Boxing Snippets

The Road Warrior’s big moment awaits

Like a fighter who gets restless in the lead-up to a major bout, Brian Mitchell is counting the days to his big moment in the spotlight.

On Thursday, the curtain goes up on “The Road Warrior”, Mitchell’s one-man show at Emperors Palace produced by award-winning actor Tim Plewman.

For three nights, the acclaimed former world champion will take centre stage, putting it all out there in a show that is unprecedented for a local sportsman. Mitchell himself appeared in a much-lauded pantomime in 2005, but it’s rarer still that a boxer has his own show, Mike Tyson being the obvious exception.

But the Golden Gloves publicist was always more than a boxer. He was a trailblazer in an age when South Africa was the skunk of the world, going on to craft a Hall of Fame career through his class as a fighter. He was a massive local hero in the 1980s, forced to go on the road to defend his championship. Through it all, there were highs and lows, controversies and calamities.

“I’ll be telling it all,” he says. “Births, deaths, marriages, going off the rails, the dramas . . . it’s all there,” he says with characteristic honesty. “I’ve given it everything and can unashamedly say it’s a world-class production, thanks mainly to Tim’s influence.”

Brian Mitchell on his greatest night, outboxing Alfredo Layne for the WBA junior-lightweight championship at Sun City in 1986.

For seven weeks, he has spent eight hours a day refining the work under Plewman’s hand. Mitchell has never been one for half-measures and he wants to deliver a performance as excellent as the many he produced in the ring in the 1980’s and 90’s.

He’s used to the glare of big audiences, but admits to some anxiety at the prospect of being all alone on stage. “As I told my son, I’m not scared, but a little nervous. It’s up to me to make it happen because this is me, it’s my story, which I tell for an hour and 15 minutes. It’s not the same as boxing; it’s probably more difficult! It’s daunting, but exciting.

“I have a lot to say. A guy like Tim wouldn’t stick his neck out with me if he didn’t believe it would work. We’ve both put a lot of effort in. There will be some heavy moments, but plenty of humour too. I’m lucky enough to still be around to tell it all. I hope people enjoy my story.”

Tickets (R200) for the shows are available at Computicket and at the door.

 

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