Manning takes show to Wolverhampton
Anthony Manning…promotes at The Hangar on November 18
NEW promoter on the block Anthony Manning is spreading his wings.
After two successful shows at the Eastside Rooms, former pro Manning makes his mark in Wolverhampton next month.
He’s called the November 18 bill at The Hangar “The Midlands Tour” and, on social media, captioned it: “We do things differently round here.”
Black Country fans will discover Manning does. If his previous shows are anything to go by, they can expect musicians, dancers, rappers, fireworks…
The bill will feature Manning’s growing stable of unbeaten boxers, including huge ticket seller Reagan Oliver, thunderous punching middle Amir Abubaker, heavy Simon Ibekwe, cruiser Traie Duberry and lightweight Mykey Lee-Broughton.
Manning, who burns with ambition, vowed more towns and cities will follow.
“The Midlands is a large area,” he said. “If you stay in Birmingham, you are only going to appeal to Birmingham fans. The brand (Manning Promotions) is moving on.”
Fans will witness a blend of showbiz and explosive scraps, but Manning is keeping the night’s format under wraps. “I won’t let the cat out of the bag, people who have been to my shows know what to expect.
“Boxing hasn’t changed – a jab is still a jab, a hook is still a hook, but the people who attend shows have changed. Most come to support one fighter, it’s providing something that keeps them in the room, makes them think, what’s coming next?”
Manning has certainly caused a stir since arriving on the local landscape. In some respects, he’s boxing’s equivalent of Marmite: some like his style, some don’t.
He doesn’t care as long as people talk about him and fans enjoy what he brings to the table.
Poster for “The Midlands Tour” bill
“Don’t talk about the razzmatazz, as you call it,” he said, “talk about the boxing on my last shows. There were knockdowns and knockouts all the way through, it was over in a flash. What other shows provide that?
“My boxers look at the stage and think, ‘I’m really going to perform, I’m going to do something people will remember’.”
At Wolverhampton, all eyes will be on Broughton, having his first outing since losing an epic Midlands title fight with Scott Melvin in September.
Broughton lost gallantly and perhaps enhanced his reputation. He was ahead going into the 10th and final round when body punches dramatically ended his gritty challenge.
The bout was stopped, on the ringside doctor’s advice, after Broughton was sick on the canvas.
Mykey can – and should – take positives from that performance, his first real test after peeling off seven straight victories. He showed he can step up. He fought well above anything he’d shown before.
His reaction to that first defeat will be interesting. Some fighters learning and grow from such an experience, others are dented.
Manning said: “Mykey had a week off after the fight. We did some fun things outside boxing, we mentored him through that performance.
“He didn’t feel like he lost. The only thing that says he lost is boxrec (the online fight recordbook). It happened, that was the outcome and we have to move on.
“Mykey is in a good place, he’s looking to right that wrong. We want a rematch.
“He can only gain confidence from that performance. The disappointment, from mine and his perspective, is he didn’t come away victorious. He did everything in his control to win.”