Sports bar packing a powerful punch with heavyweight display

Adrian Mather

BOXING gloves signed by some of the world's most famous fighters are to be the centrepieces of a huge sporting memorabilia collection at a new sports bar in Leith.

Among the prize exhibits will be a rare boxing glove signed by Cassius Clay, the young boxer who would eventually become the legendary Mohammed Ali, and others signed by a host of other heavyweight stars of the era.

Gloves from fellow heavyweights Joe Frazier, who was beaten by Ali in the Philippines fight dubbed the Thriller in Manila in 1975, and George Foreman will be on display at the new Eight Ball Sports Bar on Great Junction Street.

And bosses of the bar, which is on the site of the former Leith Market, have said that the £50,000 collection of rare gloves, signed shirts and footballs will be the biggest and best display of memorabilia in any pub or club in Edinburgh.

But Edinburgh super featherweight champion Alex Arthur said today he was disappointed he had not been asked to add his own gloves to the collection.

Eight Ball director Andy Lynn, a 37-year-old business administrator originally from Ayr, said that all of the items that will be put on display in the bar were genuine memorabilia passed on by the sporting greats and added that they were "an investment for the future".

He said: "We were aiming to have the best collection of sports memorabilia in Edinburgh and I think we've managed to achieve that. These are all pieces of sporting history and we're delighted to be able to put them up for our customers to see.

"There are a lot of shady companies out there that sell fake signatures, so we were very careful to source one that purely dealt with the genuine article. We eventually found one and we're very pleased with the items that we've bought. I think a lot of them are only going to increase in price over the years, so it's a great investment for us."

Other items on display will be a European Cup winner's shirt signed by George Best, Denis Law and Bobby Charlton and other shirts signed by legendary players such as Pelé, Diego Maradona, Johan Cruyff, Gianfranco Zola and Brazil and AC Milan star Kaká.

Arthur, Edinburgh's European and Commonwealth super- featherweight champion, said: "It is great that they will have gloves from all the big names on display. Fans will love being able to see gloves worn by Mohammed Ali and the others. However, I think they should look closer to home to our locally-grown talent. I'm disappointed that there won't be gloves from local boxing stars, including myself. I won't be going down there to offer them my gloves, but if they contacted me to ask, I'd be happy to help."

City culture leader Donald Anderson said he was sure the new bar would attract people keen to see the sporting artefacts.

He added: "I'm sure there will be a lot of interest in this from across the city - both from people wanting to see the bar and those who want to view the range of sporting memorabilia there."

The American-style sports bar and pool hall has been built on the site of a former whisky bond-turned-farmers' market.

It is the first pub venture for Mr Lynn and his business partners Michael Short, 36, and Brian Callaghan, 45, who have carried out a £250,000 makeover of the building. The new venture is due to open tomorrow.