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Wrestling Heritage and the Talk Wrestling Forum has often cited the dubious tactics of a few promoters for their attempts to mislead members of the public by advertising wrestlers who they knew would never appear. The victims were the duped public who handed over their cash, and the wrestlers themselves as their reputations suffered.
Usually these events passed with nothing more than disgruntled customers and promoters went on to their next event to hoodwink more wrestling fans.
A short, sharp jab from Mick McManus had an independent promoter on the ropes when
his name appeared on posters for a wrestling bill at the Matrix Hall in Coventry on 21 October, 1972. Alongside Mick’s names were those of British heavyweights Albert Wall and Gwyn Davies. All three at that time worked exclusively for Joint Promotions and were consequently forbidden from working for promoters outside that organisation. This particular programme was presented by an independent promoter, Karvansaray Productions Ltd., who listed among their Directors Duke Badger.
Mick wrote to the Coventry Evening Telegraph informing them that he would had not agreed to appear at the hall, and would not be doing so. Furthermore, Mike Judd of Dale Martin Promotions told the newspaper that he had reported the matter to the Inspector of Weights and Measures. He said that Wall would be working for Dale Martin at Maidstone on the Saturday night, and Davies would certainly not be appearing.
Duke Badger stated that McManus and all the other wrestlers had received invitations to attend, and this was what had been stated in the advertisement.
A Director of the company, Bromwich Catering of Sutton Coldfield, which managed the hall, said the show would be cancelled if the promoters did not inform the public of the revised bill. A revised poster was subsequently placed outside the hall stating that the wrestlers accepting the invitation and would appear were Son of Two Rivers, Doctor Death, Paul Carpentier and Kurt Stein.
Even this could have resulted in disappointment. Son of Two Rivers was not the son of Billy Two Rivers but a native of Two Rivers, Doctor Death was not the original Doctor, Paul Carpentier was neither French or a relation of ex World Champion Edouard Carpentier, Kurt Stein was not the German who had appeared in Britain a few years earlier and the Judokas were not the ones seen on tv.
Otherwise, all was good.
Well, apart from those in towns halls falling to the same scam
Page added 18/10/2026
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