The World Boxing Championships are coming. Is Liverpool ready?

Dear readers — Earlier this month, a memorial stone was unveiled on St Paul’s Square to commemorate the site of the former Liverpool Stadium. Among those in attendance was Kirkby’s John Conteh, who had successfully defended the WBC light-heavyweight title at the stadium in 1977.

Now, St Paul’s Square is little more than featureless office blocks. Liverpool Stadium, the country’s first purpose-built boxing arena with its Art Deco façade and faience décor, closed in 1985 and was demolished two years later. When the inaugural World Boxing Championships come to Liverpool next month, it will be to the bigger but perhaps less atmospheric M&S Bank Arena.

The championships will take place over ten days, with 500 amateur men and women boxers from over sixty countries descending on the waterfront. But just what is the state of boxing in Liverpool? With Conteh having long since hung up his gloves, Tony Bellew retired, and the Smith brothers winding down their careers, is the new plaque on St Paul’s Square a proud tribute to a healthy sporting tradition in the city, or a grave marker for a dead legacy?

That’s this week’s Answers in The Post. But first, your regularly scheduled Post briefing.

Your Post briefing

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In today's Answers in The Post, Laurence is sizing up the excitement surrounding the inaugural World Boxing Championships, due to descend on the city for 10 days from 4 September. Liverpool has a proud boxing history — but what about its present and future?

What are the World Boxing Championships?

Firstly, it’s important to understand that there are, broadly speaking, two kinds of boxing: amateur — sometimes called Olympic-style — and professional.

Olympic-style boxers fight for prestige, not money. The amateur game is tough and highly technical, with points-scoring being the focus as opposed to knockouts. Although bouts are one-vs-one, away from fight night it’s much more of a team sport, with athletes supporting each other in gyms or on national squads, like Team GB.

Anfield Boxing Club has been applauded for its Real Men Don’t Carry Knives campaign to tackle blade-related violence in the city, while Rotunda was recognised for their Inclusive Boxing Hub, which provides sessions and support for people with autism. Kirkdale ABC —--where Callum Makin previously trained — has offered summer fayres, fundays, and foodbanks for L4 residents. Old Swan ABC is home to Weapons Down Gloves Up, another anti-crime initiative that allows young people a free drop in to access training, mentorship and structure. “We’ve started to get more involved in the community lately too,” says Edwards of the Solly.

Often, but not always, an amateur career is seen as a good prelude to turning pro and making money. Think Oleksandr Usyk, who had 335 wins, 15 losses and an Olympic gold medal at amateur level — he’s now undisputed world champion at professional. But the professional game is rougher, and sometimes amateur fighters find themselves mauled, outmuscled, and knocked out by grizzled vets of the pro game.

The World Boxing Championships, which will take place from the 4 - 14 September, is a brand-new amateur boxing event arranged by World Boxing, an international sports governing body only founded in 2023. World Boxing has formed to replace the International Boxing Association, which was suspended by the International Olympic Committee due to issues surrounding governance, finances, and alleged Russian influence.

The action will feature competition across 10 weight classes to showcase some of the world’s best amateur fighters; hosting it is considered something of a coup for the M&S Bank Arena and Liverpool.

Why was Liverpool chosen?

As the result of a successful bid, put together by the arena, Liverpool City Council, England Boxing, and GB Boxing, and with National Lottery support. But the city’s history may also have played a part.

Liverpool’s port status long made it a bubbling, multi-ethnic pot of hustlers, migrants and brawlers, where keeping your wits sharp and fists closed was a good idea. By the mid-20^th century, that crucible had produced or honed world title challenger Ernie Roderick, the country’s finest boxer Nel Tarleton, and Nigerian-born Hogan “Kid” Bassey. 

“The late 1920s, and certainly the 1930s and 1940s, were perhaps the heyday,” Gary Shaw, co-author of The Mersey Fighters, tells me.