Ex-boxing champ Glenn McCrory hopes to be a knockout at South Tyneside literary festival

McCrory re-wrote the history books almost 30 years ago - on June 3, 1989 - when he landed the world cruiserweight title in his home town of Stanley, County Durham, and will be talking about his eventful life with South Shields playwright Ed Waugh as part of South Tyneside’s annual Write Festival.

The motivation for Glenn’s victory was his terminally ill brother, David, who had the muscle wasting disease, Friedreich’s ataxia.

The disease meant David struggled to walk and, as children, Glenn would carry him on his back.

That inspired the title of the boxer’s highly-praised autobiography, Carrying David, and a new stage play of the same name, written by Ed and starring Micky Cochrane.

“David was my inspiration,” said Glenn. who hung up his gloves in 1993, and subsequently went on to act on stage and television and was a highly respected boxing commentator for 26 years.

Ed said: “Carrying David is about the love between two brothers and their mutual inspiration.

“While one brother was fighting for boxing glory, the other was fighting for his life. It’s very, very emotional.

“The initial idea was for Glenn to play himself in the play but the subject matter was just too close and personal, so we brought in Micky Cochrane who will do a magnificent job.”

Glenn McCrory In Conversation With Ed Waugh will take place at Jarrow Focus in Cambrian Street, Jarrow, on Wednesday, May 22, from 6.30pm to 8pm. Tickets cost £5 and are available from The Word, South Shields.