Anfield’s famous past as boxing venue is marked with conference

Feb 22 2008 by Liza Williams, Liverpool Daily Post

BOXING stars of the past will help celebrate Anfield’s history as a top venue for the sport today, during a special event at the stadium.

The football ground – famous worldwide for the its high-profile matches – was also once home to boxing bouts that attracted 40,000-strong crowds.

And now the sport is returning to the stadium for a one- day conference, to commemorate the classic fights which occurred there in the 1930s and 40s.

The Merseyside and Wirral Former Boxers’ Associations have organised the event to be attended by past stars including Carl Wright, who fell into a coma in 1997 after a fight but has made a significant recovery since.

Writer and histo-rian Ray Physick says the stadium is an important venue in Liverpool’s boxing heritage.

Many topics will be discussed at the conference, inclu-ding the controver-sial issue of whether boxing should be taught in schools to help instil discipline and channel anger. Last minute attendees can contact Mr Physick on 07738 859213.