Booth/Carnival Boxing

[HomicideHenry]

Is this still taking place in Australia?

Just curious.

[bogan whisperer]

Is this still taking place in Australia?

Just curious.

Do you mean tent boxing where patrons out of the crowd can challenge a fighter from a travelling troupe?

[HomicideHenry]

Is this still taking place in Australia?

Just curious.

Do you mean tent boxing where patrons out of the crowd can challenge a fighter from a travelling troupe?

Yes.

[bogan whisperer]

Is this still taking place in Australia?

Just curious.

Do you mean tent boxing where patrons out of the crowd can challenge a fighter from a travelling troupe?

Yes.

Fred Brophy is the last of the boxing tentmen. He has announced his retirement nearly as many times as John Farnham but looking at another thread here it sounds like he is still putting the occassional show on in Queensland.

[fox]

Yeah Fred is still putting on a few shows. He does Mt Isa Rodeo and Birdville Races every year. Also does a few other shows during the year. Kilkivan, Cracow where his pub is, Moura, Wynum this weekend. Always entertaining.

[HomicideHenry]

I do not quite understand how he is able to put on these shows. Doesn't he need a promoters license?

Or is Australia really the Garden of Eden of boxing, and there isnt all this politics and bullshit.

[colin russell]

Fox your allways on the ball. Went to the fights ( Tent ) last nite great nite with all my boys good nite the worst injury I have seen in boxing a fighter broke his ankle. Colin Willson was there too.

[AntonS]

I do not quite understand how he is able to put on these shows. Doesn't he need a promoters license?

Or is Australia really the Garden of Eden of boxing, and there isnt all this politics and bullshit.

There's no legislation in Queensland, Northern Territory & Tasmania controlling combat sport, therefore anything & everything is a goer. It'll take a death for respective governments to do anything about it.

[AntonS]

Fox your allways on the ball. Went to the fights ( Tent ) last nite great nite with all my boys good nite the worst injury I have seen in boxing a fighter broke his ankle. Colin Willson was there too.

Col Wilson & young bro Blair run tent fights in bush Qld. I think Blair was tent fighter before tackling pro boxing.

[HomicideHenry]

I do not quite understand how he is able to put on these shows. Doesn't he need a promoters license?

Or is Australia really the Garden of Eden of boxing, and there isnt all this politics and bullshit.

There's no legislation in Queensland, Northern Territory & Tasmania controlling combat sport, therefore anything & everything is a goer. It'll take a death for respective governments to do anything about it.

Well, from what I gather here in America (and really worldwide), there is a clause in every state commission that alot of people don't realize--- if both parties mutually agree to a contest that has no decision rendered at its conclusion, then it is an exhibition and therefore isn't under the same codes/laws as professional and amateur contests. Why this loop hole in America and elsewhere hasn't been used is beyond me, but every state has such a clause.

But, far as Fred Brophy's Boxing Troupe show, I think its harmless. Most of the "challengers" are common, ordinary people like you and I, and the tent boxers almost always pull their punches and only do enough to win. Only when someone is a crowd favorite, and does better than one would expect, do they let the man slide and ask him to come back again to challenge the tent, because its good for business.

So, in all honesty, I don't think there will be a death among carnival fights. Sure it has that old-world mystique to it, like the Wild West, but its nowhere near as brutal or as violent as people would assume--- its really no different than when Joe Louis and Billy Conn gave exhibitions during WW2 against Army, Navy, Airforce, Marine boxers. Often times people are knocked out with a well timed jab for crying out loud. No damage done.

[Like a Boss]

Fox your allways on the ball. Went to the fights ( Tent ) last nite great nite with all my boys good nite the worst injury I have seen in boxing a fighter broke his ankle. Colin Willson was there too.

Col Wilson & young bro Blair run tent fights in bush Qld. I think Blair was tent fighter before tackling pro boxing.

Blair 'Cowboy' Wilson was the biggest name in Australian tent boxing. He was Fred Brophy's #1 fighter for decades and undefeated in 100s of fights too if I remember correctly.

[HomicideHenry]

It was 1,001 fights... the Cowboy went undefeated... (least thats what a documentary on Fred says).

[Like a Boss]

It was 1,001 fights... the Cowboy went undefeated... (least thats what a documentary on Fred says).

That would mean fighting on 1,001 shows. Have to wonder if that is really possible. Then again, anything is possible in a travelling tent show.

The show must go on and there's a sucker born every minute.

[HomicideHenry]

It was 1,001 fights... the Cowboy went undefeated... (least thats what a documentary on Fred says).

That would mean fighting on 1,001 shows. Have to wonder if that is really possible. Then again, anything is possible in a travelling tent show.

The show must go on and there's a sucker born every minute.

Most the opposition, though, is normal every day guys who think they are tough. A man with a little know how, will always beat guys like that--- so I dont doubt that The Cowboy did beat that many people. However, in the pros his record was like 9-18, so he was more or less a second-string journeyman. Which goes to show you the great disparity between normal, untrained people and guys with marginal talent and guys with real talent.

[colin russell]

It true Blair Cowboy Wilson did have 1001 undefeted fights for Brophy, but he did have his fights hand picked towards the end of his carear. I know a few guys that put there hands up to fight The Cowboy but never got the chance. Good to see Col Wilson there let hope there fights can go on for a long time yet, the only place in the World that has then. Think about that with all the countrys in the World we (Australia ) are the only ones with tent fights.

[Gnome]

It true Blair Cowboy Wilson did have 1001 undefeted fights for Brophy, but he did have his fights hand picked towards the end of his carear. I know a few guys that put there hands up to fight The Cowboy but never got the chance. Good to see Col Wilson there let hope there fights can go on for a long time yet, the only place in the World that has then. Think about that with all the countrys in the World we (Australia ) are the only ones with tent fights.

That's not true. I've got into the ring at fairs here in Germany at travelling boxing shows. They take place every hour during a fair (in the peak evening hours or weekends) and feature about four fighters picked from the crowd. Note: one of the people who put their hands up is always a ringer, who knocks the tent fighter out - the curtains open to the crowd outside with the ringer's hand in the air with the cash prize he supposedly won!

[Like a Boss]

It true Blair Cowboy Wilson did have 1001 undefeted fights for Brophy, but he did have his fights hand picked towards the end of his carear. I know a few guys that put there hands up to fight The Cowboy but never got the chance. Good to see Col Wilson there let hope there fights can go on for a long time yet, the only place in the World that has then. Think about that with all the countrys in the World we (Australia ) are the only ones with tent fights.

It would be awesome to keep this great tradition going. Good luck to Col and Blair.

[delisa]

No such loophole -- two guys fighting is an affray at common law and a crime just about everywhere.

[fox]

Blair fought amateur and pro b4 his incredible run in the tent. Think his pro record was 2-9. But he did fight Julian Holland and Dean Weston. Too crafty in the tent for the local punters having a crack. But it's a different world fighting in the tent. You don't get time to settle down and box it's just hell for leather.

[HomicideHenry]

No such loophole -- two guys fighting is an affray at common law and a crime just about everywhere.

Well, if one considers the verdict rendered under "The People vs Fitzsimmons" (which was an exhibition not a contest), that if injury or death occurs it is an accident. It's only beaurocrats and promoters with fat cat lawyers who want to twist the laws around and claim something is illegal--- when all it is, is a monopoly on a sport. Fred Brophy is a hero, and anyone who does boxing for the sake of boxing, and not for the sake of money and titles and organisations, etc. is also a hero. What should be illegal is how commissions cater to promoters, and promoters in turn cater to referees and judges, and in turn referees and judges cater to fighters--- but it isn't. That's establishment boxing for you.

Boxing is and always will be a sport of the people. People who get wrapped up in the business on a financial level, tend to cater in their thoughts and feelings towards the establishment. No offense Mr. Delisa, but you're apart of that establishment. You get perks, gifts, etc. for being a boxing writer and historian, etc. So of course you are going to favor the establishment's opinion and view of what boxing is and how it should be run and operated.

There is nothing wrong, bad, or illegal about two guys or two gals putting on gloves and boxing just for the sake of boxing. Whether that is in someone's backyard, or someone's tent, or someone's gym, etc. Who says you have to fight under a boxing council or board or commission? Who says you have to have a license to do so? Who says you have to fight in a ring? And for that matter, who the hell says you have to fight with gloves on either?

If it were up to the people, and the fighters themselves--- they would fight whenever, against whoever, and however often as they could. It's people like yourself, though, who condemn people with that way of thinking, because its the establishment's version of boxing that you cater to, and that has given you a voice and a position in life. So you can throw down all the condemnations in the world about men like Fred Brophy, but it is a biased view that holds no water.

Fred's done thousand shows, and no one has ever gotten hurt or died. Yet I can name hundreds of pro shows, amateur shows, etc. under the eyes of a commission where people have. Matter of fact, I know bare knuckle leagues where no one has gotten hurt or died either. Hell, in Brazil they head butt and elbow and go bare fisted in mma fights--- no one I have heard has died or been seriously messed up because of it--- and thats far more dangerous than average, ordinary people putting on 16oz gloves and having a go at it inside a tent or backyard.

[Like a Boss]

No such loophole -- two guys fighting is an affray at common law and a crime just about everywhere.

Queensland is a law unto its own. Has been since Joh Bjelke days.

[Like a Boss]

No such loophole -- two guys fighting is an affray at common law and a crime just about everywhere.

Well, if one considers the verdict rendered under "The People vs Fitzsimmons" (which was an exhibition not a contest), that if injury or death occurs it is an accident. It's only beaurocrats and promoters with fat cat lawyers who want to twist the laws around and claim something is illegal--- when all it is, is a monopoly on a sport. Fred Brophy is a hero, and anyone who does boxing for the sake of boxing, and not for the sake of money and titles and organisations, etc. is also a hero. What should be illegal is how commissions cater to promoters, and promoters in turn cater to referees and judges, and in turn referees and judges cater to fighters--- but it isn't. That's establishment boxing for you.

Boxing is and always will be a sport of the people. People who get wrapped up in the business on a financial level, tend to cater in their thoughts and feelings towards the establishment. No offense Mr. Delisa, but you're apart of that establishment. You get perks, gifts, etc. for being a boxing writer and historian, etc. So of course you are going to favor the establishment's opinion and view of what boxing is and how it should be run and operated.

There is nothing wrong, bad, or illegal about two guys or two gals putting on gloves and boxing just for the sake of boxing. Whether that is in someone's backyard, or someone's tent, or someone's gym, etc. Who says you have to fight under a boxing council or board or commission? Who says you have to have a license to do so? Who says you have to fight in a ring? And for that matter, who the hell says you have to fight with gloves on either?

If it were up to the people, and the fighters themselves--- they would fight whenever, against whoever, and however often as they could. It's people like yourself, though, who condemn people with that way of thinking, because its the establishment's version of boxing that you cater to, and that has given you a voice and a position in life. So you can throw down all the condemnations in the world about men like Fred Brophy, but it is a biased view that holds no water.

Fred's done thousand shows, and no one has ever gotten hurt or died. Yet I can name hundreds of pro shows, amateur shows, etc. under the eyes of a commission where people have. Matter of fact, I know bare knuckle leagues where no one has gotten hurt or died either. Hell, in Brazil they head butt and elbow and go bare fisted in mma fights--- no one I have heard has died or been seriously messed up because of it--- and thats far more dangerous than average, ordinary people putting on 16oz gloves and having a go at it inside a tent or backyard.

Over the years things tightened up and various states completely banned tent boxing. Queensland were easiest to get along with. But after a while Fred used to have to apply for a permit in some towns in order to put shows on. He was doing a show somewhere in Queensland when and a cop visited the tent requesting to see his permit. When Fred told him he didn't have one the cop told him to go to the local police station and apply for one. Fred thought he was screwed. Thinking they wouldn't grant him a permit. But Fred lucked in when a young desk cop wrote him a permit without an expiry date on it. Fred kept that piece of paper in his wallet for years to come. His golden ticket. The show would go on.