LIVING ON THE EDGE

Ray Mancini is pulling triple duty in this month’s issue. First, he is one of the panelists who participated in the “Dynamite Dozen” cover feature. Second, he is one of the fighters mentioned in the “Greatest Italian-Heritage Fighters” piece. And finally, he is pictured above just after his first fight against Livingstone Bramble on June 1, 1984, and we think it’s the perfect way to wrap up a magazine that pays tribute to the most entertaining fighters of the day. Mancini lost the Bramble fight by 14th-round stoppage, lost his WBA lightweight title, got badly beaten up in the process, and then he lost the rematch by unanimous decision the following February. Still, any “Dynamite Dozen” list of the early 1980s would’ve had him on it, because “Boom Boom” was a fighter who relentlessly pushed for victory and gave all he had, come what may, and the fans loved it. To quote Chris Algieri, “To me, the most exciting fighter has to be someone who operates on the edge of defeat.” And sometimes they cross over. Despite the gory wound to Mancini’s eyelid – and presumably pride as well – you can see it on his face: It’s not all bad. He gave the people a great show.