by James Slater: Being present at a big fight is a truly incredible experience. Madison Square Garden is for many the greatest venue to attend a fight, the place is just soaked in tradition and atmosphere and it is a very special place for both the fighters and the fans. Many legendary boxers have fought here and quite a few had their pro-debut in the Garden, men like George Foreman and Evander Holyfield to name just two. The greatest night for most at the Garden though was the first epic fight between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier in 1971. This was the first time two undefeated heavyweight champions ever fought one another. It was indeed an historic event and fittingly it took place in such a venue.
For me though, the best place to attend a fight, the most exciting, the most glitzy and just the plain most fun has to be Las Vegas – Fight Town as it is commonly known. I love the place and so do the fighters that box there, Vegas was a virtual second home to such ring greats as Sugar Ray Leonard, Thomas Hearns and Marvellous Marvin Hagler.
The Mandalay Bay and the MGM Grand are the two most frequently used venues for the big fights in Vegas these days, both great venues, they are two beautiful hotels and they have excellent boxing arenas. Caesars Palace was the place to see a fight in the 1980s but The MGM Grand and Mandalay Bay have now taken over and dominate Vegas boxing. What a legendary place Las Vegas is, it too, like Madison Square Garden, has a long history of hosting fights, right back to the first world title fight it held in 1960 between Don Jordan and Benny “Kid” Paret. Almost every big name fighter has appeared there since. Vegas truly is Fight Town.
Among the many great fights that were held in Vegas are the Leonard Vs Hearns welterweight classic in 1981, the Hagler-Hearns war in 1985 and the Holyfield-Bowe trilogy in the 1990s. Also, the Tyson-Berbick fight in 1986, when “Iron Mike” made boxing history by becoming the youngest ever heavyweight champion at the age of twenty, and Foreman Vs Moorer in 1994, when “Big George” did likewise by becoming the oldest at the age of forty five. Many people may prefer the traditional Madison Square Garden but for me it has to be Las Vegas.
Here, in my own personal Las Vegas Top-10, I list why Fight Town is THE place to see a great fight!
One – Marvellous Marvin Hagler v Thomas “The Hitman” Hearns – 1985
Two – Erik Morales v Marco Antonio Barrera – 2000
Three – George Foreman v Ron Lyle – 1976
Four – Julio Cesar Chavez v Meldrick Taylor – 1990
Five – Diego Corrales v Jose Luis Castillo – 2005
Seven- “Sugar” Ray Leonard v Thomas Hearns – 1981
Eight- George Foreman v Michael Moorer – 1994
Nine- Riddick Bowe v Evander Holyfield – 1992
Ten- Mike Tyson v Trevor Berbick (note: not a great fight, but a sensational performance by Tyson; arguably his most terryfying!) – 1986