. I covered Ryan Farrag's ABA semi triumph over Luke Campbell for the Liverpool Echo and the piece serves as a centrepiece on the Everton Red Triangle Gym wall. Every time I walk in there and see it, it gives me a massive sense of purpose and pride.

Although I'm a global boxing fan, nothing gives me a greater pleasure than watching someone from Merseyside do well for themselves through boxing as members of Liverpool's boxing community have been so supportive in helping me do something which I absolutely adore. Our website is now a magazine which has recieved marvellous feedback and I sincerely hope we can continue producing it for a long period to come.

There are too many people for me to thank in getting Merseygloves this far but I'd like to give a massive thank you to the following people. Tony Bellew and Dave Tonks for being good friends and for opening so many doors for me. Alan Lynch and Damian Ridpath, who have given me unlimited access to all that's going on within amateur boxing on Merseyside. Ian McNeilly, Danny Flexen, Glyn Leach, Terry Dooley and Nick Peet for your creative advice and for giving me a platform to display my work, and my Merseygloves partner Stephen Speed who I have enjoyed countless road trips with. Many, many more to come brother.

[lefty]

My first encounter with boxing was the first Mike Tyson-Frank Bruno fight. That was viewed with my excited father, who insisted beforehand that Bruno was out of his depth and would be stopped inside a round.

Following that, my interest only seemed to focus on the big fights that were occuring in Britain in the early to mid nineties. As a gullible youngster, any sporting promo that featured a thumping soundtrack ensured it was must-view TV for me and as a result I witnessed many great spectacles. Lennox Lewis-Razor Ruddock was special and so was the tragic Nigel Benn-Gerald McClellan fight. The rise of Prince Naseem Hamed was also popular amongst the playground on Monday morning too.

It was attending school with Tony Bellew that turned me from casual fan into hardcore addict though as his bedroom full of boxing beauties gave me a thrill that still remains to this day. Bellew, as he still is now, was a massive student of the game and his book, magazine and video collection was something to behold. He introduced me to the wonderful sights of Erik Morales, Roy Jones Jnr, Felix Trinidad, Ricardo Lopez, James Toney and Sugar Shane Mosley. He wasn't the most generous when it came to lending his collectables but every so often he'd give you the opportunity to borrow a number of tapes or the odd magazine. I made it my personal mission to compile a video library larger than his (something I achieved) and began buying Boxing Monthly/Boxing News religiously.

As the passion grew, so did Bellew and it wasn't long before I was following my friend around Britain as he went on to capture three ABA titles as well as a Four-Nations crown as well. His exploits took me to Portsmouth, Bradford, Leeds, Preston, Nantwich, London and a number of venues in Liverpool that I origiginally thought only served as nightclubs. The lack of attendance at amateur shows was an issue that shocked me at first but after reading about the sport on a regular basis, I came to realise that this was the norm.

I came to cover the sport in 2009 after years of saying "I'd eventually do it." Throughout school and college, I was informed by teachers and tutors that I had a good style of writing but I never fully believed in myself to give it a go. Along with a friend, I set up Merseygloves last September as I believed Liverpool was a hotbed for talent and I'd always had a caring feeling towards our city's boxers. Lots of people advised me to interview Bellew first but I thought that would be too easy and instead turned my focus towards Tony Dodson. Paul Smith was about to challenge Tony Quigley for the latter's British title and I thought Dodson would have an excellent opinion on it due to his background with both fighters. I obtained his number through a mutual friend and sent him a weak text message asking him if he could donate some of his time. He rang me back immediately and two days later I was sitting in his front room talking boxing for nearly three hours. The interview was well recieved by the public and I've been penning articles ever since. I covered Ryan Farrag's ABA semi triumph over Luke Campbell for the Liverpool Echo and the piece serves as a centrepiece on the Everton Red Triangle Gym wall. Every time I walk in there and see it, it gives me a massive sense of purpose and pride.

Although I'm a global boxing fan, nothing gives me a greater pleasure than watching someone from Merseyside do well for themselves through boxing as members of Liverpool's boxing community have been so supportive in helping me do something which I absolutely adore. Our website is now a magazine which has recieved marvellous feedback and I sincerely hope we can continue producing it for a long period to come.

There are too many people for me to thank in getting Merseygloves this far but I'd like to give a massive thank you to the following people. Tony Bellew and Dave Tonks for being good friends and for opening so many doors for me. Alan Lynch and Damian Ridpath, who have given me unlimited access to all that's going on within amateur boxing on Merseyside. Ian McNeilly, Danny Flexen, Glyn Leach, Terry Dooley and Nick Peet for your creative advice and for giving me a platform to display my work, and my Merseygloves partner Stephen Speed who I have enjoyed countless road trips with. Many, many more to come brother.

Another great post! ...i'm really glad i started this thread now :)

[jamesmcdonnell]

I can't remember when I fell in love with boxing; I can't remember when I fell out of love with boxing.

I know how you feel.

Too much bullshit. Too much talk. Not enough action.

Most of the big fights are dissapointing too.

x 3 ....Too many shitheads involved in the biznizz also.

my interest has waned in recent years.

My problem is that at top level, most of the big names don't want to take any real risks. Once someone gets to a point where they are bankable, and they can call the shots, they just feed off those they know they have the beating of, for big paydays. Imagine if Nadal and Federer had spent the last 4 years wrangling over paydays and TV rights rather than playing one another.

[jBacca]

My first encounter with boxing was the first Mike Tyson-Frank Bruno fight. That was viewed with my excited father, who insisted beforehand that Bruno was out of his depth and would be stopped inside a round.

Following that, my interest only seemed to focus on the big fights that were occuring in Britain in the early to mid nineties. As a gullible youngster, any sporting promo that featured a thumping soundtrack ensured it was must-view TV for me and as a result I witnessed many great spectacles. Lennox Lewis-Razor Ruddock was special and so was the tragic Nigel Benn-Gerald McClellan fight. The rise of Prince Naseem Hamed was also popular amongst the playground on Monday morning too.

It was attending school with Tony Bellew that turned me from casual fan into hardcore addict though as his bedroom full of boxing beauties gave me a thrill that still remains to this day. Bellew, as he still is now, was a massive student of the game and his book, magazine and video collection was something to behold. He introduced me to the wonderful sights of Erik Morales, Roy Jones Jnr, Felix Trinidad, Ricardo Lopez, James Toney and Sugar Shane Mosley. He wasn't the most generous when it came to lending his collectables but every so often he'd give you the opportunity to borrow a number of tapes or the odd magazine. I made it my personal mission to compile a video library larger than his (something I achieved) and began buying Boxing Monthly/Boxing News religiously.

As the passion grew, so did Bellew and it wasn't long before I was following my friend around Britain as he went on to capture three ABA titles as well as a Four-Nations crown as well. His exploits took me to Portsmouth, Bradford, Leeds, Preston, Nantwich, London and a number of venues in Liverpool that I origiginally thought only served as nightclubs. The lack of attendance at amateur shows was an issue that shocked me at first but after reading about the sport on a regular basis, I came to realise that this was the norm.

I came to cover the sport in 2009 after years of saying "I'd eventually do it." Throughout school and college, I was informed by teachers and tutors that I had a good style of writing but I never fully believed in myself to give it a go. Along with a friend, I set up Merseygloves last September as I believed Liverpool was a hotbed for talent and I'd always had a caring feeling towards our city's boxers. Lots of people advised me to interview Bellew first but I thought that would be too easy and instead turned my focus towards Tony Dodson. Paul Smith was about to challenge Tony Quigley for the latter's British title and I thought Dodson would have an excellent opinion on it due to his background with both fighters. I obtained his number through a mutual friend and sent him a weak text message asking him if he could donate some of his time. He rang me back immediately and two days later I was sitting in his front room talking boxing for nearly three hours. The interview was well recieved by the public and I've been penning articles ever since. I covered Ryan Farrag's ABA semi triumph over Luke Campbell for the Liverpool Echo and the piece serves as a centrepiece on the Everton Red Triangle Gym wall. Every time I walk in there and see it, it gives me a massive sense of purpose and pride.

Although I'm a global boxing fan, nothing gives me a greater pleasure than watching someone from Merseyside do well for themselves through boxing as members of Liverpool's boxing community have been so supportive in helping me do something which I absolutely adore. Our website is now a magazine which has recieved marvellous feedback and I sincerely hope we can continue producing it for a long period to come.

There are too many people for me to thank in getting Merseygloves this far but I'd like to give a massive thank you to the following people. Tony Bellew and Dave Tonks for being good friends and for opening so many doors for me. Alan Lynch and Damian Ridpath, who have given me unlimited access to all that's going on within amateur boxing on Merseyside. Ian McNeilly, Danny Flexen, Glyn Leach, Terry Dooley and Nick Peet for your creative advice and for giving me a platform to display my work, and my Merseygloves partner Stephen Speed who I have enjoyed countless road trips with. Many, many more to come brother.

Lovely post. You're an absolute credit to the city, a gem. It did my head in having to rely on the Echo for updates regarding our city's boxing achievements, and when your site came a long I was over the moon.... and now you've graced us with a magazine!

Hope you and Mr Speed keep up the hard work, it must feel good having created something that is that bit special.

[Nightmare Roy]

I'm just a fan, got into during the Benn, Eubank era in big way. My Grandad was a very good amature and I have a few friends who boxed, and they were always trying to get me to give it a go, but i liked my woodbines and bevvies too much and its not the sort of sport you can't take seriously. I wish i was taken down the gym before i developed any bad habits when i was a little kid.

[rhino222]

I first got the boxing but at age 8 (?1971) when i started boxing at boarding school (glebe house, hunstanton, herbie hides old school) i had 12 fights (won 10) between ages 8 and 11.....and i was hooked.

I followed all the top fighters through the ages, from the finnigans to conteh through to minter etc....benn...sugar ray.....i could name 300.

I was lucky enough to, along with spud, work and help out for a few panix promotion shows etc from about 2000. highlight was probably picking the klitschkos up from heathrow and being their driver for a few days, all great fun. I also dont mind a bit of writing and have penned various articles for DHB and ESB over the years. Along the way ive developed friendships with various boxers etc.

Boxing is the greatest sport in the world, occasionally the most unpredictable, sometimes too predictable. its like a bloody drug...but i love it.

[misticmonk]

My first encounter with boxing was the first Mike Tyson-Frank Bruno fight. That was viewed with my excited father, who insisted beforehand that Bruno was out of his depth and would be stopped inside a round.

Following that, my interest only seemed to focus on the big fights that were occuring in Britain in the early to mid nineties. As a gullible youngster, any sporting promo that featured a thumping soundtrack ensured it was must-view TV for me and as a result I witnessed many great spectacles. Lennox Lewis-Razor Ruddock was special and so was the tragic Nigel Benn-Gerald McClellan fight. The rise of Prince Naseem Hamed was also popular amongst the playground on Monday morning too.

It was attending school with Tony Bellew that turned me from casual fan into hardcore addict though as his bedroom full of boxing beauties gave me a thrill that still remains to this day. Bellew, as he still is now, was a massive student of the game and his book, magazine and video collection was something to behold. He introduced me to the wonderful sights of Erik Morales, Roy Jones Jnr, Felix Trinidad, Ricardo Lopez, James Toney and Sugar Shane Mosley. He wasn't the most generous when it came to lending his collectables but every so often he'd give you the opportunity to borrow a number of tapes or the odd magazine. I made it my personal mission to compile a video library larger than his (something I achieved) and began buying Boxing Monthly/Boxing News religiously.

As the passion grew, so did Bellew and it wasn't long before I was following my friend around Britain as he went on to capture three ABA titles as well as a Four-Nations crown as well. His exploits took me to Portsmouth, Bradford, Leeds, Preston, Nantwich, London and a number of venues in Liverpool that I origiginally thought only served as nightclubs. The lack of attendance at amateur shows was an issue that shocked me at first but after reading about the sport on a regular basis, I came to realise that this was the norm.

I came to cover the sport in 2009 after years of saying "I'd eventually do it." Throughout school and college, I was informed by teachers and tutors that I had a good style of writing but I never fully believed in myself to give it a go. Along with a friend, I set up Merseygloves last September as I believed Liverpool was a hotbed for talent and I'd always had a caring feeling towards our city's boxers. Lots of people advised me to interview Bellew first but I thought that would be too easy and instead turned my focus towards Tony Dodson. Paul Smith was about to challenge Tony Quigley for the latter's British title and I thought Dodson would have an excellent opinion on it due to his background with both fighters. I obtained his number through a mutual friend and sent him a weak text message asking him if he could donate some of his time. He rang me back immediately and two days later I was sitting in his front room talking boxing for nearly three hours. The interview was well recieved by the public and I've been penning articles ever since. I covered Ryan Farrag's ABA semi triumph over Luke Campbell for the Liverpool Echo and the piece serves as a centrepiece on the Everton Red Triangle Gym wall. Every time I walk in there and see it, it gives me a massive sense of purpose and pride.

Although I'm a global boxing fan, nothing gives me a greater pleasure than watching someone from Merseyside do well for themselves through boxing as members of Liverpool's boxing community have been so supportive in helping me do something which I absolutely adore. Our website is now a magazine which has recieved marvellous feedback and I sincerely hope we can continue producing it for a long period to come.

There are too many people for me to thank in getting Merseygloves this far but I'd like to give a massive thank you to the following people. Tony Bellew and Dave Tonks for being good friends and for opening so many doors for me. Alan Lynch and Damian Ridpath, who have given me unlimited access to all that's going on within amateur boxing on Merseyside. Ian McNeilly, Danny Flexen, Glyn Leach, Terry Dooley and Nick Peet for your creative advice and for giving me a platform to display my work, and my Merseygloves partner Stephen Speed who I have enjoyed countless road trips with. Many, many more to come brother.

Felt I was at the oscars there for a moment. DD

[Chris W 1982]

Ha Ha.

Brought back some good memories writing it

[dondada]

Our website is now a magazine which has recieved marvellous feedback and I sincerely hope we can continue producing it for a long period to come.

Chris has done an unbelievable job with his mag. Talk about a labour of love. A must read for every Scouse fight fan and plenty of interest for those beyond the region.

Keep up up, fella

[SweetLikeSugar]

Seconded. Last month's was the first one I've read and I was very impressed with the way it is put together.

Looking forward to the new issue dropping through my letterbox.

[n1ebf]

.

[Deserter]

First vivid memory of watching boxing was following McGuigan in the early 80s as the old man was Irish. However, actually wanted to box prior to that as went down to the local ABC when I was in my last year of junior school with a friend. Loved it, but he didn't want to go back, and didn't have the confidence at that age to go by myself so didn't carry on.
Continued to follow boxing throughout my teens but ended up taking up Tae Kwon Do (TAGB) from 11 onwards and was obsessive about martial arts in general. Got increasingly disillusioned with semi-contact sparring though so when the opportunity presented itself I started boxing at the grand old age of 20. Ended up having 10 fights, losing one, which was at the Quarter-final stage of the Novice ABAs at Welter - if my memory's correct, the guy I lost to on points later got wiped out in a round by Jamie Cox, which gave me some context on my potential
Said this before and I'll say it again.... so, so wish I'd carried on going when I was 9/10, as at 20 just found it impossible to balance career aspirations with the sport.

[Deno1986]

My uncle's father was a referee and later a trainer in Ireland and he got me into the gym for the first time when I was 12. Had a handful of amateur fights but I wasn't very good and I am now where I should be - in the armchair. My dad is a big fan aswell and he has a large collection of fights which I grew up watching.