Fight Arenas of Your Past that Are Only Memories

[dagosd2000]

There were a ton of boxing arenas in towns big and small. In San Diego where I lived it was the San Diego Coliseum:a small stucco building with wooden seats and bleachers. It seated around 3000 and there wasn't a bad seat in the house. Fights were on Tuesday nights and they always got a good crowd. In the old days Archie Moore fought there. I remember seeing Ken Norton,Art Hafey,Jack O'Halloran,and Jimmy young fight there. The lights went out in the mid 70's. Pay TV killed these small arenas off. It's a furniture warehouse now. I miss those weekly cards.

Can some of you guys share a similar story? An old fight arena where you went to watch the fights that no longer exists.

[Crssbones]

In my area in NJ we had Totowa's Ice World Arena. This is where Main Events would show case and develop their young fighters. The Duva clan would have shows every couple of months. Many future champions fought there. I was familiar with many of these fighters before they began boxing on national TV. Bobby Czyz, Livingstone Bramble, Rocky Lockridge, James Green, Alex Ramos, Curtis Harris, Diego Rosario to name a few. Any seat in the house was good seat. When you attend as many cards as I have in an arena like that you become familair with many of the fighters as they return to fight again and again. There are 2 no name fighters that the boxing public would not know but you recognize that the 3rd fight on the under card even though it is only a six rounder and 2 club fighters fighting, that this is the real main event on this card. You see them on the 3 previous cards and then they are matched up together on this one and produce a spectacluar competitive fight while the main event is a blow out by the house star tuning up for a big payday on national TV. Examples: Andy Riccardi vs Tommy Merola, Mike Triccarico vs Kevin Vieldhouse, Boone Pultz vs Marc Fichtner. In these fights the boxers were usually from the NJ area or coming in from the NY area and their local fans and family would show up all wearing the same t-shirts with their fighters name on them and very vocal in the crowd at every punch landed. This created alot of excitement and drama. The best I remember was when Emanual Steward brought David Braxton in to defend his USBA or NABF Jr Middleweight title against James Hardrock Green. Ice World was considered James Green hometown and it was a pro Green crowd. A packed house, televised by ESPN. The crowd chanting Hardrock the entire fight and erupting at every punch landed. Braxton takes a 12 round spilt decision. What a fight the whole crowd hoarse at the end of the fight booing the decision. Good stuff.

[Expug]

Dagosd2000 and Crssbones.
I enjoyed your posts.
This is the kind of stuff I enjoy reading in this forum.
Anyway, in Chicago we had Marigold gardens although it was before my time, I fought at a place called The Park West a couple times in 89 and its a real good venue but a bit on the yuppie side as its in an area (Lincoln Park ) thats mostly young people. Another fun venue was Divinci manor, but that was closed a number of years ago. Rough area.
Crssbones Id be interested in hearing about the fighter Christy Elliott if youve ever seen him fight.
Also Frankie Depaula.
Thanks again.

[harrygreb]

the boxing booth at the fairground in addlestone when i was a 7 year old boy. i remember the announcer having to get into the ring to fight the aged ex-pro because he had run out of local men to beat up on. the announcers mouth was a bloody red mess after 3 rounds which made the rest of the nights announcements difficult to understand.

[Crssbones]

EX Pug,
Sorry I did not see Christy Elliot or Frankie Depaula fight, however I do think I may have seen a clip of Bob Foster - Frankie DePaula at some point over the years. Thanks for the reply.

[dagosd2000]

Dagosd2000 and Crssbones.
I enjoyed your posts.
This is the kind of stuff I enjoy reading in this forum.
Anyway, in Chicago we had Marigold gardens although it was before my time, I fought at a place called The Park West a couple times in 89 and its a real good venue but a bit on the yuppie side as its in an area (Lincoln Park ) thats mostly young people. Another fun venue was Divinci manor, but that was closed a number of years ago. Rough area.
Crssbones Id be interested in hearing about the fighter Christy Elliott if youve ever seen him fight.
Also Frankie Depaula.
Thanks again.

Hey Buddy,I remember the DePaula fight with Foster. It was on TV. Foster went through him pretty fast. DePaula looked star struck. It was stopped in the first round. The fight shouldn't have been made. Prior to that bout he fought Tiger and believe DePaula had him down. I know he lost that fight. But his team put him in right away with Foster and the kid wasn't ready for a fight like that. DePaula might have developed,but they rushed into something he wasn't ready for. It hurt his future as a fighter.