'Real life Rocky' comes to Cannock

Boxing promoter Scott Murray says he’s bringing “the real-life ‘Rocky’” to Cannock, writes Matt Bozeat.

The ‘Rocky’ movie celebrates its 50th anniversary this month – and Murray reckons one of his guests for his ‘Italian Job’ night has a better story than Hollywood hero Rocky Balboa.

Fight fans can meet two boxing legends at Bar Sport’s Premier Suite on Friday night.

For some – including Frank Warren – Joe Calzaghe is Britain’s greatest-ever fighter and Murray says Ray ‘Boom Boom’ Mancini is “the real-life ‘Rocky.’”

Murray said: “Ray’s story reads like a Hollywood script.”

It starts with a fighting father who was robbed of a world-title shot after World War Two broke out and Ray turning professional at 18 years old determined to achieve what had been denied his father, Lenny.

Mancini put the death of his brother to an unsolved murder to become world lightweight champion at the second attempt in 1982 after a thrilling shootout – and become one of the best-loved fighters on the planet.

Because of his all-action style, background and engaging, Italian-American boy-next-door personality, Mancini was watched by television audiences of 100 million worldwide and celebrities Sylvester Stallone and Frank Sinatra sat at ringside when he fought.

Mancini suffered the heartbreak of seeing Kim Duk-koo die after stopping him in 14 rounds in a world-title defence - the aftermath is covered in the moving documentary ‘The Good Son’ – and watched Bobby Chacon decline after beating him in one of 1984’s most action-packed fights.

For all the heartbreak it brought him, Mancini – now 65 years old – said during a visit to Cannock last year: “I love the fight game and what it did for me.”