BoxRec

Did Ring magazine or any other boxing periodical ever do a feature on the "famous" British Boxing Booths?

If so when?

Boxing News did a feature on Nicky Booth's problems recently.

The Ring had a feature on Jason Booth in the October 2001 issue.

Wrong "Booths" we're looking for the Fair grounds "boxing booths".
Thanks all-the-same.

The most famous British "Booth" fighter was Tommy Farr

muray wrote:The most famous British "Booth" fighter was Tommy Farr

not at all. the most famous british fighter to hit the booths was benny lynch before and after he was the world champion.

when he won the world title against small montana in 1937 he was met by a crowd of over 150 000 when he returned to Glasgow. just a year later he was unable to defend against jackie jurich unable to meet the weight.

he had another few fights against opposition he should have easily beaten but alcoholism had him in its grasp.

Benny Lynch was taken to the Glasgow Southern General Hospital on August 7th 1946 surrefring form a fever and respitory problems. He died the next day of pnuemonia brought on by malnutrition and alcholism. He was only 33 years old.

Bennys story is truly a tragic tale.

http://www.bennylynch.co.uk/

Thanks guys, but I'm not looking for "fighters" nearly every British GREAT worth his salt from the Booth period fought in the Booths!!!

What we're wondering is "what" issue of the Ring or Boxing News or any other boxing magazine did a peice on the"Booths".

jimglen wrote:Wrong "Booths" we're looking for the Fair grounds "boxing booths".
Thanks all-the-same.

Bah 'eck! Ahm reet daft, me.

jimglen wrote:Thanks guys, but I'm not looking for "fighters" nearly every British GREAT worth his salt from the Booth period fought in the Booths!!!

What we're wondering is "what" issue of the Ring or Boxing News or any other boxing magazine did a peice on the"Booths".

crazy thought here jim and please, feel free to stop mne if i get a bit carried away with this ludicrous suggestion, but have you thought of contacting The Ring or Boxing News and asking them?

Not sure if Lynch was more famous than Jimmy Wilde or Len Johnson in the booths BUT if you are interested track down the book "A Fair Fight" by Dr. Toulmin

Ring never did much, though they did run a few article by Bobby Dobbs in some early issues (1925 or so). Dobbs, another great booth fighter didn't mention much of the booths though.

Thanks Mike, I have that book, but I remember an old Welsh fellow Roy Witts, he came from a boxing family and at the age of 61 Roy fought and beat a 33 year old Black Belt of some sort of martial arts in a seniors amateur boxing event, pretty "tough" those old Welsh miners!

Roy also managed Canadian Al Harper for a time, anyhow Roy used to get the Ring off and on for years and he told me he seems to remember a story on the "Booths" he thought it was round about the 70's, just thought I'd see if anybody new for sure.

Ive read a bit about Bobby Dobbs another one of the Hard-men of yester-year, fought hundreds of fights and for 5 decades, amazing.

...when randy turpin started to make waves ring magazine had a few articles about the boxing booths, which was the first i had ever read or heard about them. alas, most of the writers for ring now think larry holmes was the first heavyweight champion....and they learned that from their older brothers. i don't know how good they are these days on digging into their own history.....but narrowing your questions down to this time period might be of some help in your research....if you can find anyone there to ask.

jimglen wrote:Thanks Mike, I have that book, but I remember an old Welsh fellow Roy Witts, he came from a boxing family and at the age of 61 Roy fought and beat a 33 year old Black Belt of some sort of martial arts in a seniors amateur boxing event, pretty "tough" those old Welsh miners!

Roy also managed Canadian Al Harper for a time, anyhow Roy used to get the Ring off and on for years and he told me he seems to remember a story on the "Booths" he thought it was round about the 70's, just thought I'd see if anybody new for sure.

Ive read a bit about Bobby Dobbs another one of the Hard-men of yester-year, fought hundreds of fights and for 5 decades, amazing.

Is this the same Roy Witts who used to run Pembroke ABC in the 70's and managed Light-Heavy Chris Lawson?

I remember Roy selling up and emigrating to Canada back around 1980.

I can't say for sure, but I first met Roy in 1987 in Canada, so could very well be him.

So the Turpin period late 40's through out much of the 50's? Thanks that a starting ground.

Jim.

as far as I am aware the "Boxing Booths" were very popular in Wales and it may be worth while contacting the welsh boxing site.

In many respects this is to do with local history and that of the fair grounds. Clearly they would have been held at the popular seaside towns etc and there may well be some photo etc held by some of the local history society groups or museums.

These travelling fairgrounds are well finished but some details must be available. I will ask around my local area and see if i can get any information.

lamphey wrote:

jimglen wrote:Thanks Mike, I have that book, but I remember an old Welsh fellow Roy Witts, he came from a boxing family and at the age of 61 Roy fought and beat a 33 year old Black Belt of some sort of martial arts in a seniors amateur boxing event, pretty "tough" those old Welsh miners!

Roy also managed Canadian Al Harper for a time, anyhow Roy used to get the Ring off and on for years and he told me he seems to remember a story on the "Booths" he thought it was round about the 70's, just thought I'd see if anybody new for sure.

Ive read a bit about Bobby Dobbs another one of the Hard-men of yester-year, fought hundreds of fights and for 5 decades, amazing.

Is this the same Roy Witts who used to run Pembroke ABC in the 70's and managed Light-Heavy Chris Lawson?

I remember Roy selling up and emigrating to Canada back around 1980.

i believe you guys are talking about current coach. 83 year old roy witts is my coach at the port kells boxing club ehre in surrey, BC. i think he told me he used to live in whales and had a massive gym back in the day..

jyvan wrote: i think he told me he used to live in whales

I wonder if he knew Jonah

jimglen wrote:Did Ring magazine or any other boxing periodical ever do a feature on the "famous" British Boxing Booths?

If so when?

http://boxrec.com/media/index.php/Boxing_booth

..giancarlo......he could have said hello to pinocchio while he was at it///

Jaclem wrote:..giancarlo......he could have said hello to pinocchio while he was at it///

Oh boy was that clever.
All it takes is a google search bud.

Not long ago on a plane I saw a doco on what's claimed to be the last remaining travelling boxing show in the world, Fred Brophy's boxing. It's on Youtube...Outback Fight Club. Here's the first episode for anyone that may be interested

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JXa639t ... F002FD11E7

jyvan wrote:

lamphey wrote:

jimglen wrote:Thanks Mike, I have that book, but I remember an old Welsh fellow Roy Witts, he came from a boxing family and at the age of 61 Roy fought and beat a 33 year old Black Belt of some sort of martial arts in a seniors amateur boxing event, pretty "tough" those old Welsh miners!

Roy also managed Canadian Al Harper for a time, anyhow Roy used to get the Ring off and on for years and he told me he seems to remember a story on the "Booths" he thought it was round about the 70's, just thought I'd see if anybody new for sure.

Ive read a bit about Bobby Dobbs another one of the Hard-men of yester-year, fought hundreds of fights and for 5 decades, amazing.

Is this the same Roy Witts who used to run Pembroke ABC in the 70's and managed Light-Heavy Chris Lawson?

I remember Roy selling up and emigrating to Canada back around 1980.

i believe you guys are talking about current coach. 83 year old roy witts is my coach at the port kells boxing club ehre in surrey, BC. i think he told me he used to live in whales and had a massive gym back in the day..

Wow! Roy is still around and involved in Boxing!

He ran gyms in Pembroke and Pembroke Dock in West Wales for a number of years. Produced a lot of Welsh amatuer Champions and British ABA Champion Chris Lawson. Lawson (http://boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_ ... &cat=boxer) later turned pro with Roy and I think Middleweight Steve Davies (http://boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_ ... &cat=boxer) turned over with him too.

I was in school with Roy's daughter Debbie.

So I told coach Roy that some of you don't believe me. We had a good laugh. If there are people lookig for him you can reach him at [email protected] and the gym he currently is the head coach of is called. Port Kells boxing club. If anyone would like to get in contact with him he says to throw him an e-mail and he'll gadly respond whenever he can.

And talking about the "Booths" Roy said the last ones was Mckay I believe he said, and he knew his daughter who he wanted to add hit hard as ever. I think he also said they were from Winchester.

Oh and another thing I might add he is quite well known here in BC in the fight community and will be going back to England for 2 weeks on Tuesday.

...jyvan...what the hell is wrong with you. a google search for pinocchio? that's one of disney's greatest and i saw it when i was a kid and it first came out, and a few times over the years on re-issues. google search? maybe you should try one for "gone with the wind." i won't spoil the ending for you to tell you who wins...the north or the south.

jyvan wrote:So I told coach Roy that some of you don't believe me. We had a good laugh. If there are people lookig for him you can reach him at [email protected] and the gym he currently is the head coach of is called. Port Kells boxing club. If anyone would like to get in contact with him he says to throw him an e-mail and he'll gadly respond whenever he can.

And talking about the "Booths" Roy said the last ones was Mckay I believe he said, and he knew his daughter who he wanted to add hit hard as ever. I think he also said they were from Winchester.

Oh and another thing I might add he is quite well known here in BC in the fight community and will be going back to England for 2 weeks on Tuesday.

I think everybody believes you. You spelled "Wales" (the country) as "whales" (the marine mammal). That's why everybody is giving you a hard time.

jimglen wrote:Did Ring magazine or any other boxing periodical ever do a feature on the "famous" British Boxing Booths?

If so when?

The Ring did one in 1978, but I can't remember any details of it.
Gilbert Odd did a two page article on boxing booths in the April 30, 1947 edition of Boxing News.
I can dig them out and make you a scan of each if you're interested.

I'm sure Boxing News would have done some other articles on booths as well over the years, but for now the forementioned one is the only I am 100% sure of.