MAY-PAC MEMORIES
MATT CHRISTIE’S Editor’s Letter in the April 30 issue – thinking back to when he took over the Boxing News editorship the day before Floyd Mayweather versus Manny Pacquiao – brought back memories for me as well. I married my wife on May 2, 2015. Her grandfather was a professional boxer, and the first time she came to my house I found for her, in one of my boxing books, a reference to one of his fights – don’t say I don’t know how to show a girl a good time! Years before the wedding, we agreed that if the Mayweather-pacquiao fight ever came off, then we would go to Las Vegas to watch it, taking my eldest son. When they were talking about May 2015, we had already booked our wedding, so, subject to the fight date being confirmed, we planned to take our honeymoon there and fly my son out for a week to see the fight. Then they announced it for May 2. We had already booked the wedding venue, committed to the cost and told friends to book the date, so it was too late to switch. Given that the fight was a bit of a disappointment, I’m glad we didn’t take the hit and cancel everything just in order to go. Michael Booth
BETTING SHOP BROADCAST
I’VE been reading Boxing News for as long as I can remember and I must say that I look forward even more to receiving my weekly copy during these dark days of lockdown. You’re doing a great job of keeping up the spirits of people like myself who are unable to go out. I’m particularly enjoying Miles Templeton’s 50 Greatest British Fights series. I was pleasantly surprised to see Nigel Benn versus Anthony Logan at No. 37 in the list. That particular fight was broadcast in Britain’s betting shops. I know this because I was the editorial director of Satellite Information Services, who provided the pictures for the shops, and we were then pursuing a policy of showing boxing in the mornings to attract customers into the shops at what was usually a quiet time. We filmed the Bennlogan bout using only one camera, which was pretty scary, but we managed to get all the action in what was a fantastic fight that will long live in the memory of all who saw it. The SIS footage was shown again some years later by the BBC, who bought it from the promoter. Stuart Brodkin
MUST-SEE FIGHT
THE excellent 50 Greatest British Fights series had the Nigel Benn-anthony Logan contest at No. 37. This must-see fight can only be described as an unbelievable toeto-toe war. Go and check it out! Dean Mckenzie