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Don King, the famed boxing promoter portrayed by Zach Levene with a striking bouffant hairstyle, expresses high admiration for his latest protégé, John Conteh, the light-heavyweight champion. King sees something exceptional not only in Conteh’s boxing prowess but also in his presence. “He walks into a room and the air changes,” King remarks, highlighting the champion’s unique charisma beyond his athletic skill.
The role of John Conteh is brought to life by Aron Julius, who captures the essence of the Kirkby boxer crowned WBC light-heavyweight champion in 1974. Julius delivers a performance marked by both physicality and lightness, embodying a muscular yet agile athlete. His portrayal shines with a sharp Liverpool wit, blending cheekiness with charm, making the audience root for Conteh’s success throughout the play.
One of the most powerful elements of this autobiographical drama, penned by Julius himself, lies in the solo moments where Conteh narrates his fights. These vivid, punch-by-punch reflections cover highlights such as his underdog victory against Chris Finnegan at Wembley and the close 1980 match against Matthew Saad Muhammad in Atlantic City. The scenes eloquently convey the isolation and intense focus a boxer experiences amid the public spotlight, crafted in sharp, poetic language and performed with striking, realistic detail under the guidance of fight director Rebecca Wilson.
While the narrative follows the familiar arc of a rise-and-fall sports story, the production gains depth by exploring tensions in Conteh’s personal life. His famous saying, “fights are won and lost on the training ground,” faces challenges from distractions posed by his brother Tony, who lures him into heavy drinking sprees, and the allure of fame brought by Don King. Meanwhile, his manager George Francis, played with agility by Mark Moraghan, insists on discipline, supported by his wife Joan, portrayed firmly by Helen Carter. Adding a feminist voice, Conteh’s wife Veronica (Amber Blease) asserts her presence, protesting her marginalization in a male-centric world. Staged energetically by Mark Womack with a versatile set design by Zoe Murdoch and enriched by a 1970s funk soundtrack curated by Kate Harvey, the play concludes on a therapeutic note addressing Conteh’s struggle with alcoholism. The production ends on a high with the real John Conteh joining the curtain call, giving the performance a fitting finale
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