Boxing Info: Boom Boom Mancini

Youngstown icon Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini returns home October 20th to handle color commentary for the pay-per-view broadcast of the inaugural “Mike Tyson’s World Tour” stop at the Chevrolet Centre.

The first leg of “Mike Tyson’s World Tour” in Youngstown, presented by Sterling Promotions, will be broadcast live in North America on cable and satellite pay-per-view beginning at 10:30 PM/ET, 7:30 PM/PT. The event is being produced and distributed for Pay Per View by Queensbury Media and Integrated Sports and will be available in more than 50-million homes in North America via iN Demand, TVN, DirecTV & Dish Network in the USA, Viewer’s Choice & Bell ExpressVu in Canada. The suggested retail price for the PPV telecast is only $29.95.

Mancini (29-5, 23 KOs) captured the World Boxing Association lightweight title May 8, 1982 with a stunning first-round knockout of defending champ Arturo Frias in Las Vegas. Mancini successfully defended his title belt four times against Eernesto Espana (TKO6), Deuk Koo Kim, (KO5), Orlando Romero (KO9), and Bobby Chacon (TKO3).

Now 45 years old, Mancini retired from the ring in 1992 and lives in Los Angeles, where he produces movies. “I was born and raised in Youngstown,” Mancini proudly said. “Youngstown has a great boxing tradition and that’s one of the reasons Mike wanted to go there. It’s like the 500-pound gorilla, the traveling circus coming to town. Mike Tyson is still the biggest name in boxing. You don’t get to see Mike Tyson in places like Youngstown. This is a once in a lifetime experience and people are going to buy tickets to see him.

“I fought in Youngstown as an amateur and a pro at the Struthers Field House. It’s still there. My second nationally televised fight against Jose Luis Ramirez (July 19, 1981) was supposed
to be in Youngstown, but the only place large enough was at the university and we couldn’t work something out. So we went to Warren – it’s right next door – and a lot of the same people came to the fight. We sold out, around 2,500 people, but we could have sold out a 6,000 arena. There was nothing around. I wish the Chevrolet Centre were around back then. It’s a great building, part of the downtown rejuvenation; Youngstown’s coming back. I owned a home in Youngstown and went back and forth between there and LA, spending about three months in Youngstown. Now I go back there three or four times a year to visit family and friends.”

Ray will join Hall of Fame blow-by-blow announcer Col. Bob Sheridan and reporter James “Smitty” Smith on the Oct. 20 pay-per-view broadcast. “I’m flattered to be working again with Col. Bob,” Mancini noted. “We worked one show together. He’s one of the all-time best. I’ve been commentating a long time and lucky to work with the best like Jack Buck and Col. Bob.
“Youngstown is a blue collar town. I produced my last film there and I’ve talked to people about building a production facility in Youngstown. It would be great. I’m very proud of Youngstown. It has so much untapped potential. I’d love to buy another house there and, I know it sounds strange, but use it like a vacation home. Working this fight gives me an excuse to go home. I really love Youngstown.”

“It’s a homecoming for Mike, Ray and me,” Niles (OH) native promoter Sterling McPherson remarked. “We’re delighted to have Ray Mancini as part of our broadcast team. He was a great fighter and remains a Youngstown favorite. Boxing fans all over the world love Ray.”

Legendary “Iron” Mike Tyson (50-6, 44 KOs), former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world, boxes veteran Corey “T-Rex” Sanders (23-10, 15 KOs), who holds a knocked out victory against reigning World Boxing Council heavyweight title-holder Oleg Maskaev, in a four-round exhibition headlining the pay-per-view event.

Former world light heavyweight champion Lou Del Valle has been matched against local favorite Zack Page (11-8-1, 4 KOs), of Warren (OH), in the 10-round co-feature. Del Valle captured the vacant WBA light heavyweight title in 1997, stopping Eddy Smulders in the eighth round of their fight in Germany, while Page is coming off of an eight-round draw (Sept. 29) against former NABO champion Jermell Barnes.

Former West African welterweight title-holder “Sugar” Ray Narh (18-1, 15 KOs), now fighting out of Pittsburgh, is in a 10 round Special Junior Welterweight Attraction against an opponent to be determined.

Cincinnati super middleweight Stephan “The Millenium Hawk” Pryor (10-2, 7 KOs), son of the great Aaron Pryor, faces unbeaten Tyron “T.T.” Watson (3-0, 1 KO), of Pittsburgh, in a six-round bout.

Also on the undercard is Cleveland middleweight Juan McPherson (3-0, 2 KOs), 2003 Pan-Am Games silver medallist, as well as Warren middleweight Nate Adams (2-0, 2 KOs) versus
Akron’s Delbert Summerville (1-1).

Tickets, affordably priced at $25.00, $50.00, $100.00, and $200.00, are on sale and available at the Chevrolet Centre Box Office or on line at www.gettix.net or at Gettix outlets. For more information call 330.746.5600 or go to www.chevroletcentre.com.

Doors will open Oct. 20 at 7 PM/ET with the first bout at 8 PM/ET. All fighters and matches are subject to change.