Boxing promoter Frank Warren has told Islington Now he wants to bring boxing back to his roots with a big fight at the Emirates.
A clash at Arsenal’s home would see boxing in Islington return to the glory days when Henry Cooper lost to Cassius Clay (later Mohammad Ali) at the Gunners’ former Highbury ground in 1966.
Warren hopes for “bigger and better shows and maybe a big one at Arsenal”.
He said: “I’ve always wanted to promote a fight at the home of Arsenal, just like the Cooper/Ali classic, if the right sort of fight came along.”
The 59-year-old anticipates a great era in British boxing. “We are on the verge of the next big names coming through with the likes of Derek Chisora, James Degale and Nathan Cleverly on the cusp of great things,” he said.
“But we also have some very exciting youngsters coming through like Frankie Gavin, Callum Johnson, Billy Joe Saunders, Stephen Smith and Ronnie Heffron, to name just a few.”
Over the past 25 years Warren has promoted some of Britain’s best boxers including ‘Prince’ Naseem Hamed, Nigel Benn, Joe Calzaghe, Ricky Hatton and Amir Khan.
Warren looks back on his time in the borough fondly: “I really enjoyed Islington as a youngster. In those days we used to play around Canonbury, which was really run down. Of course Islington has totally changed now; when I was a lad there was a pub on every street corner.”
His first promoting gig was for a fight involving his cousin at the Rainbow Theatre in Finsbury Park. “It was a great time,” he said. “I was just starting out and I was thrown in at the deep end. It was the first time I was involved in anything like that and it was a baptism of fire.”
As an ardent Arsenal supporter and regularly Emirates-goer, Warren has some strong views about the club’s crumbling season. “Up until two weeks ago I thought they were going fine! I feel that there is no depth in the squad,” he said.
“Although I like Arsene Wenger’s philosophy about youngsters in the team, I think that there is no leader on the pitch. Cesc Fabregas is a good player, but he’s not a captain. Wenger should definitely buy to strengthen the squad.”
