MY FIRST LIVE BOXING: THE VOLUME IN YORK HALL WAS INCREDIBLE

Walking into York hall, Adam and I were the first to arrive. My chewing gum had been confiscated and my wallet thoroughly searched. I found it all very intimidating to be honest. I’d never been in an environment like York hall. Having been going to Millwall for years I am used to intimidating atmospheres but this was different, tenser somehow. 

As the arena filled up I couldn’t help but feel it was just another community hall and would be a drab night watching some half arsed boxing. Boy I couldn’t have been anymore wrong. As the evening went on I remember Mark Little was fighting. I had mixed feelings towards him as a West Ham fan, however the atmosphere changed when he did.

Like a switch. It was suddenly electric, nerves hung in the air but Little never looked phased. The night was a big one for Southpaw Jab. Ricky Heavens had a big fight, after loosing his previous bout, but came back with a storming performance and put on a dominant display. It wasn’t to be for Jack Hughes in his Southern Area Super Flyweight Title fight but Ricky Little came out victorious on points with a very impressive performance after a tight fight.

It amazed me as how the sun went down the atmosphere in York hall seemed to grow. The buzz, the sheer volume of people in the hall was incredible. The sound of gloves hitting flesh was a new experience for me, I’d seen it on TV of course but never experienced the terrifying power that punches are landed with. Ironically the only smell I remember was of Vaseline, because of the amount that was being smothered on fighters faces! 

I remember leaving and being confused. Looking back at York hall, a really unremarkable building on a random street in a hippie area, however inside held something truly special.