RAY “BOOM BOOM” MANCINI, the fan-friendly former light-weight titlist, has obtained a brand new job. Mancini has been an actor and film producer since retiring and after a 29-5 professional profession that peaked together with his reign as WBA belt-holder between 1982 and 1984.
Now 61, Mancini, who made 4 profitable title defences, has obtained the job of internet hosting Excelsior Sporting Club reveals within the UK. The enterprise is the concept of Midlands businessman Scott Murray.
He is identified for bringing many former champions to his Bar Sport venue in Cannock and final 12 months, he reunited Larry Holmes and Gerry Cooney for a UK tour to mark the 40th anniversary of their heavyweight title conflict in Las Vegas.
Murray has now taken out a promoter’s license and set up Excelsior Sporting Club, describing his new enterprise as “an exclusive club that will give members a top quality night’s entertainment.”
The first of 4 reveals Murray has booked for this 12 months is at Bar Sport on Thursday, March 30.
Steve Bunce and Richie Woodhall might be at each present, together with Mancini, there’s the promise of a particular visitor and there might be 4 professional fights.
“I was in Miami last year when Daniel Dubois fought Trevor Bryan and (promoter) Don King had Ray hosting the night,” mentioned Murray.
“I thought he was really good and I’ve become good friends with Ray because I’ve brought him over numerous times to our venue and around the UK.”
Murray says Mancini intends to use his connections to carry fighters from the States to battle on his reveals.
Murray has plans to take his black-tie nights across the nation having made Bar Sport his base for his ‘Legends Nights’ and beginner reveals. There are 5 beginner membership reveals pencilled in for the Staffordshire venue in March and prior to now, Bar Sport has hosted worldwide matches.
Adam Azim, Sam Hickey and Ioan Croft all boxed there and in November, 2019, Delicious Orie outpointed Nick Campbell in an England-Scotland match.
Now a 55-year-old father of 4, Murray, whose sons George, Henry and Charles field for Wolverhampton ABC, had 108 beginner bouts himself between the ages of 14 and 28, lots of them within the super-heavyweight division.
“I boxed three times in a week a few times,” he mentioned, “and even three times on the same night. That was the way it was in those days.”
Highlights for Murray embrace a pair of wins over ABA finalist Dean Redmond and his seven battles with the Ledington twins, Andy and Darren, from Wednesbury ABC. Both twins boxed for England – and Murray beat them each.
Murray made headlines in Boxing News after one in all his greatest wins was controversially scrubbed from the file books.
“Bran Summers was knocking everyone out at the time,” remembered Murray, “and everybody thought he was sure to beat me.
“I used to be a few minutes late for the weigh in, however no person mentioned something. Because we had been super-heavyweights, we didn’t have to make weight, so it didn’t matter and the battle went forward.
“I boxed his head off. I gave him an actual boxing lesson after which after I obtained again to the altering room I used to be advised: ‘You were late for the weigh-in, so the result doesn’t stand, you’re not going by way of.’
“’It was on the back page of Boxing News. They said it was a disgrace.”
The professionals needed Murray, however he mentioned: “I needed to win the ABAs first. Every 12 months, I went within the ABAs pondering: ‘I will win this and then turn pro.’
“But really, I had too many breaks from boxing – and too many distractions.”
His late father, Alan, opened Snoopy’s nightclub, later renamed Silks, and he mentioned: “Dad got us working there from an early age.”
Murray obtained the concept for a bar of his personal whereas he was within the United States coaching. “Frank Tate trained at Stafford Town Amateur Boxing Club when he came to defend his [IBF] middleweight title against Tony Sibson (in 1988),” he remembered.
“I met him there they usually invited me over to Houston to practice with them. (Hall of Fame coach) Jesse Reid was the coach and he had world champions Orlando Canizales, Calvin Grove and Freddie Pendleton within the fitness center.
“We would practice within the morning, once more within the afternoon after which exit within the night.
“One night, I went out for a beer and saw a sports bar. That gave me an idea. The idea was to open a sports bar with multiple screens so you could watch sport at any time of the day. We were one of the first to open in this country.”
That was in 1998 and Murray has additionally invited former champions to Bar Sports to share their recollections with dinner audiences.
“(Former WBC lightweight belt-holder) Jim Watt was the first,” mentioned Murray, “and then there was Henry Cooper, John Conteh and more.”
More just lately, Floyd Mayweather Jnr was a customer. “He was late,” mentioned Murray, who regards Ron Gray as a mentor and nonetheless meets him weekly. “But he was OK. It was the people he brought with him that were the problem. They were a nasty crowd.”
More pleasant was the evening Tyson Fury got here to Bar Sport in 2018 – and let slip a secret.
“Tyson had just had his comeback fight and told us he was fighting Deontay Wilder in December,” mentioned Murray. “We didn’t believe him!”
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