THERE were probably far better fights down the nearby Bigg Market on Saturday night than those heavyweight bouts witnessed by boxing fans at Newcastle's Telewest Arena.

We didn't need any confirmation that heavyweight boxing is a farce, but we got it anyway in the shape of the flabby Audley Harrison and the far fitter looking Herbie Hide.

The timing was unfortunate, or perhaps downright inconsiderate, as it coincided with the tenth anniversary of Michael Watson's life-threatening brain injury.

But it did at least provide a vivid contrast between the sheer bravery and enormous dignity of Watson, a man who enhanced the noble art, and the ludicrous posturing of Harrison.

Our Olympic hero is now exposed as little more than a self-publicist who can talk a good fight but would struggle to punch his way past John Prescott.

Harrison might have the gift of the gab, but not the gift of the jab and without a little more substance to the talk he might find his chat show appearances dry up rapidly.

The BBC are already reported to be reviewing their ten-fight deal with Harrison, from which he apparently stands to earn £1m, and Hide's swift demise dealt a further blow to the Beeb.

They were planning to screen his next projected fight against the British champion, who in case you weren't aware, goes by the name of Danny Williams.

Hide wasn't available for comment after his fight against a 34-year-old Zambian as he had been taken to Newcastle General Hospital.

There were to be no Herbie Rides Again headlines for the former holder of one of the more obscure versions of the world title, but he had my sympathy.

He had obviously trained hard for his comeback, but the lessons which have supposedly been learned from the Watson tragedy were not apparent here.

Hide was floored in the first round by a punch delivered after the referee had called for a break. The referee should have abandoned the fight immediately as it wasn't fair on Hide to carry on with his senses partially scrambled by what was, in effect, an illegal punch.

It took four further knockdowns, each one increasing the danger of brain damage, before a halt was called.

It may well be true that the changes brought about by Watson saved the life of Scarborough's Paul Ingle, but Hide's treatment suggested some referees are prepared to put the fans first.

Hopefully it was enough to persuade Hide that there are more sensible ways to earn a crust.

THANKFULLY for Boro fans Steve McClaren's luck has changed, although it was going a bit far for him to suggest their deserved equaliser at Stamford Bridge resulted from "blatant" handling.

It was, in fact, clearly accidental, although anything which deprives Chelsea of points is fine by me.

They don't have many English players, which is perhaps why three of them were in the gang of four who sought to draw attention to themselves through drunken and disorderly behaviour.

They probably didn't intend to find fame via the front page and leader column of the News of the World, but their antics cost them two weeks' wages, for which Chelsea are to be commended, especially as it is providing around £130,000 for the American disaster fund.

It was another of the week's unfortunate clashes that this coincided with the publicity surrounding Gazza and George Best.

Best actually made it on to the Parkinson show this time, which is a measure of his improving health, while Gazza actually made it on to a football field and played pretty well, by all accounts.

Had he made it a week earlier some newspapers would doubtless have tipped him to take Michael Owen's place in the England team to face Greece.

It beats me why a prize asset with dodgy hamstrings should be required to stiffen up on a bench for 68 minutes before being sent into the fray.

The resulting injury to Owen didn't help Liverpool in their European tie on Wednesday, while an England win against Greece suddenly looks much less of a formality.

NEWCASTLE Falcons kick off their first appearance in the top tier of European competition tomorrow evening at home to Newport, confirming that the dream launched then messily abandoned by Sir John Hall is nearing reality.

Not so for the ice hockey team. Many fans will never forgive Sir John for hijacking Durham Wasps, and in its latest guise as the Newcastle Jesters the team is now threatened with expulsion from the Superleague.

Three weeks into the season they haven't struck a puck; nor will they unless £150,000 in unpaid wages from last season is handed over.

It's a sad and messy business and the longer it drags on the greater the suspicion that top-level ice hockey will be lost to the North-East.