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The Independent
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
What is The York Hall, the breeding ground of British boxing?
Small halls are the lifeblood of the British boxing scene, local venues that enable fighters to take the first steps into a professional career. Boxers will have fond memories of their nearest small hall, often making their debuts in ballrooms or leisure centres in their towns they grew up in. But no other small hall captures the imagination like York Hall, a 1,250-capacity venue in east London. Catch all the latest boxing action on DAZN York Hall - breeding ground for world champions Last year, 37 boxing events were staged at the leisure centre, showcasing just why so many fighters get a chance to box at The York Hall. It would be far easier to name the notable British fighters that have not fought at York Hall than reel off the stars who passed through Bethnal Green. Anthony Joshua, Daniel Dubois, Tyson Fury, Joe Calzaghe, Chris Eubank, Nigel Benn, Carl Froch, Alan Minter, and John H. Stracey show that world champions across multiple eras have visited York Hall in the early stages of their careers. First opened in 1929 by the Duke and Duchess of York, explaining its name, York Hall was like many other early boxing venues, in the sense that it was never designed with boxing in mind. Originally it housed baths for working-class locals to use; promoters and boxers realised you could place boards on top and construct a canvas to fight in. Crowds were big enough to justify the expense, with baths used all over the country to stage boxing bouts. The first professional nights of boxing at York Hall sprung up in the 1940s, with the venue just another small arena. But as other baths were replaced and neglected for more suitable venues, York Hall managed to survive. In the 1950s the main pool was completely boarded over to be used permanently for boxing, indicating how the sweet science had ingrained itself into the fabric of the venue. In 2004, it appeared that York Hall had reached the end of its lifespan, with the council feeling that the cost of upkeep far outweighed the benefits of maintaining the venue. Tower Hamlets Council planned on demolishing the venue, with the view of allowing the development of penthouses. After campaigning from notable boxing names, including promoter Frank Warren, Greenwich Leisure stepped in, carrying out a refurbishment that saw York Hall become a leisure centre. Subsequently listed as a grade II building in 2013, York Hall remains a firm fixture in the landscape of British boxing. Watch the very best boxing with a DAZN subscription DAZN is the home of combat sports, broadcasting over 185 fights a year from the world's best promoters, including Matchroom, Queensberry, Golden Boy, Misfits, PFL, BKFC, GLORY and more. An Annual Saver subscription is a one-off cost of £119.99 / $224.99 (for 12 months access), that's just 64p / $1.21 per fight. There is also a Monthly Flex Pass option (cancel any time) at £24.99 / $29.99 per month. A subscription includes weekly magazine shows, comprehensive fight library, exclusive interviews, behind-the-scenes documentaries, and podcasts and vodcasts.
The Independent
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Fisher vs Allen 2: Undercard results
Dave Allen just beat Johnny Fisher by knockout to avenge their controversial first fight in Saudi Arabia last year . But this was not the only action tonight as three other all-British showdowns stacked the undercard and they did not dissapoint. Here was happened in the supporting acts for Fisher vs Allen 2. Jimmy Sains vs Gideon Onyenani Jimmy Sains claimed his first professional belt, comfortably outpointing a durable Gideon Onyenani to win the Southern Area Title. The four-time amateur national champion boxed with knockout intent from the opening bell, throwing fast jabs followed up by accurate combinations. But Onyenani came to fight and looked to close the distance to Sains, using his physicality to push the Brentwood man back to the ropes. Through the first half of the fight, Sains had already banked himself a comfortable lead by picking off Onyenani as he charged in, made easier by the fact that fighter from Kent did not cover his approach with any punches. The new Southern Area champion continued his good work into the final stanzas of the fight, landing heavy 1-2s and using his left hook to great effect. Onyenani's corner loudly urged him to press the action and come forward, which he obliged - but it was not enough as Sains proved himself as the more well-rounded boxer, able to outbox his opponent on the inside and at range. Kieron Conway vs Gerome Warburton Kieron Conway defended his British and Commonwealth title in emphatic fashion, forcing the corner of Gerome Warburton to throw in the towel in the fourth round. The first three rounds were all-action with the pair going toe-to-toe exchanging volleys of multi-shot combinations up close. The writing was on the wall however as Conway would have the better of almost all of these back-and-forths - landing cleaner and heavier shots. Warburton did his best to impose himself on the British and Commonwealth champion but Conway's ability to make 'The Bread Maker' miss by an inch and make him pay with viscous body shots saw Warburton start to struggle. As the fourth round progressed, Conway had Warburton backed into a corner and found a home for a looping left hook around the elbow of the challenger, which sent him to the ropes. The Northampton native thought the fight might have been over then, taking a momentary pause before unloading three more punches to Warburton. His corner had seen enough and threw in the towel. George Liddard dispatched Aaron Sutton with a fifth-round stoppage, scoring three knockdowns on his way to victory. The 22-year-old put on a display of lights-out power, putting Sutton on the Canvas in the first minute of the fight with a picture-perfect left-hook. It looked to be a flash knockdown as Sutton seemed to have all of his faculties and quickly resumed as if nothing had happened. The Bristol fighter showed incredible heart to stay in the fight, but he did not have enough to deter Liddard who relentlessly pursued his man and landed a vicious overhand right, flooring Sutton again in the second round. After the second knockdown the former Southern Area champ never really recovered and could not put a dent in Liddard who donned a cheeky grin as he slowly dismantled Sutton. The assault continued into the fifth and what would be the final round of the fight. Liddard looked unphased by the punches coming his way, absorbing or avoiding the best that Sutton had before landing a right hook on the inside that put an end to the fight as the corner threw in the towel.
The Independent
26-05-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Josh Taylor was once great – but a career in turmoil poses an uncomfortable question
Josh Taylor was the undisputed champion of the world only three years ago and now those years seem ancient. On Saturday night, in front of a capacity crowd in Glasgow, Taylor was in the fight of his life to save his career against Ekow Essuman. He lost for the third time in a row. At the bitter end of twelve torrid and bloody rounds, all three judges went for Essuman, Taylor just dropped his head; it was tight, but just. And now Taylor has some serious decisions to make about a career in turmoil. In many ways it was a perfect storm of injuries, delays, tough fights, Covid restrictions and a hard career combining to send Taylor tumbling from his pedestal in 2021. Beyond the fall, his status is secure as British boxing's only undisputed male boxer in the four-belt era. Taylor is in the very best company. Taylor has never been hurt, smashed, beaten badly or suffered too much damage in his 22 fights, but they were hard fights from the very start of his career. Also, his sparring routine was once equally brutal, which is an established fact and not an accusation. In 2019 Taylor won the first of his four world title belts in just his 15th fight. It was a great win, the second in a sequence of six fights against unbeaten boxers, including five for world titles. Later that year, Taylor was majestic against Regis Prograis at a sold-out O2; Prograis was heavily fancied, an unbeaten American champion and part of a quality gang of fighters. Taylor took his belt and took his heart and soul. It possibly cost Taylor a bit of his own future, to be honest - it was a savage fight, Taylor at his finest. Then Covid slowed him down, stopped a few big fights from happening and he finally became undisputed champion at light-welterweight in 2021, but it was behind closed doors. That night in Las Vegas against Jose Carlos Ramirez was the last of the best of Taylor. It was just his 18th fight and he was only 30. He has fought four times since; beating Jack Catterall in controversy, then losing to Teofimo Lopez in New York, losing the rematch to Catterall and finally falling short against Essuman. There is no shame in that losing sequence, but Taylor will know in his heart that the old Taylor could have won all three fights. Against Essuman, who had been overlooked on both sides of the ropes, there were moments when Taylor was as sharp as ever and that is not an exaggeration. In the opening two rounds, Essuman was made to look vulnerable and struggled against Taylor's accuracy and variety. It was just two glorious rounds; the next ten were attritional and that is what Essuman likes and does so very well. Taylor thought he had done enough to win and in the privacy of his dressing room, surrounded by the men who care for him and prepared him, he talked about the end. However, dressing room declarations are emotional outbursts and are often reversed once the boxer returns to normal life. In the corridors at the SSE Hydro close to midnight, there were many prepared to whisper that perhaps it is time to walk away, to end one of modern British boxing's truly exceptional careers. The men in the Taylor business will hold their tongues, keep their feelings private until the boxer decides - that's the classy way. Taylor is not finished as a fighter but he is finished, at just 34, at the level he reached; his sequence of wins before and then during his world title reign is special. It is his decision now to decide how much he has left to chase what he will never get back; fighters get hurt and damaged hunting down a lost cause. Taylor deserves better and has already lived his boxing dream. Essuman is a very good fighter, worthy of a world title shot, but Taylor knew going in on Saturday night that even scraping a win would not be enough. It was unspoken, but understood that he had to win well and that might seem harsh on Essuman. In the last six months or so, fighters with shakier credentials than Essuman's record, have fought for versions of the welterweight world title and it is time he was shown some love, cash and respect. And Josh Taylor? Well, his position as a modern great is secure - his future less clear.
