Ringside idea...... Opinions?

[Glyn Leach]

What about people like yourself on there Glyn?

Nah, we need knowledgeable guests ;;-)

Cheers Scott lol. No, I'm not interested in doing TV at all. Don't mind a bit of radio because I love talking boxing, but the thought of being recognised going down the street horrifies me, I'm way too fond of my privacy for that. Can't be many people who have owned and edited a magazine for 20-odd years but never put their own picture in it, but I haven't. That's not to say I'm not ridiculously good looking of course, but my concern is always for our readers — I'd be doing them a disservice if their women were forever cutting my picture out of their magazines and spoiling their pristine collections.

[earsjohn]

Don't think I'm being a miseryguts because I like a laugh as much as anyone, but with only one hour a week being dedicated to a boxing magazine show, I really don't want to see that precious time being wasted on pop stars with only a passing interest in the sport plugging their latest record etc. For me, Soccer AM stopped working as a show once it became as much part of the product-plug publicity circuit as Richard and Judy. For me, a fast-moving fight show with lots of items and strong guests is the way to go.

100% this. Ringside is doing well and is a good show for people who actually want to hear about boxing as compared to a general entertainment show. However, everytime I watch it, all I can think is "it's just not as good as Bunce's boxing hour".

Bunce's show was great fun and a good laugh but did not have to resort to celebrity challenges etc. It set the standard for magazine style shows and I think this format worked well - strong guests, fight clips, previews and opinions on the boxing world. Despite everyone doing well on Ringside, I would love for SKY to take a chance on Bunce and Kerr and get the boxing hour going again.

It's going to be like heresy on here, but I was never convinced by Bunce's boxing hour. There's no doubting the big mans enthusiasm and love of boxing and there were great guest with an editorial policy that wasnt forced to focus on Setanta only fighters. But Bunce is not a TV front man and this had an impact of the style of the show. It lacked the slickness of Ringside. Saying all this, his BBC London Radio show is a must listen.

[doctorboxing]

It's going to be like heresy on here, but I was never convinced by Bunce's boxing hour. There's no doubting the big mans enthusiasm and love of boxing and there were great guest with an editorial policy that wasnt forced to focus on Setanta only fighters. But Bunce is not a TV front man and this had an impact of the style of the show. It lacked the slickness of Ringside. Saying all this, his BBC London Radio show is a must listen.

Obviously its all about opinions but I liked the "less-slick" feel of the boxing hour. It seemed like the guests were more at ease and just having a chat instead of a more formal interview. It had a little bit more of a "homely" feel and really felt like they were talking about the things the fans wanted and of course Bunce could go off topic on a rant at any moment. I could just imagine a SKy bigwig having a heart-attack if one of their presenters ignored the script and went off on one about something.

Saying that, Ringside is a very good show...... plus its all we have

[Final round]

Good to see Bob Mee on tonight 8) , maybe they could get him to do a short section on a boxing great from the past each week comprising clips and info. Would be a good way to get newcomers into the history of the sport.

[iamasadlittleboy]

Just one complaint, why did they throw Katsidis' name around for Khan? Seems a little bit distasteful considering the reason he's just pulled out of a fight. Was it that they didn't know at the time or something?...(Sorry not a big complaint just seemed a little bit...wrong)

[DavidPayne]

For all the ideas and nit-picking, could I just state that Adam Smith deserves a lot of credit for this show. He's been criticised mercilessly on forums for about 10 years but since taking the reigns of the boxing output this show has clearly doffed its cap to fan input.

The willingness to cover non-sky fighters alone is a tremendous achievement in its own right. It will also serve to assist the likes of Froch in trying to get their fights on Sky too.

His motives and qualifications have been quizzed in the past but I have to say Adam has done great work with the existing template.

Camera time for Mee and Robinson is first class, proper boxing people, and I think while we all miss Buncey's hour, this has to be a different animal because of the channel and it works well. It will continue to improve if Ed's comments about listening and adapting hold true in the months ahead.

A big thumbs up from me. Don't get me wrong, a muck and nettles show with Buncey would be good too on ESPN or ITV4 but nobody bit when it was hot, it seems unlikely to be resurrected now.

[boxingchat]

The set is very small, I don't think you'd be able to set up a circuit. Those punchball machines are fun but no way would you want a professional boxer hitting one without bandages and a glove. I agree Ringside might benefit from some fun competition. It would have to similar to the cross bar challenge on Soccer A.M. something that could be filmed around the gyms each week and wouldn't run too long. Very open to suggestions....

How about getting Anthony Small on there as a 'Stig' like character and letting all guests punch him him in the mouth each week for a full series then at the end, edit the whole thing to music for a laugh and throw whats left of him on a skip?

A surefire ratings winner!!

[Asterix]

The set is very small, I don't think you'd be able to set up a circuit. Those punchball machines are fun but no way would you want a professional boxer hitting one without bandages and a glove. I agree Ringside might benefit from some fun competition. It would have to similar to the cross bar challenge on Soccer A.M. something that could be filmed around the gyms each week and wouldn't run too long. Very open to suggestions....

How about getting Anthony Small on there as a 'Stig' like character and letting all guests punch him him in the mouth each week for a full series then at the end, edit the whole thing to music for a laugh and throw whats left of him on a skip?

A surefire ratings winner!!

Maybe you should be that character?

[junior pepa seed]

a lot of boxers skip...apart from enzo calzaghes camp.... how about some sort of most skips in a minute or something? no homo

[el_grande_mauro_mina]

The set is very small, I don't think you'd be able to set up a circuit. Those punchball machines are fun but no way would you want a professional boxer hitting one without bandages and a glove. I agree Ringside might benefit from some fun competition. It would have to similar to the cross bar challenge on Soccer A.M. something that could be filmed around the gyms each week and wouldn't run too long. Very open to suggestions....

How about getting Anthony Small on there as a 'Stig' like character and letting all guests punch him him in the mouth each week for a full series then at the end, edit the whole thing to music for a laugh and throw whats left of him on a skip?

A surefire ratings winner!!

Maybe you should be that character?

That was funny!!

[elephant man]

Replace Nelson with Buncey

[Emmseegee]

Depending non bunceys price and skys available £'s it would be good 2 see buncey on the road around the gyms etc like people have suggested meeting interesting characters etc and giving the fans a peek into the background of the current scene

[WOODDDDDDDYA]

You'd be lucky to get active boxers to hit a punch bag machine.
That, along side with arm wrestling are massive no no's for potential injuries.
Be great though I agree.

I remember Darren Purse beating Carl Froch on one of those machines during Soccer AM. I think the show is fine but it could be better. In my opinion it doesn't need a co-host. Paul Demspey did a great job presenting the old show on his own and I feel the Smith/Nelson partnership is a bit wooden to watch. Johnny's done well on the BBC Inside Out show but on Ringside he does ask 'random' questions out of the blue to the guests in the studio. I personally would like to see Sky do more features on international fighters like Martinez, Adamek & Gamboa which would increase their profile to the UK audience. Another feature could be on the unsung heroes of british boxing, characters like Nobby Nobbs and Peter Buckley. It was great seeing Lennox Lewis working for Sky on the Haye/Harrison PPV but I feel we have fantastic former champions with big personalities who never seem to appear on the panel at all. Lets get Tyson, Hagler or Sugar Ray Leonard to join the panel or let them work with Darkie doing the commentating for a fight. Celebrities love Boxing, Sky should ask a few of them to do short films about boxers who they admire. I would love to see the likes of Hugh McIlvanney, Thomas Hauser & Steve Bunce given the opportunity to make a mini-documentary on the issues that's facing boxing today. Sky could also follow the Germany model of sexing up their big fight coverage by having rock stars play in the arena and putting on spectacular entrances.

Sidenote: Should Sky add Gary Norman and Gary Newburn to their boxing team?

[earsjohn]

You'd be lucky to get active boxers to hit a punch bag machine.
That, along side with arm wrestling are massive no no's for potential injuries.
Be great though I agree.

I remember Darren Purse beating Carl Froch on one of those machines during Soccer AM. I think the show is fine but it could be better. In my opinion it doesn't need a co-host. Paul Demspey did a great job presenting the old show on his own and I feel the Smith/Nelson partnership is a bit wooden to watch. Johnny's done well on the BBC Inside Out show but on Ringside he does ask 'random' questions out of the blue to the guests in the studio. I personally would like to see Sky do more features on international fighters like Martinez, Adamek & Gamboa which would increase their profile to the UK audience. Another feature could be on the unsung heroes of british boxing, characters like Nobby Nobbs and Peter Buckley. It was great seeing Lennox Lewis working for Sky on the Haye/Harrison PPV but I feel we have fantastic former champions with big personalities who never seem to appear on the panel at all. Lets get Tyson, Hagler or Sugar Ray Leonard to join the panel or let them work with Darkie doing the commentating for a fight. Celebrities love Boxing, Sky should ask a few of them to do short films about boxers who they admire. I would love to see the likes of Hugh McIlvanney, Thomas Hauser & Steve Bunce given the opportunity to make a mini-documentary on the issues that's facing boxing today. Sky could also follow the Germany model of sexing up their big fight coverage by having rock stars play in the arena and putting on spectacular entrances.

Sidenote: Should Sky add Gary Norman and Gary Newburn to their boxing team?

I would leave the country if Gary Newbon was added to the boxing coverage. There are very few people on TV who anger me more than him. The self aggrandising, sanctimonious pillock.

[Bennyblanco]

I think ringside is doin great the way it's going, I would certainly be turning off if they went down a soccer AM route, I'm a massive football fan and i used to like soccer am but it's just not that funny anymore. The only way I'd improve ringside is maybe put a different round of boxing on from n old fight in there vast archive every week. It was greet seeing some of those old rounds from lennox fights on the special they did on him.

Keep up the good work though

[Finn]

I think the punchbag idea is spot on, would love to see that!

Yeah thats a cracking idea!

As for the rest of the show and presenters I think they are all pretty spot on. I like the insight given by guys who have actually boxed at a high level, and from real fight fans.

As someone else has said, i tune in to get an insight into fights, fighters, matchups and the like, not watch soccer am.

Not that soccer am isnt good, but it doesnt exactley increase your knowledge of football. Its more of a fun show themed around football rather than a show about football.

Ringside is more of our match of the day type show.
But the carnival punch bag idea would be a good crack.

[Boxingmad]

This isn't really a ringside idea but Idea but I'd love to see the hbo 24/7 series on sky before a big fight. Love those types of shows

Sky tested the waters with a 24/7 style series before the Haye v Harrison fight. Looked good by all accounts. They should do it again.

[Glyn Leach]

Did look good. Some people thought 'the voice' they had narrating over it was a bit over the top, but I quite liked the sense of drama it brought to it. Those type of shows, when done well as Sky's 'Behind The Ropes' was, definitely draw in the non boxing public IMO. In know that in future they would like those shows to go out on Sky One as well, not just the sports channels. I think that's a terrific idea - the more new fans we can draw into boxing, the better.

[Emmseegee]

All the HBO 24/7 shows should be shown aswell if possible, they're are great documentarys

Some people hate the idea of adding any humour to the programme and others like it.
I think the biggest advantages of doing this would be that it would advertise the personalitys of the fighters. Personaltys sell, that's why naz was big, hatton was big and also why Haye is a big draw. Boxing fans want to watch these kind of characters, average sports fans want to watch them and even girlfriends and children etc want to watch them after they see them on chat shows etc. If someone comes across well people tune in wanting to see them win, if they come across badly people tune in wanting to see them get whoooped so it's a winner either way.

A bit of humour on the show would attract new fans and if it wasn't over the top it wouldn't scare off the existing hardcore fans. comments like "boxing isn't a game, it's a dangerous sport" etc to me are no reason not to add humour to the show. These fighters etc know how serious the sport is and I can guarantee they still manage to bring a lot of fun and jokes into they're gym.

Again I'd also like to add that at no point has anyone here made any bad comments about the programme which shows how good the show actually is! Just wanted to make that point again incase anyone thought otherwise!!!!

[Mooresy]

All the HBO 24/7 shows should be shown aswell if possible, they're are great documentarys

Some people hate the idea of adding any humour to the programme and others like it.
I think the biggest advantages of doing this would be that it would advertise the personalitys of the fighters. Personaltys sell, that's why naz was big, hatton was big and also why Haye is a big draw. Boxing fans want to watch these kind of characters, average sports fans want to watch them and even girlfriends and children etc want to watch them after they see them on chat shows etc. If someone comes across well people tune in wanting to see them win, if they come across badly people tune in wanting to see them get whoooped so it's a winner either way.

A bit of humour on the show would attract new fans and if it wasn't over the top it wouldn't scare off the existing hardcore fans. comments like "boxing isn't a game, it's a dangerous sport" etc to me are no reason not to add humour to the show. These fighters etc know how serious the sport is and I can guarantee they still manage to bring a lot of fun and jokes into they're gym.

Again I'd also like to add that at no point has anyone here made any bad comments about the programme which shows how good the show actually is! Just wanted to make that point again incase anyone thought otherwise!!!!

Agree with you there fella, some funny stuff happens in gyms around the world and the banter is always full on....until it's time to get serious, and then everyone changes, like flicking a switch.

[Emmseegee]

The old "work hard play hard" theory!

[Mooresy]

The old "work hard play hard" theory!

Exactly!

[hurlock]

maybe get some celebrity boxing fan's to come on & speak & buncey is great to kick off the banter.

i could imagine tom jones coming on to have a gyrating dance off in his tight pants v are one & only salford snake hips mooresy D

[WOODDDDDDDYA]

I would leave the country if Gary Newbon was added to the boxing coverage. There are very few people on TV who anger me more than him. The self aggrandising, sanctimonious pillock.

I knew mentioning Newbon would wind somebody up.

Does anymore think Sky should make a their own version of Legendary Nights? They could screen this series after the end of the boxing season.
They could feature fights like:
Tyson vs Bruno
Eubank vs Collins
Hamed vs Kelley
Holyfield vs Lewis
Arthur vs Gomez
Tszyu vs Hatton
Moore vs Macklin
Mayweather vs Hatton
Khan vs Maidana
etc.

[m1kee50]

There is nowt comic about boxing. It is earnest, epic, tragic, dramatic and chock-full of pathos. I take this sport incredibly seriously and expect the pundits to be as reverent, well-dressed and fragrant as me.

BANG ON