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A Night at the Boxing

Former-boxer Mickey Oats talks about the atmosphere during a boxing match


The atmosphere was tremendous. When you’re in the ring and you’re boxing, the people in the balcony – it felt like you could touch them. I mean obviously, you couldn’t, but that’s what it felt like with them all looking over at you, over the top of you, you just felt like you could touch them. That’s how close it was. In those days they were allowed to smoke, and the cigar smoke – because of the lights over the ring – you could see all the smoke and it’s a wonder we ever survived really [laughs].

And, the atmosphere was tremendous. You’d get betting boys shouting out the odds-on so-and-so, you know, odds on whoever. I don’t think it was legal but no one took any notice of it. They’d just shout out their bets and that’s it, people used to win a few quid, loose a few quid [laughs].

I can’t really describe it really, it just felt so good, you know, because it’s such a small hall, when you’re going down to the ring you had people patting you on the back and that, and cheering you and calling your name and everything – it just felt great.

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