Mooney: “Top Boxer is my last dance”
Welcome to the Michael Mooney show
WHEN his fight career – already a marathon of over 100 bouts – draws to an end, Worcester’s Michael Mooney should consider pursuing a part of the entertainment industry that doesn’t involve blood.
Comedy could be an earner, judging by the 38-year-old’s performance at yesterday’s (Saturday’s) press conference for Tommy Owens’ Top Boxer lightweight tournament.
“Don’t forget hen parties,” the veteran smirked when the career shift was put to him.
The event, at Solihull’s Planet Ice where the competition takes place on September 9, soon became the Michael Mooney show.
In professional boxing, there are larger-than-life characters and there is the force of nature that is “Mad Man” Mooney.
He is, with 106 bouts under his belt (nine wins, two draws), by far the most experience of the eight Top Boxer hopefuls.
And he certainly revelled in the spotlight, engaging in banter with compere Steve Bunce: “Can I hold the mike? You don’t trust me with it, do you? I’m not going to nick it.”
Top Boxer is, Mooney told me, his “final dance” and he’s fired up to take the £6,000 top prize. “I’ll got to JD Sports and buy every pair of size 10 Air Max trainers they’ve got,” he said.
The only thing stopping him from realising that ambition are the other seven men taking part: Knowle’s Dylan Norman, 23, 4-0; Tamworth’s Louis Fielding, 33, 10-8; Dudley’s Ryan Griffiths, 22, 2-0; Lincoln’s DJ Tollerton 22, 3-0; Hereford’s Daniel Williams, 34, 2-0; Manchester’s Harley Marginson, 31, 0-7; Dorset’s Stefan Vincent, 32, 1-2.
Mooney fancies his chances and, I understand, is being helped by former English light-middleweight champ Adam Harper.
“I think my age is on my side because I have a lot of experience,” said Mooney. “Late on in life I took up marathon running and I’m smashing marathons even when I have a hangover. I’ve been round the block so many times even the lampposts know my name.
“When I did train hard, I retired some people. My record may not look good, but back in the day I was not to be sneezed at.”
Mooney told me: “I was watching the United game in the pub when I got the call asking if I’d be interested.
“It’s like Apollo Creed coming to town and giving the local lad the shot. This could be the real life Rocky story. This is the last chance saloon, it’s my last dance. When I was training, I was dropping people in the gym. Now I’m back training hard.”