Carnival boxing facing final blow

For 145 years, the canvas floor of the Excelsior boxing tent has been graced by prizefighters, including Muhammad Ali, and the blood, sweat and tears of those who fancied their chances against a trained pugilist.

Yesterday, it was announced that the last fairground boxing ring in Britain, where two of the nation's greatest heavyweights once pounded hapless victims, has lost its owner and showman for the last seven decades.

Ron Taylor, the sixth generation of his family to run the booth, only gave up managing the attraction at fairgrounds in 2002, despite having reached his 91st birthday at the time. He died last week at the age of 95.

Son-in-law Steve Haines said: "He loved the limelight and never wanted to give up. It's the end of an era."

The former Army boxing champion's name had been synonymous with the Excelsior and its tradition of relieving young bloods of their money, in return for a flurry of punches, since he took over from his father in 1936.

Part of a tradition dating from the 1700s, his family had started fairground bare-knuckle fighting in Wales in 1861 and only began making competitors wear gloves when they were made compulsory in the 1930s.

At the peak of their popularity, there were about 100 fairground boxing booths in Britain, pitching all-comers against a professional boxer.

In an interview, Taylor said: "The boxing booth is good training for a boxer because he never knows what kind of opponent he will get and it keeps him alert."

Those who could last three rounds against the champion would win a cash prize. Few managed.

But as the popularity of boxing as a school sport dwindled, the fairground rings faded in the post-war period until the Excelsior was the sole survivor of 150 years of carnival pugilism.

Taylor, who recruited his champions in each of the towns or cities where his booth was set down, benefited from his attraction's unique status when it was graced by some of the greats of the professional ring.

Among those who boxed in the tent were Randolph "Randy" Turpin, considered Europe's best middleweight for much of the 1940s and 1950s, and Welsh heavyweight Tommy Farr, who lost a championship bout on points against Joe Louis.

But it was Ali who had the most enduring relationship with Taylor after he gave an exhibition at the Excelsior in March 1964. Ali got on so well with the showman that he invited him to his marriage blessing.

Taylor has left the ring, now managed by Haines, to his two teenage grandchildren.

Boxing clever

* At their peak, there were about 100 fairground boxing booths in Britain, pitching all-comers against a professional boxer.

* Those who could last three rounds against the champion would win a cash prize. Few managed such a feat.

* As boxing fell out of favour as a school sport, the fairground rings faded in the post-war period until the Excelsior was the sole survivor.

* Among those who boxed at Excelsior were Randolph "Randy" Turpin, considered Europe's best middleweight for much of the 1940s and 1950s.

* Muhammad Ali gave an exhibition performance at the Excelsior in March 1964.

- INDEPENDENT