Remember the great days of boxing at Sheffield City Hall?

Sheffield City Hall becomes a boxing venue tomorrow - and for some there will be echoes of a truly memorable past.
Brian Anderson and Herol Graham, two great names of Sheffield boxing's past.Brian Anderson and Herol Graham, two great names of Sheffield boxing's past.
Brian Anderson and Herol Graham, two great names of Sheffield boxing's past.

Some of the sport’s biggest names have performed at one of the city centre’s most dominating pieces of architecture.

British heavyweight titan Lennox Lewis - who went on to beat the likes of Vitali Klitschko, Evander Holyfield and Mike Tyson - boxed there in 1990.

Sam Sheedy and his teamSam Sheedy and his team
Sam Sheedy and his team
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More locally, Johnny Nelson competed four times, including a drawn WBC World cruiserweight title contest in 1990.

Paul Silky Jones fought there five times.

And Herol ‘Bomber’ Graham loved the place...he was centre stage eight times at Sheffield City Hall.

He fought the likes of American Kenny Bristol (1981) and (Danish based) Ayub Kalule for the European middleweight title (1986.)

Sam Sheedy and his teamSam Sheedy and his team
Sam Sheedy and his team

Modern-day trainer Glyn Rhodes - who appeared on Graham’s undercard back in the day, will be in Sam Sheedy’s corner on Saturday, tonight, hoping the Wisewood southpaw wins a Commonwealth middleweight title eliminator.

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He said: “I have great memories of boxing on Bomber’s undercard, it happened a few times, it was great for me.

“It’s a great venue. The atmosphere is electric.

“It should be a great night and I hope Sam enjoys it as much as I did.

Rhodes is confident his man will get the better of unbeaten Belfast banger Alfredo Meli.

“Sheedy is a big kid and will be big even at middleweight.

“He has had some brilliant sparring with Scott Westgarth and Dave Fidler, who is a southpaw like his opponent.

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“Sam has more power, definitely, since going up a weight division.

“He has grown into a big strong man and feels confident” said the trainer.

“Before people said he was all hit and run and maybe didn’t believe in himself so much,

“Some young boxers are like frightened puppies to begin with but Speedy is a big dog now.

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“At 27 he is reaching his prime has had plenty of experience and it is a good fight against an unbeaten boxer who is coming to win.

n A benefit night for Bomber Graham- who has been seriously ill recently - will be held at the Magna Centre, Rotherham, on May 7.

Two signed Mohammed Ali items and a Bradley Wiggins yellow jersey Opus book will be auctioned to raise funds for him.

Contact Michael Lawless 077807-26454