Ex Butcher Frazier Chops Down Clay Legend

This copy of the Evening Herald from March 9 1971 reports the "Battle of the Century" between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier.


Was Ali-Frazier I the best action fight of all time? I would have to say no but for sheer anticipation, drama and excitement, this fight was the whole package. You had movie star Burt Lancaster as a commentator and Frank Sinatra as a photographer. Each boxer would receive $2.5 million for their nights work. That was an unheard sum of money for one fight in 1971. 

Evening News

This copy of the Evening News is from 19 June 1963, the day after Henry Cooper almost stopped the fighter then known as Cassius Clay .

Cooper managed to knock Clay flat on his back at the end of the fourth round, and the fight was eventually stopped in the fifth as Cooper was badly cut around one eye and a TKO was awarded to Clay.

I have several old newspapers in my collection that report on significant events from the world of boxing and I want to keep them in the best condition possible, so if anyone has some tips on the best way to preserve these, please leave me a comment.

The Bare Knuckle Breed

This is my 1952 first edition of semi fictional boxing book "The Bare Knuckle Breed", which is based on true stories but spiced up by author Louis Golding.


The book itself is in reasonably good condition, however it is missing it's dust jacket which is a real shame.

I have seen this book (including dust jacket) on sales for as much as £35 on specialist book sites.

Framed Frazier Ali "superfight" poster

I picked up this framed poster from the Frazier vs Ali "superfight" of Jan 28 1974 at a collectors fair in London, and paid what seems like the bargain price of £30.

I'd be really interested to hear if any boxing enthusiasts know the current value of this piece, so if you've seen one for sale please leave me a comment and let me know.

Ricky "Hit Man" mask

This signed Ricky Hatton mask is one of the quirkier pieces in my collection of boxing memorabilia and is a souvenir from his fight with Manny "Pac Man" Pacquiao on 2 May 2009.

I picked this up at a boxing dinner at the Marriott  Hotel in Bristol where Ricky gave a hilarious, if slightly colourful, after dinner speech.  

Life and times of the Tipton Slasher

Sorting through my book collection today, I stumbled across this biography of bare knuckle fighter William Perry AKA The Tipton Slasher.

Born in 1820, Perry was a two time English Heavyweight Champion (1850 and 1856) and was finally beaten by Tom Sayers in the round ten of a bout that took place on June 16 1857.

The Tipton Slasher died in 1880 and was buried in St Johns Churchyard, Dudley. A statue of him stands in the town of Tipton near the Fountain Inn which used to he his headquarters

A different book of boxing matches

This is one of the more unusual pieces in my collection of boxing memorabilia. This book of matches promoting Jack Dempsey's Broadway restaurant has been in my collection for around fifteen years.

I am especially pleased with their condition as they have been well looked after and not a single match has been struck