Thread: Your first boxing memory- post them here!

Hey guys,

What is your first boxing memory? Like, the very first time boxing was introduced into your life. Not when you fell in love with the sport, but what piqued your interest in it.

My first memory was seeing a Sports Illustrated magazine of the fight between Tyson v Frazier and that now gloriously infamous picture of Iron Mike landing that huge uppercut that nearly made Frazier a vegetable. That picture would forever be etched in my mind. I was at a doctor's office and they had the magazines spread out on the table, I picked up the SI and there was Tyson nearly killing Frazier. I was like... WOW... I was just struck by the photo.
https://twitter.com/BoxingHistory/st...88121125322753

The second thing I remember was when Leonard fought Hagler. I remember the fight build up and the aftermath... I even remember the ring walks. lol... What a time to be alive. Hagler was build up to be this destroyer of worlds and Leonard was built up as what we would call now the "A side" or in Wrasslin', the "babyface." lolol....

What are your first memories?

Originally Posted by ykdadamaja

Hey guys,

What is your first boxing memory? Like, the very first time boxing was introduced into your life. Not when you fell in love with the sport, but what piqued your interest in it.

My first memory was seeing a Sports Illustrated magazine of the fight between Tyson v Frazier and that now gloriously infamous picture of Iron Mike landing that huge uppercut that nearly made Frazier a vegetable. That picture would forever be etched in my mind. I was at a doctor's office and they had the magazines spread out on the table, I picked up the SI and there was Tyson nearly killing Frazier. I was like... WOW... I was just struck by the photo.
https://twitter.com/BoxingHistory/st...88121125322753

The second thing I remember was when Leonard fought Hagler. I remember the fight build up and the aftermath... I even remember the ring walks. lol... What a time to be alive. Hagler was build up to be this destroyer of worlds and Leonard was built up as what we would call now the "A side" or in Wrasslin', the "babyface." lolol....

What are your first memories?

My first ever boxing memory was seeing a sports magazine of some kind and the front cover had Sugar Ray Robinson on.
He’d probably retired about 15 years earlier and the magazine was probably deciding ATG Sportsmen or something. I had no clue who he was , but I was mad about any sport.
And then , probably like a lot of people , my earliest memories are of Muhammad Ali.
But I also remember seeing the Frazier v Foreman fight on Saturday Lunchtime on Grandstand probably a week after it happened. I couldn’t believe it. This guy just beat the shit out of the World Champion, who had previously beaten Ali.
And I will never forget , perhaps the 4th knockdown when Foreman actually punched Frazier off his feet.

I vaguely remembered Ali v Holmes and I was supporting Ali. Also remember seeing Holmes v Cooney on ITV.

When I got interested in boxing it was BBC Harry Carpenter showing Bruno, Herol Graham and Barry McGuigan coming up the ranks. Honeyghan reign as champion.

Then ITV with Benn v Eubanks v Watson. Tyson v Berbick with Reg Guttridge.

Great topic. Being honest there’s a fine line between falling in love with it and what initially peaked interest but solid distinction. Memories get fractured and timelines blur but my initial literal first time introduced had to be Rocky I and II as a kid. More ‘adult’ flicks at the time but hey it opened doors. There was a great scene in Cool hand Luke that stood out too. Now fights that got me stuck had to be when we moved to new home on East coast at early teen. Didn’t know anyone, waiting for school to start up and all I remember is doing a endless list of yard work and choirs but taking breaks and running across Wide world of Sports and mid afternoon cards on tv. You literally only had 3 ‘free’ channels in your room in 85, 86 and one mid afternoon completely dedicated to boxing... think about that today 😆. Later Paez v Dorsey, Leonard, Tony Lopez v Molina, Aaron Davis v Breland got my hooked flat out. Pretty sure Tyson and Vinny Pazienza in there.

Originally Posted by Spicoli

Great topic. Being honest there’s a fine line between falling in love with it and what initially peaked interest but solid distinction. Memories get fractured and timelines blur but my initial literal first time introduced had to be Rocky I and II as a kid. More ‘adult’ flicks at the time but hey it opened doors. There was a great scene in Cool hand Luke that stood out too. Now fights that got me stuck had to be when we moved to new home on East coast at early teen. Didn’t know anyone, waiting for school to start up and all I remember is doing a endless list of yard work and choirs but taking breaks and running across Wide world of Sports and mid afternoon cards on tv. You literally only had 3 ‘free’ channels in your room in 85, 86 and one mid afternoon completely dedicated to boxing... think about that today 😆. Later Paez v Dorsey, Leonard, Tony Lopez v Molina, Aaron Davis v Breland got my hooked flat out. Pretty sure Tyson and Vinny Pazienza in there.

Now what is really interesting there is that it was Rocky 1 & 2 that was the trigger. So anybody that feels Stallone and the Rocky franchise is a bit of a joke, needs to read that.
Nobody is saying it was realistic , but it introduced new fans to the sport, which is good.
Btw. I don’t see the youtubers in the same light.

It was frank Bruno fighting some white guy with a moustache can't remember who, also a few of Nigel Benn's fights.