The Crowd Went Mild.

The crowd went mild. It’s a great line and it’s true. I’m a big boxing fan and go to a lot of the big, and not so big, fights.

Back in the day, which is an expression that us old people use a lot, I was at York Hall in Bethnal Green to see the fight that nobody wanted.

Even the two fighters concerned didn’t want it to go ahead but were contractually obliged to do so. I won't name them so let's just call them Fighter A and Fighter B.

Fighter A was an up-and-coming prospect. Just 21 and unbeaten in 12 fights. Won all of them by knockout. He was probably three-fights away from a title fight. Fighter B was a seasoned professional. Aged 36 and had 20-something fights and won more than he’d lost. The problem was plain to see. If Fighter A won, the press would just say that he’d beaten an old guy who was already on his way out of the sport. If Fighter B won it would be seen as a fluke and no way would he get a shot at the title, the best he could hope for was a rematch with Fighter A in six months time. 

The fight is scheduled for a cold October night in 1989, and just a few weeks before the fight the tickets aren’t selling. I've got 50 and to be honest, it's hard work getting rid of them. The promoter calls a meeting. I say “Promoter” he’s a thug from East London who just happens to be the brother-in-law of one of the fighters.

“Let them go for half price.” He yells at us, and just before we leave he shouts out “And promise them a free beer at the bar!”

A week later the promoter tells us he has some good news. ITV have agreed to show it live at 10pm. It's good news for the fighters because the TV money will guarantee they get paid but for us trying to sell tickets it’s a fucking nightmare. Who wants to go out late on a Friday night in the freezing cold to watch a nonsense fight, when you can stay at home cuddled up with your bird, a nice takeaway and a bottle of plonk and watch it on tele?

With just a few hours to go before the fight I eventually sell all my tickets. I made no money. In fact, I made a loss.

York Hall was like a morgue that night. Usually, there was a buzz about the place but not that night, it was less than a quarter full and when the two fighters walked up to the ring the crowd went mild.

See, I told you it was a good line.

Fighter A won the match. But lost his next two fights. He now runs a bar on the Costa Del Sol. Fighter B retired after the fight and drove a mini cab until he retired in 2019.