Trouble at the Boxing

[m1kee50]

well then theres three ways it seems to deal with it -
- ban alcohol sales and refuse entry to drunks
- Greater collaboration of police and stewards towards actually dealing with and prosecuting troublemakers
- banning repeat offenders from boxing shows, by some method.

[palooka]

The bother is generally at the big shows. There has been a move to get a popular boxer to be aligned to a football team; in order to tap into the fans allegiance and get a cross over effect. I can remember Joe Calzaghe boxing in Newcastle and he was wearing a Newcastle United shirt.

When you've got a big show with boxers and fans (plenty of whom have been to a match and the boozers) within close distance to another group; it will go off. Football is massively policed and marshalled compared to years ago. Fans are escorted from the station and herded to the ground and then back again. Helicopters are generally overhead and there are undercover cops in among the fans. The boxing is a far easier place to kick off. The stewards are pretty much unprepared for anything except a scuffle.

[Nikolidante]

Trouble has always been at boxing it's nothing new. Been to loads of shows over the years and some have had next to no trouble while others kick off.
Usually the late ones for us tv are bad cos everyone is pissed by 2am .
Lewis v Bruno for example Kicked off whereas Lewis v Botha had 2 blokes ejected for fighting eachother.

[Russ L]

Lewis v Botha had 2 blokes ejected for fighting eachother.

This certainly didn't happen at Haye vs Harrison etc etc etc.

[freddydoesdallas]

Trouble has always been at boxing it's nothing new. Been to loads of shows over the years and some have had next to no trouble while others kick off.
Usually the late ones for us tv are bad cos everyone is pissed by 2am .
Lewis v Bruno for example Kicked off whereas Lewis v Botha had 2 blokes ejected for fighting eachother.

It's gone a bit different though in the last year, it's not just the odd scuffle, it's big groups of people fighting across the seats. These were events that were over by about 10:30 as well.

The main point of this thread is that the people involved in organising these events do not prepare for the scale of trouble that has been seen recently. There's more security at a Hannah Montana show than at a big boxing event!!

[saturday_kid]

Sometimes football "firms" will attach themselves to boxing/a boxer and kick off.

Remember it kicking off with West Brom lads and Scottish after Mutley lost to Anderson. Forest and Scousers when Froch fought Dodson, Wolves fighting each other at Dean Harrison fights etc

[CB]

Sometimes football "firms" will attach themselves to boxing/a boxer and kick off.

Remember it kicking off with West Brom lads and Scottish after Mutley lost to Anderson. Forest and Scousers when Froch fought Dodson, Wolves fighting each other at Dean Harrison fights etc

Or that people who fight at football actually, shock horror, like and follow a sport where two people fight each other in a ring.

Like someone else said previously football and boxing supporters are a lot of the time one and the same.

[saturday_kid]

Sometimes football "firms" will attach themselves to boxing/a boxer and kick off.

Remember it kicking off with West Brom lads and Scottish after Mutley lost to Anderson. Forest and Scousers when Froch fought Dodson, Wolves fighting each other at Dean Harrison fights etc

Or that people who fight at football actually, shock horror, like and follow a sport where two people fight each other in a ring.

Like someone else said previously football and boxing supporters are a lot of the time one and the same.

Not saying they dont but I know more would/do attend if they are using at as a chance to meet another "firm".

Remember there being trouble all over Wolverhampton city centre after the Colin Lynes Vs Young Mutley fight as the wolves hooligan element had gathered en masse in the city (not in the venue) thinking the west brom hooligans would be at the boxing supporting Mutley.

[mkirkhope]

I was sitting 'ringside' (4th row) at prizefighter so got to watch all the fighting in the crowd from quite a safe distance. Glad I wasn't sitting where it was taking place. I think this is a real embarrassment to the sport and I spoke to several people sitting nearer where it took place that wont be back. One of the issues was that it was building for a while and security need to learn that that is the time to step in and get people to calm down, not when the fighting has already started.

It's interesting that although participation in boxing and boxercise-style classes is going through the roof, attendances (or demand for tickets) at these events isn't improving at all. This sort of behaviour is probably one of the reasons why. As mentioned earlier there were plenty women in that stand and older people too. It's not really acceptable any more.

To be fair, events like prizefighter lend themselves to trouble because you've got lots of evenly sized groups of people supporting different fighters. At some big fights in the UK, 80% of the audience are probably there to support one guy so there isn't the same edginess in the crowd. No excuse though.

[lefty]

the boxers are on peanuts for the most part. Promoters make a loss on small hall jobs generally speaking...nobody's gonna pay security. Even the big shows where you've got stink jobs like David Haye getting rich the security id fcking abysmal.
Under no, no circumstances whatsoever would I take my Mrs to a big show any more.

if promoters make a loss on the most part on small hall promotions why do they even bother putting them on?!Whats the purpose of it if you're actually going to lose money or is it a case of losing in the short term and hopefully recuperating it at a later date when a particular fighter is a big star?

[lefty]

Ps isnt there laws against having inadequate security at live sporting events because of the risk to the public?!

[SAPFO]

Ps isnt there laws against having inadequate security at live sporting events because of the risk to the public?!

Plenty of 'security', it is just most are old lady ticket Nazi's.

[lefty]

Ps isnt there laws against having inadequate security at live sporting events because of the risk to the public?!

Plenty of 'security', it is just most are old lady ticket Nazi's.

yeah but if its inadequate surely thats illegal or is it a case of the old loophole of aslong as the numbers are there they can say that they're providing the security needed?

[freddydoesdallas]

Ps isnt there laws against having inadequate security at live sporting events because of the risk to the public?!

Plenty of 'security', it is just most are old lady ticket Nazi's.

yeah but if its inadequate surely thats illegal or is it a case of the old loophole of aslong as the numbers are there they can say that they're providing the security needed?

I'm not too sure but i think they're leaving themselves open to potential lawsuits. Wouldn't suprise me if it was one of the idiots that start the trouble

[m1kee50]

at the footy you can take a soft drink to your seat - potentially next to the pitch, and no-one gives a sh1t... can I do the same at boxing? no I bloody cant, thanks to the same security people that cant or wont stop trouble... saying that, ive not seen any trouble at Brentwood or Goresbrook the times Ive been, some very volatile atmospheres but no trouble

[SAPFO]

What does you over is rushing to the bar between bouts, and shoving 2 pints down ya neck! Let me drink while watching the boxing and you won't get a load of Welsh/Brummies/Scousers/Cockneys meeting in the bogs between every fight.

[jBacca]

What does you over is rushing to the bar between bouts, and shoving 2 pints down ya neck! Let me drink while watching the boxing and you won't get a load of Welsh/Brummies/Scousers/Cockneys meeting in the bogs between every fight.

We all had a blaze at the Echo Arena. Toilets were like an Amsterdam coffee-shop, everyone was getting on!

[Asterix]

at the footy you can take a soft drink to your seat - potentially next to the pitch, and no-one gives a sh1t... can I do the same at boxing? no I bloody cant, thanks to the same security people that cant or wont stop trouble... saying that, ive not seen any trouble at Brentwood or Goresbrook the times Ive been, some very volatile atmospheres but no trouble

There was trouble at Brentwood for McDermott vs Fury I. :(

[TerribleTerry]

What does you over is rushing to the bar between bouts, and shoving 2 pints down ya neck! Let me drink while watching the boxing and you won't get a load of Welsh/Brummies/Scousers/Cockneys meeting in the bogs between every fight.

We all had a blaze at the Echo Arena. Toilets were like an Amsterdam coffee-shop, everyone was getting on!

Same thing happened at the last 2 MEN shows I was at

[m1kee50]

at the footy you can take a soft drink to your seat - potentially next to the pitch, and no-one gives a sh1t... can I do the same at boxing? no I bloody cant, thanks to the same security people that cant or wont stop trouble... saying that, ive not seen any trouble at Brentwood or Goresbrook the times Ive been, some very volatile atmospheres but no trouble

There was trouble at Brentwood for McDermott vs Fury I. :(

i didnt go to that one, maybe im the calming influence that was missing lol

[whicker]

My experince of trouble at boxing always happens at bigger venues!

Usually a bigger diversity of fans!

Exactly. At most "small hall" shows these days there is usually only one group of fans, supporting the home fighters.

[whicker]

Part of the problem, too, is a general failure to control the crowds . The simple example is the habit they have of letting people arrive whenever the hell they like, and to drift in and out to the bar whenever they like.

At football, the theatre, cinema, concerts, wrestling, horse racing , dogs etc, it's nearly always the case that most people arrive for the start of the event (or at least try to).

I've been to small hall shows where latecomers , clearly feeling that they could do whatever they liked, simply stood in front of the seats, blocking the view. Helpful.

This as a show that lacked any security or any stewards.


I see the problem, though- it must all be down to money- it can't be cheap to have security staff, and the last thing people need is higher ticket prices. But, none the less, these days it IS something that must be addressed.

[orbtastic]

Liverpool Echo Arena is the only place I've ever watched boxing where I was able to take my drink to my seat. I was just gutted I was driving.

[lefty]

Liverpool Echo Arena is the only place I've ever watched boxing where I was able to take my drink to my seat. I was just gutted I was driving.

sods law that is!lol

[DavidPayne]

Part of the problem, too, is a general failure to control the crowds . The simple example is the habit they have of letting people arrive whenever the hell they like, and to drift in and out to the bar whenever they like.

At football, the theatre, cinema, concerts, wrestling, horse racing , dogs etc, it's nearly always the case that most people arrive for the start of the event (or at least try to).

I've been to small hall shows where latecomers , clearly feeling that they could do whatever they liked, simply stood in front of the seats, blocking the view. Helpful.

This as a show that lacked any security or any stewards. :-?


I see the problem, though- it must all be down to money- it can't be cheap to have security staff, and the last thing people need is higher ticket prices. But, none the less, these days it IS something that must be addressed.

Have a 30 minute interval at 8.30-9.
People are allowed to enter before 6.30 and between 8.30-9. No late arrivals plus more support for lower level fighters.