Brook-Gavin/AJ-Kingpin/Mitchell-Linares/Selby-Grad - The o2 Arena, London ,

[bzkfn]

As I said last night was first time at the O2 for boxing for me.
Previously I have been to M.E.N, Millennium Stadium, Wembley Arena, Cardiff Ice Arena, York Hall, Sheffield Arena, Excel London and some shybo at Xscape Milton Keynes.

I had heard that the O2 was the best boxing experience in the UK. Personally I thought it was the worst of any I'd been to.
The view was good, but the acoustics were shit for atmosphere and announcements etc.
The worst thing though was the queues for the bars and the toilets.

I mean, 20 minutes queue to go for a piss. Everytime.
At first 20 minutes queue for a beer which I thought was bad enough. But that became 50 fucking minutes. I sent the girl before the Mitchell fight to get a carry case full of beer and the poor girl was gone for an hour and missed the entire fight, even though they hadn't even started ring walks when she went.
Getting food - impossible. Gave up after half hour of moving about 2 feet in a queue.

I missed massive chunks of the action and the missus missed even more.
Basically if you want to enjoy the boxing and have a drink/a bite to eat/not have your bladder burst then avoid the O2.

As for the fights the Brook fight was not one to translate well as an 'arena' fight.
Mitchell fight was great. I could see straight away that Mitchell was in trouble. Even when he scored the knockdown I could just only see it going one way. Just too lightweight and moved by almost everything he was hit with.
Selby was good but some of those rounds were pretty close I thought. His reflexes and footwork don't seem all that much and can see him getting tagged often.

Clev's 'fight' was obviously silly but his body shot was the only shot of the night you could hear thudding in from our seats.

@ryanman I agree with you. I went to the O2 for Haye-Maccarinelli and I hated it. I recommend the NIA (now Barclaycard Arena) if you like the MEN in Manchester. They're both very good and similar.

[ryanman]

As I said last night was first time at the O2 for boxing for me.
Previously I have been to M.E.N, Millennium Stadium, Wembley Arena, Cardiff Ice Arena, York Hall, Sheffield Arena, Excel London and some shybo at Xscape Milton Keynes.

I had heard that the O2 was the best boxing experience in the UK. Personally I thought it was the worst of any I'd been to.
The view was good, but the acoustics were shit for atmosphere and announcements etc.
The worst thing though was the queues for the bars and the toilets.

I mean, 20 minutes queue to go for a piss. Everytime.
At first 20 minutes queue for a beer which I thought was bad enough. But that became 50 fucking minutes. I sent the girl before the Mitchell fight to get a carry case full of beer and the poor girl was gone for an hour and missed the entire fight, even though they hadn't even started ring walks when she went.
Getting food - impossible. Gave up after half hour of moving about 2 feet in a queue.

I missed massive chunks of the action and the missus missed even more.
Basically if you want to enjoy the boxing and have a drink/a bite to eat/not have your bladder burst then avoid the O2.

As for the fights the Brook fight was not one to translate well as an 'arena' fight.
Mitchell fight was great. I could see straight away that Mitchell was in trouble. Even when he scored the knockdown I could just only see it going one way. Just too lightweight and moved by almost everything he was hit with.
Selby was good but some of those rounds were pretty close I thought. His reflexes and footwork don't seem all that much and can see him getting tagged often.

Clev's 'fight' was obviously silly but his body shot was the only shot of the night you could hear thudding in from our seats.

@ryanman I agree with you. I went to the O2 for Haye-Maccarinelli and I hated it. I recommend the NIA (now Barclaycard Arena) if you like the MEN in Manchester. They're both very good and similar.

Never been to the NIA but will certainly consider it next time there is something there. Love the M.E.N (it's important to put the full stops between those initials or you are saying something entirely different ) for atmosphere, views, loads of bar staff that serve lightening quick (and have loads ready for those that don't care if it's straight out the tap) and it's bang in the city so you can just chill nearby right up until you want to go in - no fucking around.