Worst experience at a live fight
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reggaereggae
- Heavyweight

- Posts: 4723
- Joined: 21 Dec 2009, 17:01
Worst experience at a live fight
Worst experience at a live fight?
We have another thread, 'Best experience at a live fight', and not wishing to be a contrarian or to hijack, I think it would be interesting to know what the worst ones were.
Mine have been at big fights. With lower price tickets. Frankly, I think if you can't get a ticket within 30 metres of any fight, don't bother. You won't see sh1t, people and ring posts will get in the way of your vision, you won't see what's going on inside. (This may be different now as high def screens are now being installed at big fights, so you can get the atmosphere and still see what's happening.)
Hatton - Mayweather was like seeing two ants. Also I watched Hatton - Ray Oliveira. Seats were far away from the ring but still at a low level. People would jump up and you couldn't see anything. I got a freebie but next to me was a 16 year old boy taken to his first live fight by his mother as a bday present. They couldn't see anything and security were doing nothing as fans jumped in their seats. I told the mother to complain to the promoter (I think allegedly?). What a shame for those two, ticket price was £150.
I had a similar experience at Lou Gent - Nigel Benn. Was my first live fight, and a bday present to boot. But everyone kept leaping up on their seats. I couldn't see anything. And so I did the same - and security pulled me down and told me to sit. I told them I couldn't see and why didn't they tell the guys in front to sit down? They just shook their heads and said they couldn't do anything, but still forced me to sit down. I was 17. Wankers.
I also saw Lewis - McCall. Again like watching two ants. And I thought the ref stopped it prematurely. (Although I couldn't see sh1t from those seats anyway.) it just felt like it was warming up. then boom. over before a fight had happened.
We have another thread, 'Best experience at a live fight', and not wishing to be a contrarian or to hijack, I think it would be interesting to know what the worst ones were.
Mine have been at big fights. With lower price tickets. Frankly, I think if you can't get a ticket within 30 metres of any fight, don't bother. You won't see sh1t, people and ring posts will get in the way of your vision, you won't see what's going on inside. (This may be different now as high def screens are now being installed at big fights, so you can get the atmosphere and still see what's happening.)
Hatton - Mayweather was like seeing two ants. Also I watched Hatton - Ray Oliveira. Seats were far away from the ring but still at a low level. People would jump up and you couldn't see anything. I got a freebie but next to me was a 16 year old boy taken to his first live fight by his mother as a bday present. They couldn't see anything and security were doing nothing as fans jumped in their seats. I told the mother to complain to the promoter (I think allegedly?). What a shame for those two, ticket price was £150.
I had a similar experience at Lou Gent - Nigel Benn. Was my first live fight, and a bday present to boot. But everyone kept leaping up on their seats. I couldn't see anything. And so I did the same - and security pulled me down and told me to sit. I told them I couldn't see and why didn't they tell the guys in front to sit down? They just shook their heads and said they couldn't do anything, but still forced me to sit down. I was 17. Wankers.
I also saw Lewis - McCall. Again like watching two ants. And I thought the ref stopped it prematurely. (Although I couldn't see sh1t from those seats anyway.) it just felt like it was warming up. then boom. over before a fight had happened.
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bigjack
- Heavyweight

Re: Worst experience at a live fight
I saw Bruno V Witherspoon at the old Wembley Stadium,i was so far back the only way i could tell who was who is because Bruno was laying down,but the worst ever was at Bruno v Bugner,there were fights all around me in the crowd and someone next to me set off a tear gas canister,then i had the journey back to the coach station after,which was memorable 
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David McAllister
- Super Middleweight
- Posts: 445
- Joined: 09 Feb 2013, 05:27
Re: Worst experience at a live fight
I really have to disagree with this mate, i have been to Manny vs Mosely, Mayweather vs Cotto and Mayweather vs Alvarez and i have never had good seats but always been able to watch the boxing in the ring rather than watching the big screens at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, one of my mates was actually stuck at the last row and said that the boxers looked normal size!!reggaereggae wrote:Worst experience at a live fight?
We have another thread, 'Best experience at a live fight', and not wishing to be a contrarian or to hijack, I think it would be interesting to know what the worst ones were.
Mine have been at big fights. With lower price tickets. Frankly, I think if you can't get a ticket within 30 metres of any fight, don't bother. You won't see sh1t, people and ring posts will get in the way of your vision, you won't see what's going on inside. (This may be different now as high def screens are now being installed at big fights, so you can get the atmosphere and still see what's happening.)
Hatton - Mayweather was like seeing two ants. Also I watched Hatton - Ray Oliveira. Seats were far away from the ring but still at a low level. People would jump up and you couldn't see anything. I got a freebie but next to me was a 16 year old boy taken to his first live fight by his mother as a bday present. They couldn't see anything and security were doing nothing as fans jumped in their seats. I told the mother to complain to the promoter (I think allegedly?). What a shame for those two, ticket price was £150.
I had a similar experience at Lou Gent - Nigel Benn. Was my first live fight, and a bday present to boot. But everyone kept leaping up on their seats. I couldn't see anything. And so I did the same - and security pulled me down and told me to sit. I told them I couldn't see and why didn't they tell the guys in front to sit down? They just shook their heads and said they couldn't do anything, but still forced me to sit down. I was 17. Wankers.
I also saw Lewis - McCall. Again like watching two ants. And I thought the ref stopped it prematurely. (Although I couldn't see sh1t from those seats anyway.) it just felt like it was warming up. then boom. over before a fight had happened.
My worst live fighting experience was at the O2 for the UFC when Rampage Jackson looked like an ant!! He was probably 215 pounds + by the time he entered the Octagon and I was never so happy to see the screens at an arena!! For that event my mate bought the tickets at £125 but we found out when they arrived that he had used a 3rd party site and these tickets had a face value of £30 and were 5 rows from the back!!
Re: Worst experience at a live fight
Has to be Haye v Wlad for me
I was so excited before we went but the whole weekend was crap. I suppose it was mainly the weather which was truly truly awful, but obviously the fight itself was abysmal.
All that way, all that money spent for a performance like that, loads of pissed off blokes, topped off with the horrendous soaking wet trip back to the hotel (no transport at all)
shit.
I was so excited before we went but the whole weekend was crap. I suppose it was mainly the weather which was truly truly awful, but obviously the fight itself was abysmal.
All that way, all that money spent for a performance like that, loads of pissed off blokes, topped off with the horrendous soaking wet trip back to the hotel (no transport at all)
shit.
Re: Worst experience at a live fight
I was back row for Froch Bute, 2nd to back row for Froch Kessler 2, about 5 from the back at Froch Groves 1 and in the stands for Froch Groves 2 (albeit bottom tier).David McAllister wrote:I really have to disagree with this mate, i have been to Manny vs Mosely, Mayweather vs Cotto and Mayweather vs Alvarez and i have never had good seats but always been able to watch the boxing in the ring rather than watching the big screens at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, one of my mates was actually stuck at the last row and said that the boxers looked normal size!!reggaereggae wrote:Worst experience at a live fight?
We have another thread, 'Best experience at a live fight', and not wishing to be a contrarian or to hijack, I think it would be interesting to know what the worst ones were.
Mine have been at big fights. With lower price tickets. Frankly, I think if you can't get a ticket within 30 metres of any fight, don't bother. You won't see sh1t, people and ring posts will get in the way of your vision, you won't see what's going on inside. (This may be different now as high def screens are now being installed at big fights, so you can get the atmosphere and still see what's happening.)
Hatton - Mayweather was like seeing two ants. Also I watched Hatton - Ray Oliveira. Seats were far away from the ring but still at a low level. People would jump up and you couldn't see anything. I got a freebie but next to me was a 16 year old boy taken to his first live fight by his mother as a bday present. They couldn't see anything and security were doing nothing as fans jumped in their seats. I told the mother to complain to the promoter (I think allegedly?). What a shame for those two, ticket price was £150.
I had a similar experience at Lou Gent - Nigel Benn. Was my first live fight, and a bday present to boot. But everyone kept leaping up on their seats. I couldn't see anything. And so I did the same - and security pulled me down and told me to sit. I told them I couldn't see and why didn't they tell the guys in front to sit down? They just shook their heads and said they couldn't do anything, but still forced me to sit down. I was 17. Wankers.
I also saw Lewis - McCall. Again like watching two ants. And I thought the ref stopped it prematurely. (Although I couldn't see sh1t from those seats anyway.) it just felt like it was warming up. then boom. over before a fight had happened.
My worst live fighting experience was at the O2 for the UFC when Rampage Jackson looked like an ant!! He was probably 215 pounds + by the time he entered the Octagon and I was never so happy to see the screens at an arena!! For that event my mate bought the tickets at £125 but we found out when they arrived that he had used a 3rd party site and these tickets had a face value of £30 and were 5 rows from the back!!
Enjoyed all of them. Especially Bute. And I haven't got the money to be forking out hundreds for ringside (cue the violins!)
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black panther
- Heavyweight

- Posts: 4098
- Joined: 11 Dec 2003, 07:06
Re: Worst experience at a live fight
Haye -Chisora - went with a few mates and got cheap seats as they aren't hardcore boxing fans and didn't want to fork out for better seats.
The boxers looked like dots to us for starters. People were sitting in our seats and we got in a bit of scuffle when they refused to move and once Haye knocked out Chisora everyone started throwing beers from above. Luckily as we were pretty far back so didn't get soaked. It was a very hostile atmosphere full of people who were blatantly mainly football fans. I don't think I'll ever go to a stadium fight again but smaller hall shows are brilliant and I'm using them as an introduction to boxing for lots of people.
The boxers looked like dots to us for starters. People were sitting in our seats and we got in a bit of scuffle when they refused to move and once Haye knocked out Chisora everyone started throwing beers from above. Luckily as we were pretty far back so didn't get soaked. It was a very hostile atmosphere full of people who were blatantly mainly football fans. I don't think I'll ever go to a stadium fight again but smaller hall shows are brilliant and I'm using them as an introduction to boxing for lots of people.
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Syntax Error
- Heavyweight

- Posts: 9029
- Joined: 22 Apr 2005, 08:00
Re: Worst experience at a live fight
Ironically; three different fights; two of them in the same venue & all three involving the same fighter.
Audley Harrison -v- Danny Williams 1
Audley Harrison -v- Martin Rogan
Audley Harrison -v- David Haye
Three of the most embarrassing performances I've ever paid to watch.
To say Harrison was piss poor would be an insult to piss.
Suffice to say, I never went to watch him live again.![[icon_witsend.gif] :witzend:](./images/smilies/icon_witsend.gif)
Audley Harrison -v- Danny Williams 1
Audley Harrison -v- Martin Rogan
Audley Harrison -v- David Haye
Three of the most embarrassing performances I've ever paid to watch.
To say Harrison was piss poor would be an insult to piss.
Suffice to say, I never went to watch him live again.
Last edited by Syntax Error on 11 Feb 2015, 13:44, edited 1 time in total.
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mickey1975
- Heavyweight

- Posts: 23179
- Joined: 02 Mar 2009, 12:54
Re: Worst experience at a live fight
All stadium shows are crap. Kilt-Haye was horrendous, and I was one of the pissed up blokes. Wembley is just too big for boxing, so was The Ethidad. Doncaster Rovers ground when McDonnel won his first world title was terrible, you're much better off watching on telly.
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Looking On
- Super Middleweight
- Posts: 927
- Joined: 12 Oct 2012, 13:50
Re: Worst experience at a live fight
I went to a Fury fight at Event city in manchester, Vs Pajkic if i remember rightly although id gone to support Leigh Wood on the undercard with a couple of mates.
There was no tiered seating, the entire seating was floor level, and people kept standing on chairs etc meaning those behind also had to do it aswell, by the end of it the entire crowd had to stand on their seats to see anything, which led to a few scuffles in the crowd too.
If i remember rightly it was also the pro debut of Eubank jnr.
There was no tiered seating, the entire seating was floor level, and people kept standing on chairs etc meaning those behind also had to do it aswell, by the end of it the entire crowd had to stand on their seats to see anything, which led to a few scuffles in the crowd too.
If i remember rightly it was also the pro debut of Eubank jnr.
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Boxerbeetle
- Light Heavyweight
- Posts: 32992
- Joined: 19 Sep 2011, 10:59
Re: Worst experience at a live fight
If it makes you feel any better, Audley probably has worse memories of those events than you doSyntax Error wrote:Ironically; three different fights; two of them in the same venue & all three involving the same fighter.
Audley Harrison -v- Danny Williams 1![]()
Audley Harrison -v- Martin Rogan![]()
Audley Harrison -v- David Haye![]()
![]()
Three of the most embarrassing performances I've ever paid to watch.
To say Harrison was piss poor would be an embarrassment to piss.
Suffice to say, I never went to watch him live again.
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Monte Fisto
- Cruiserweight
- Posts: 2978
- Joined: 23 Jan 2011, 15:36
Re: Worst experience at a live fight
Fury vs McDermott 1 got a bit tasty in the crowd, which was bad form in my opinion. I also hated the booing of both fighters in froch groves 2. I was staggered at this. I'm convinced there were morons there booing both of them.
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Old Jack J
- Middleweight
- Posts: 1626
- Joined: 24 Jan 2014, 16:34
Re: Worst experience at a live fight
Rob Burton vs Matthew Hatton/James Hare vs David Barnes card in Halifax leisure centre. It was Manchester vs Yorkshire and all hell broke out. A full on riot. The place was full of idiots and I left early. I remember Ricky Hatton had to jump in the ring to get out of the way. I remember sat next to two old girls who were terrified.
Re: Worst experience at a live fight
Young muttley v Kevin Anderson at villa leisure center, the place seemed so volatile, cracking fight, but once muttley got stopped it just descended into carnage
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TerribleTerry
- Heavyweight

- Posts: 5272
- Joined: 29 Aug 2003, 12:30
Re: Worst experience at a live fight
I was gonna mention the Barnes v Hare show - it was a blood bath in a sports hall.Old Jack J wrote:Rob Burton vs Matthew Hatton/James Hare vs David Barnes card in Halifax leisure centre. It was Manchester vs Yorkshire and all hell broke out. A full on riot. The place was full of idiots and I left early. I remember Ricky Hatton had to jump in the ring to get out of the way. I remember sat next to two old girls who were terrified.
Nasty violence, an overwhelmed security presence and I cant remember many (if any?) arrests being made.
Re: Worst experience at a live fight
I went to a prizefighter once (as it was local)
I just don't get/like prizefighter, boxing for dummies
I just don't get/like prizefighter, boxing for dummies
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freddydoesdallas
- Cruiserweight
- Posts: 9436
- Joined: 02 Sep 2010, 13:48
Re: Worst experience at a live fight
Mine have all involved violence in the crowd.
Rendall Munroe v Terrazas at the Skydome in Coventry. Still don't know why they picked a venue in Coventry to host a Leicester fighter. As soon as the music started for Munroe, the Leicester hooligans started charging their way around the venue trying to fight anyone in their way. I'd gone to get a beer and their were people (young couples, dads with lads) running out of the fire exits to avoid it all. The fight was good but once outside it was the same, Coventry & Leicester hooligans trying to pick off little groups of opposite fans.
Cruiserweight Prizefighter at the Olympia in London - Dickinson won it. Generally a horrible atmosphere, major bit of trouble in the stands between two groups of fans and after that it just seemed to be out of control in there. Police were a high presence outside but weren't allowed in.
Rendall Munroe v Terrazas at the Skydome in Coventry. Still don't know why they picked a venue in Coventry to host a Leicester fighter. As soon as the music started for Munroe, the Leicester hooligans started charging their way around the venue trying to fight anyone in their way. I'd gone to get a beer and their were people (young couples, dads with lads) running out of the fire exits to avoid it all. The fight was good but once outside it was the same, Coventry & Leicester hooligans trying to pick off little groups of opposite fans.
Cruiserweight Prizefighter at the Olympia in London - Dickinson won it. Generally a horrible atmosphere, major bit of trouble in the stands between two groups of fans and after that it just seemed to be out of control in there. Police were a high presence outside but weren't allowed in.
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Counter-puncher
- Heavyweight

- Posts: 39141
- Joined: 20 May 2008, 11:41
Re: Worst experience at a live fight
funny, that was one of my best nights.......stu 27 wrote:Young muttley v Kevin Anderson at villa leisure center, the place seemed so volatile, cracking fight, but once muttley got stopped it just descended into carnage
Re: Worst experience at a live fight
To be fair, I can't imagine many hardcore boxing fans wanted to see Haye vs Chisora live. Chisora really didn't have any chance of winning.black panther wrote:Haye -Chisora - went with a few mates and got cheap seats as they aren't hardcore boxing fans and didn't want to fork out for better seats.
The boxers looked like dots to us for starters. People were sitting in our seats and we got in a bit of scuffle when they refused to move and once Haye knocked out Chisora everyone started throwing beers from above. Luckily as we were pretty far back so didn't get soaked. It was a very hostile atmosphere full of people who were blatantly mainly football fans. I don't think I'll ever go to a stadium fight again but smaller hall shows are brilliant and I'm using them as an introduction to boxing for lots of people.
I walked to the end of the road to watch it in the pub, and I was in two minds whether to do that until I did it.
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black panther
- Heavyweight

- Posts: 4098
- Joined: 11 Dec 2003, 07:06
Re: Worst experience at a live fight
ILikeBeer wrote:To be fair, I can't imagine many hardcore boxing fans wanted to see Haye vs Chisora live. Chisora really didn't have any chance of winning.black panther wrote:Haye -Chisora - went with a few mates and got cheap seats as they aren't hardcore boxing fans and didn't want to fork out for better seats.
The boxers looked like dots to us for starters. People were sitting in our seats and we got in a bit of scuffle when they refused to move and once Haye knocked out Chisora everyone started throwing beers from above. Luckily as we were pretty far back so didn't get soaked. It was a very hostile atmosphere full of people who were blatantly mainly football fans. I don't think I'll ever go to a stadium fight again but smaller hall shows are brilliant and I'm using them as an introduction to boxing for lots of people.
I walked to the end of the road to watch it in the pub, and I was in two minds whether to do that until I did it.
Yeah problem is none of my mates are hardcore fans so getting them to come to a good bill with relatively unknown boxers is hard.
I'm probably going to a few of the Goodwin Shows at the York Hall next month.
Re: Worst experience at a live fight
I'm like that. Got a few mates who'll watch it with me if they're round mine and there are some drinks going, but nobody much cares either way.black panther wrote:
Yeah problem is none of my mates are hardcore fans so getting them to come to a good bill with relatively unknown boxers is hard.
I'm probably going to a few of the Goodwin Shows at the York Hall next month.
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reggaereggae
- Heavyweight

- Posts: 4723
- Joined: 21 Dec 2009, 17:01
Re: Worst experience at a live fight
Did anyone ever go to the junior Abas or schoolboys or something 5 or so years ago at York Hall? I didn't but I hear it kicked off something mental. Traveller families in a dispute or something
Re: Worst experience at a live fight
needing a piss during the show and getting back to hotel after fury chisora 2 were bad but evened out i suppose had great seats and really enjoyed a few of the fights (obvs not the main event)
Haye Harrison was a bad card with bad seats the Groves Anderson fight the only saving grace
Also when Ovil stopped Enzo Mac in the Olympia was pretty grim!!
Haye Harrison was a bad card with bad seats the Groves Anderson fight the only saving grace
Also when Ovil stopped Enzo Mac in the Olympia was pretty grim!!
Re: Worst experience at a live fight
It would be an England v Poland amateur boxing international in Milton Keynes in the 1980s. A lot of weights weren't contested so in the end we got just a handful of fights none of which were entertaining in the least. The great John Lyon fought an awkward southpaw and looked ordinary, even picking up a shiner on the way on the way to decision. There was also the Nottingham guy (Fidel Castro, Slugger O'Toole...), and a young Henry Akinwande. That was about it.
Re: Worst experience at a live fight
Crazyboy wrote:Has to be Haye v Wlad for me
I was so excited before we went but the whole weekend was crap. I suppose it was mainly the weather which was truly truly awful, but obviously the fight itself was abysmal.
All that way, all that money spent for a performance like that, loads of pissed off blokes, topped off with the horrendous soaking wet trip back to the hotel (no transport at all)
poo.
Sorry mate I would definitely have been one of those pissed blokes!! Managed to slip off the chair I was standing on (drunk + weather + being a clumsy idiot even when sober = massively damaged back) so yep that one is up there as a bad night all round.
Having to wait for Haye v Macarinelli was a bit of a killer - and then the walk home. Enjoyed the fight (for the length of time it lasted).
Not a fight but the weigh in for Frampton V Martinez (1st one) was a bit of a shambles. Alright when up there but had to walk up a hell of a lot of stairs as lifts out of action. Fight night very much made up for that though!! Sign of dedication from my old man climbing all the way up there though as a fairly inactive 66 year old. Was bad enough for an inactive 28 year old
Re: Worst experience at a live fight
Same for me! I was so annoyed I started a thread on here about it the day afterwards and a number of people felt the same! Weekend cost me about £2.5k all in!Crazyboy wrote:Has to be Haye v Wlad for me
I was so excited before we went but the whole weekend was crap. I suppose it was mainly the weather which was truly truly awful, but obviously the fight itself was abysmal.
All that way, all that money spent for a performance like that, loads of pissed off blokes, topped off with the horrendous soaking wet trip back to the hotel (no transport at all)
poo.