Boxing Champ Mancini Will Take a Shot at Live Show
WARREN, Ohio – Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini’s friends and colleagues have often asked him about doing a stage show.
The former lightweight boxing champion who hails from Youngstown has always deferred – until now. On May 22, Mancini will present “Stories from the Corner: A Night with Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini” at the Robins Theatre.
Tickets for the 8 p.m. show are $29 (plus fees) and on sale at RobinsTheatre.com.
It will be an intimate conversation in front of – and with – an audience. Mancini will be joined on stage by local television personality Mike Case, who will act as facilitator of the show. Mancini will share stories of his life and times with video and photos.
The idea began to take shape a couple of years ago when the boxer was doing a podcast with Case at the Sunrise Inn in Warren. Ken Haidaris, who owns the Sunrise and also promotes shows in the area, was there and the topic of doing a live show came up again.
But Mancini had long been considering the idea. It started right after “The Good Son,” a documentary about his life, was released in 2013. Shortly after that, boxing champ Mike Tyson did his acclaimed one-man Broadway show, “The Undisputed Truth,” which he took on tour, and the calls for Mancini to do his own show arose again.
“I thought it was courageous and very well done,” Mancini said about the Tyson production. “It was very well produced with high-end production quality – our show will be the exact opposite,” he added, with a laugh.
Mancini will film the show, and might even repeat it live in other cities if the demand is there. The champ had done “Stories from the Corner” live shows before in Atlantic City and Las Vegas. Mancini says those were low-key affairs compared to what is being planned.
At the event, Mancini will take questions from audience members.
“I will take people through my journey, from Youngstown to New York to Hollywood and back here,” Mancini said. “There’s been a lot of stories along the way, some good, some sad, some funny, but it’s my journey.”
When asked by his wife exactly what he’ll talk about, Mancini told her, “I have no idea now but by May 22, I will.”
The champ plans to keep it loose and fun.
“I have no idea how it’s going to turn out but believe this: It will be entertaining. I’ll have video clips and pictures along with the stories.
“It could be an F and L – first and last – or it could go on from here. We’ll see.”
Case said he plans to introduce Mancini and then “get out of the way and let him do his talk.” Afterward, Case will help Mancini take questions from the crowd.
“I can also ask him to clarify questions,” Case said to help along audience understanding.
Pictured: Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini at the Robins Theatre in Warren, where he will give a presentation on his life on May 22.
Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
