BoxRec

Glyn Leach wrote:

DG. wrote:

Glyn Leach wrote:Ringside is always a risk, IMO, even from a reporter's perspective. 'Ringside' can mean anything. As my BM colleague Graham Houston once wrote, he was 'ringside only in that I was on one side of the ring'. As one who very very rarely reports fights these days, I prefer TV every time — there is no danger of being stuck behind a ringpost, a TV cameraman, a judge, security men, a bank of photographers standing in front of you, having some know-nothing football writer talking bollocks in your ear ... There is nothing more frustrating than 'missing a moment' because of such things.

That said, were I to report a fight, I would still have to be ringside. But, whether we like to admit it or not, atmosphere can affect the perspective of a fight in terms of scoring — which it shouldn't, a fight should be judged on what the boxers do in the ring, not what the crowd does and what effect that might have on you. But it depends what you actually want from the experience of watching a fight, I suppose.

IMO TV with the sound off is probably the most reliable way to get an accurate impression of a fight, or should I say the safest bet in terms of guaranteeing you the opportunity to judge a fight as a fight, unhindered by the possible obstacles mentioned above.

No option is perfect, but it's all good, and that's what counts. Happy Xmas and good new years to you all. 2010 should be fun, wherever we watch from.

The bloody postman delivered the BM 2 days apart!

Got the Pacman/Cotto fight report cover (December) on the 9th December and Christmas edition on Friday 11th!

How the hell am I suposed to do any work done if I have to read all that back to back?



TV is best for me!

But Ringside can be great with radio in one air!

What, I've got to deliver the fornicator too now lol?

I think you should!

Srebmun wrote:For anyone who's done so, of which I know there's plenty of yous.

I remember reading recently that it's better to actually watch a fight on the telly box, from someone who's been ringside plenty of times, I can't remember who tho'.

The only time I've been anywhere near actual ringside is at amateur bouts.

But I'd really love to go to a big fight and sit ringside, proper ringside.

May I ask those who've had/have the pleasure, what it's like?

Please.

TV or ringside? "Proper" ringside cannot be beaten. By this, I mean a fairly centrally placed seat (not too far off to the end of the row) and no more than, say, eight rows back.

Things have changed over the years. Nowadays we have two video-camera operatives with those shoulder-held video cameras standing in corners at opposite sides of the ring, which partly obscures the view of spectators seated behind these corners. People now seem to take this as the norm, taking the view: "Well, TV rules, what can you do?"

Banks of photographers have long been a problem for the ringside press seated behind them. The late Harry Mullan told me he was ringside for Minter-Hamsho in Vegas and could hardly see a thing due to photographers rising up to shoot from over the bottom rope rather than crouching down to shoot from UNDER the rope. (If you look at ringside shots from the old 1950s fights, black-and-white photography era, I think you will notice that the photographers with their flashes were invariably crouched down and shooting up so that the views of spectators wouldn't be blocked.)

The atmosphere on-site is fabulous, a real tingle of electricity, and up close (or fairly close) you can get a better sense of both the progress of a fight and the psychological state of the fighters (a boxer's discouragement, or distress, for instance, always seems in sharper focus at ringside than from watching on TV).

TV is great for replays of confusing incidents, although on-site in Vegas one can see the replays on the big screens in the arena. TV commentary can be distracting and one or two commentators are borderline unbearable, especially one in particular who thinks that shouting dramatises the moment.

At one time, in Britain certainly, the arena lights were turned off during a fight so that the ring was bathed in white light from the overhead ring lights while all around was darkness or semi-darkness. This provided an amazingly dramatic effect. (I suppose that today lights cannot be turned off for security/insurance reasons).

You simply get a different perspective of a fight from ringside, but to get an accurate impression one must be able to get a good view of the proceedings. At one time the press were seated on the four sides of the ring so that none of the writers considered "important" would have a bad view. Now, in North America certainly, the writers are seated on just one side of the ring, and at a big event the first two or three rows are taken up by the various TV commentary teams and technicians. I now tend to report on-site only from venues where I am pretty sure I will be allocated a favourable position: I'm getting too old for on-site hassles.

Often, media types are disappointed with their seats, and complain. One famous anecdote, possibly apocryphal, concerns a U.S. reporter who complained about his seat, only to be told by the credentials chief: "Look, you're here to cover the fight, not to f---ing watch it!"

Love this discussion, sorry I missed it when it was current.

As a junior writer (and a blogger at that) I have only been covering fights from ringside for about two years. Until a few weeks ago I've always been lucky; always got my pick of ringside seats, and I always chose to be right next to either the red or blue corner. Nothing compares to being so close your shirt gets sprayed with sweat and blood and the cornermen spit on you when they yell at their man.

Last time out was a little higher-profile event, and not being "regular" press, I was relegated to a long table set at an angle, about 12-15 feet from a neutral ringpost. Worst press seat I've ever had. But when I looked around and saw that I was surrounded by people who paid big bucks to sit right next to me, I caught myself smiling. It's good to get in free and sit up close, even with an obstructed view.

Just the same, I prefer to sit next to the busy corners.

Ringside, always an atmosphere, whether it's intense and exhilerating, raw and intimidating, or plain old exciting.....Mark Thompson v Vuma is one I remember being quite thrilling, and i was ringside for Smith v Quigley most recently.

Good view apart from three Quigley family members screaming "Come on Tone" right behind me for 12 rounds, giving me a right headache!

Do enjoy sitting down with a cold beer in front of the TV though, one of the most enjoyable times being with the Godfather of Dole, MattW and a mate watching Floyd v Ricky.....

couldn't be less interested in ringside.
i travelled to the MEN the week b4 and a lad there pointed at the screen and told me what row and block to ring Ticketmaster and ask for and I got just that, I didn't want some random crap, I'm sure the computer allocates tickets from the edge of the row inwards, rather than give the best seats out 1st.

I ended up maybe 15-20 yards from the ring, dead centre, for Khan Barrera (Barrera was the real draw for me, altho I am a Khan fan)..........I was maybe a metre or 2 higher than the actual ring canvas, it was brilliant. There were people in front of me who I could almost touch, they were lower down, flat level so all in front of each other, and had paid an extra 50-200 quid depending how close you got to the ring. None of them had a better view than me.

I've found it similar at smaller venues, u generally get a better view and feel for the action if you're not ringside but a few yards further out. In a bigger venue I would not get on the outer tier again as I did another time at the MEN cos the ring is kinda like a postage stamp from there, u may as well be at home and you're voice doesn't even project to the ring if you're actually there to support somebody as I was.

To be fair most of the times I've been ringside I've been reporting on the fight....

Anywhere in the arena, provided you get a decent view not too far away and next to some tosser or meathead, is great.

Watched Amir Khan v Gomez from the stands, first time I'd done so for years (got used to ringside press seat) and vowed never to pay to see a fight again. Sat near really intimidating bunch of Khan fans effin' and jeffin and basically just racist idiots.

Ringside is amazing when there' s a great fight. I remember sitting covering the Paul Samuels v Wayne Alexander fight and it was a real humdinger and afterwards I was having laughing with Tony Connolly because both our notes were as frenzied as what went on in the ring. My writing looked like I'd been possessed by a demon spirit!

Cheers chaps, have enjoyed reading this again, + the new posts.

Once you've been ringside it's no fun going back to the rafters, far better off getting beers and takeaway in and watching on the telly.