BoxRec

Just picked up this book in WH Smiths for £14.99 and it is worth it for the pictures alone in my opinion. 223 pages, it's by Ray Physick, the book details all the venues that have been used for boxing in Liverpool, focusing mainly on the two Liverpool stadiums. I have spotted the odd mistake but overall this is an excellent book.

A book title is always nice!!! and perhaps a picture..........

Great fight city. The Liverpool Stadium was nicknamed "The Graveyard of Champions" because so many lost their titles there (although not John Conteh, courtesy of his infamous Liverpool Kiss against Len "Stinger Hutchins) or suffered some form of bad luck.
However, the nickname also pertained to a more specific meaning: it was built on an old cemetery.

ERIC GUY wrote:A book title is always nice!!! and perhaps a picture..........

Liverpool Boxing Venues is the title, hence the reason L,B & V were in capitals. A Google search of Ray Physick brings up this this as the third entry. http://www.whsmith.co.uk/CatalogAndSear ... 66715.html

bennie wrote:Great fight city. The Liverpool Stadium was nicknamed "The Graveyard of Champions" because so many lost their titles there (although not John Conteh, courtesy of his infamous Liverpool Kiss against Len "Stinger Hutchins) or suffered some form of bad luck.
However, the nickname also pertained to a more specific meaning: it was built on an old cemetery.

You are right Bennie both the Liverpool stadium on the Pudsey Street site and the second Liverpool stadium on St Pauls Square were known as "The Graveyard of Champions" with the second site actually being built on a former church and graveyard.

Boxingnut wrote:

bennie wrote:Great fight city. The Liverpool Stadium was nicknamed "The Graveyard of Champions" because so many lost their titles there (although not John Conteh, courtesy of his infamous Liverpool Kiss against Len "Stinger Hutchins) or suffered some form of bad luck.
However, the nickname also pertained to a more specific meaning: it was built on an old cemetery.

You are right Bennie both the Liverpool stadium on the Pudsey Street site and the second Liverpool stadium on St Pauls Square were known as "The Graveyard of Champions" with the second site actually being built on a former church and graveyard.

Why did they knock the first one down, Rob?
PS: Did you ever see a fight at the famous second arena. The last one there (off the top of my head) was Clinton McKenzie outscoring Alan Lamb for the British title in 1983. I believe the atmosphere was like that of the old Shoreditch Town Hall - pure dynamite!

bennie wrote:

Boxingnut wrote:

bennie wrote:Great fight city. The Liverpool Stadium was nicknamed "The Graveyard of Champions" because so many lost their titles there (although not John Conteh, courtesy of his infamous Liverpool Kiss against Len "Stinger Hutchins) or suffered some form of bad luck.
However, the nickname also pertained to a more specific meaning: it was built on an old cemetery.

You are right Bennie both the Liverpool stadium on the Pudsey Street site and the second Liverpool stadium on St Pauls Square were known as "The Graveyard of Champions" with the second site actually being built on a former church and graveyard.

Why did they knock the first one down, Rob?
PS: Did you ever see a fight at the famous second arena. The last one there (off the top of my head) was Clinton McKenzie outscoring Alan Lamb for the British title in 1983. I believe the atmosphere was like that of the old Shoreditch Town Hall - pure dynamite!

Hi Bennie

They knocked the first one down because a property developer bought the site and decided he wanted to do other things with the site. A cinema now stands on the site.

Yes I attended two cards at the second arena, the last two funnily enough. I wouldn't say the atmosphere was dynamite; good but not great. Then again they were less than full houses. Still at least I can say I went. I used to work in the GEC factory in Liverpool and some of the older guys there used to tell me stories from the Stadium's heyday, boxing on Thursday nights, wrestling on Friday nights, this is every week mind. They mentioned how incredible the atmosphere was. This may sound corny but when I went you certainly got a sense of history about the place. I think a car park stands on the site now.

On the opening night of the second arena three champions and one former champion all lost thereby sealing the name of "The Graveyard of Champions".

Great insight, Rob. Funny, when I think of Liverpool Stadium I always think of Robbie Davies, a real banger from the city who turned pro and was never in a dull fight but had probably left his best days in the amateurs. He sparked an Aussie big style in the 1976 Olympics in Montreal.

I also think of Sid Dye. The man was a legend.

You're not wrong on either count Bennie.