I noticed Main Mask was interested in the discussion we were having about Tibor Szakacs getting top billing in Dale Martin land. I thought i'd take a sample at random, to show some of the different main events he was billed in. I hope you enjoy this very international journey.
We'll start at the Royal Albert Hall, here Tibor's matched with wrestlers from the United States, Turkey, New Zealand, Germany and even Panama:
I love the Catford enthusiasm of what was the best bout!
Great collection, thanks for sharing, which do conform with my comments elsewhere which I'll copy here.
"I see you have found a Gravesend bill there with Tibor joint top of the bill. I mentioned that he didn't top the bill much for Dale Martin, and I mean from about 1967 onwards. But there were of course plenty of exceptions in amongst his 250 yearly bouts. Earlier in the decade, with all his RAH trophies, he was the go-to classical opponent for tasty foreign visitors in exciting international top-of-the-bill bouts - invariably with names like Pallo, McManus and Logan in support below. There is absolutely no doubt he was outstanding technically but as an exciting professional he was one-dimensional and depended to a large extent on his opponents' show to make the bout work. By the time the seventies arrived, I believe that his name at the top of a poster would be enough for local patrons to skip that week's presentation. Except maybe at the RAH where DM felt confident that a dose of technical Tibor was good for us!"
In many of the above bouts, Tibor is opposing an international star with great drawing power. He was the right guy for this role. Then he did the rounds, of course, with Bruno, in their well practised main event bout.
Gravesend strikes again, though, with the Pete Roberts bout. This, and Bridges, were bouts DM learnt to avoid as top-of-the-bill.
There was also the question of over-exposure. Tibor was so UK-based over 20 years that we all knew his repertoire and would not be in for any surprises. DM realised this too, but there were exceptions as we have seen.
Fascinating to see Torontos wresling all-comers from Tibor down to Zollie.
And delicious to see Viedor billed as the new heavyweight threat.