What is boxing’s greatest and most revered venue?
- Craig Watson
- 27 March 2023
Madison Square Garden is the 'mecca of world boxing, the history and tradition of which is woven throughout the fabric of the sport'. Planet Sport takes a look at its rich and fascinating history.
Madison Square Garden has remained at the apex of world boxing for nigh on a century, playing host to perhaps the greatest spectacle in the sport's entire history, as well as countless other monumental fights and era defining rivalries.
Before we consider the venue's greatest fights, though, let us take a look at its rich and fascinating history.
History of the venue
The MSG that we know today, which sits atop Penn Station in New York, is in fact the fourth venue to bear its name. A name which was given to honour the fourth President of the United States, rather than the Leicester City midfielder, James Maddison, as that would be weird.
First and second iteration
The first venue was built in 1873 by showman and entrepreneur P.T. Barnum, on land that was leased to him by Commodore Vanderbilt.
The arena was modestly named Barnum's Monster Classical and Geological Hippodrome and hosted a myriad of events including chariot races and exotic animal shows.
From 1875 to 1879, the building was leased to Patrick Gilmore, who became the first to host any form of boxing match at the soon to be historic arena.
In 1879 the building was renamed Madison Square Garden.
In the 11 years following the rebrand, the building hosted everything from a cycling event which continues in the Olympics today (The Madison), to wrestling matches and even political events (including both pro and anti-Nazi rallies).
The building was eventually torn down in 1890, mainly because it didn't have a roof and was somewhat impractical for half the year; could have seen that one coming.
The second MSG was built via a syndicate led by J.P. Morgan.
It was far more elaborate than its predecessor, pertaining to a theatre, concert hall and the largest restaurant in the city. The building was designed by renowned architect Stanford White, who, incredibly, was murdered on the rooftop of his own building, just 16 years later.
Third and fourth iteration
The third MSG was officially opened in 1925, affectionately known as "The House that Tex Built".
The building was funded by renowned boxing promoter Tex Richard to the tune of $4.75million, and it was here that the Garden truly became the mecca of boxing that we know today.
The year 1927 saw the arrival of the renowned Golden Gloves tournament, whose list of winners include the likes of Joe Louis, Riddick Bowe, Sonny Liston, Joe Carter and Sugar Ray Robinson.
The current MSG was officially unveiled on the 11th of February 1968. The original ring that was used in MSG II & MSG III was transported over, and eventually retired into the Boxing Hall of Fame in 2007, following 82 years of service.
The arena is owned by the Madison Square Garden Group, and following renovations in 2013, its total cost tops $1.1billion, making it one of the 10 most expensive stadiums ever built.
It has a fight-day capacity of 20,789 and a state-of-the-art cable supported concave ceiling, allowing for an intimate yet truly electric atmosphere on fight nights.
Affectionately referred to as 'The Garden', the arena sits directly above Penn Station in New York - and it was the destruction of the station building, to make way for the arena, that led directly to the creation of the "The New York City Landmarks and Preservation Committee".
Greatest fights at MSG
Madison Square Garden has played host to some truly incredible fights over the last century, including Rocky Marciano vs Joe Louis in 1951, and Lennox Lewis vs Evander Holyfield in 1999.
Virtually every single notable name in the sport has fought at the venue, and to do so is like a badge of honour.
I mean, who wouldn't want to be on the same list as Arturo Gatti, Jersey Joe Walcott, Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, Bernard Hopkins, Mike Tyson, Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury and Wladimir Klitschko.
It almost seems wrong to pick one 'greatest fight' from the list of incredible names above, but one fight absolutely stands out from the crowd.
Muhammad Ali vs Joe Frazier
Billed as the fight of the century, Ali vs Frazier lit up the Garden in 1971 and truly transcended the sport of boxing.
Both guys were unbeaten, and fighting for the world heavyweight title, something which had never happened before.
What made the fight truly special, though, was the fact that it was so deeply intertwined with the politics of the day.
Ali was returning from a three-year ban, having refused to be drafted into the conflict in Vietnam.
As a result, he came to represent anti-establishment rhetoric and the movement against the war.
Frazier, by mere virtue of fighting Ali upon his return, was branded the establishment's fighter.
As a result, the fans were split down the middle, and the support for each fighter, both before the event and during, was magnified, intensified and truly immense.
The fight was the definition of back and forth, though Ali took the first three rounds, seemingly able to read Frazier's erratic head movement and land from the outside.
In the fourth, however, Frazier grew in confidence, bobbing and weaving under Ali's right hook and landing a number of thunderous lefts as he popped back up.
Frazier arguably claimed the fifth and sixth too, dropping his hands to taunt Ali before landing crushing blows to the hips and body, slowing down his opponent's famous movement.
In the seventh, the momentum switched again, with Ali finding a burst of energy and letting the hands go, but he was tiring, and Frazier knew it.
The eighth was survival mode for Ali, whose three years out of the ring had begun to show.
In the ninth, however, Ali seemed to catch his second wind, backing Frazier up for the first time in the fight. He threw cross after cross and managed to open up a cut above Frazier's eye, as well as drawing blood from his nose and mouth.
In the 11th, however, the momentum switched again. This time Frazier raised the tempo, catching Ali with what he would later describe as "the hardest punch I have ever taken in my life".
That left hook to the temple sent Ali down, though the referee ruled it a slip.
Frazier piled on the pressure, landing a brutal shot to the body and a short snapping hook to buckle Ali's knees - but somehow he stayed on his feet, throwing flurries in spells whilst backed up against the ropes.
The final round ultimately decided the fight. With both guys looking for the knockout, Ali spotted a gap. He stepped away and launched a right hook aimed at Frazier's temple.
Frazier too launched a shot of his own at the exact same moment.
In what seemed like slow motion, Frazier pushed off his legs, beat Ali to the punch and sent him crashing to the canvas, sealing the win in what many consider to be the greatest heavyweight bout in boxing history.
A revered arena
Whatever the future of this great venue, one thing is for certain; Madison Square Garden will remain the most attractive venue in world boxing, and future generations will continue to revere this arena once more, whilst falling in love with the sport of boxing inside its doors.
