McCrory: The Fighter does not touch my story

Mar 20 2011 by Mark Douglas, Sunday Sun

GLENN McCrory’s remarkable life story is about to hit stage and screen but he still hopes to write a final, triumphant chapter – as he tells Chief Sports Writer Mark Douglas.

GLENN McCRORY, one of the toughest Brits ever to lace his gloves, is writing an opera.

To the uninitiated, the combination of a former boxing world champion and the libretto might jar, but then if you knew McCrory you probably would not raise an eyebrow at the news County Durham’s most famous fighting son is setting his incredible life story to a classical music score.

McCrory is the archetypal Renaissance man – as comfortable turning his hand to acting, commentating and writing as he was rising against the odds to the top of the cruiserweight division.

But opera? Well, McCrory’s life story is not short on drama.

Born in a poor mining town, he used to carry his disabled brother David to school on his back every day to ensure he received education and enjoyed a social life.

He still ranks his brother’s fight through life as more inspiring than anything he managed in the ring.

He takes up the story: “Believe it or not I am working on an opera at the moment.

“It is based on the Carrying David film which is in development, the story of my brother and I.

“We are writing that as we speak. Anyone who knows our story would agree it is up there.

“I had my fights with my career and coming up but my brother – he was disabled, they told him he would die at 15 but he lived to 30.

“I have always loved my acting. It is my twin passion with boxing.

“I just worked with the Theatre Royal on ‘Seconds Out,’ their first commission about the Cuban boxers I had over here.”

It might be on the silver screen before long too. Having sold the rights to the film a decade ago, and having secured Inception star Tom Hardy to play the lead role, it was beset by delays.

With the rights up for grabs again it is back on the agenda – partly propelled in part by the recent success of The Fighter.

Work began on re-writing the script last week and with top director Aisling Walsh on board it could be Britain’s answer to the recent Micky Ward biopic.

McCrory jokes: “It will be a film. There have been loads of hold-ups, but Gangs of New York took Martin Scorcese 20 years!

“The frustrating thing for me is all of a sudden you see Million Dollar Baby and The Fighter coming out. I thought ‘Oh no, it has stolen my thunder’.

“I went to see The Fighter the other day and, not to sound big-headed, but it does not touch my story.

“It is nothing compared to that. Based among the coal yards, the football ground . . . I think we had a bigger fight as brothers than Micky.

“Micky Ward was a tough kid who had his wars with Arturo Gatti but the belt he is fighting for at the end, it is Mickey Mouse but they present it as a world title, which does not fool the boxing public.