Empire Fighting Chance Talks to Dance Legend Michael Flatley

Michael Flatley’s feet have carried him far - they transformed Irish dance into a world-wide phenomenon and took him on the path to incredible success and global fame. His footwork also made him a formidable amateur boxer and gave him a life-long love for boxing.

Michael has spoken exclusively to Empire Fighting Chance about how boxing changed his life – giving him the confidence and discipline to face down school bullies and rise from humble beginnings and the life of a jobbing labourer to achieve enduring success and fortune.

Michael has created a series of dance and music spectaculars over the last 30 years- beginning with Riverdance. His more successful shows such as Feet of Flames and Celtic Tiger Live became global spectaculars.

The most famous of all - Lord of the Dance - has now celebrated 30 years and been seen by more than 60 million people in at least 60 countries -outselling the Rolling Stones, and even that other Irish cultural phenomenon – U2! Michael grew up surrounded by music, and dance, as well the importance of hard graft and self-discipline.  

Michael’s big break eventually came with his breath-taking groundbreaking Riverdance performance at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1994 that brought Irish dance to audiences around the world.

Few people know how important Michael’s love of boxing has been to his worldwide success and popularity – a love he first acquired growing up on the south side of Chicago as one of five children of his Irish parents, Michael and Eilish.

“It was a tough, tough neighbourhood,” Michael says,” and I was one of the smaller, skinnier lads. So I guess I was an easy target going and coming to school every day. I came home one day with one too many bloody noses and my father... threw me in the back of the truck and said, ‘come on!’ And took me to the gym.”

 

Getting in the ring

Michael’s father had emigrated first to Detroit from County Sligo in Ireland before eventually moving with his family to Chicago . He says, “that's kind of how it started. And then when we were slightly older and to our teens, after moving to a new place, we went down to the gym, and that's kind of where really the interest began.”

Michael’s first visit to the gym led to success as an amateur middle weight with five career knock-outs and success in the middleweight division of the Chicago Golden Gloves Championship. He considered going professional but his destiny ultimately led elsewhere. An offer to tour with the legendary traditional band, The Chieftains, started him on his way to dancing glory.

However, what Michael learned in the ring has stayed with him. It’s given him the discipline and mental strength to succeed and the confidence to hold his own. He has fond memories of his old Chicago boxing coach, and the valuable lessons in life he learned from him.

“I went to a great coach, Bill Murphy, “ Michael says, “Or as they used to call him, “Bull Murphy”, because he was a nice fighter, great lad, and one of the nicest guys.

“He taught me lessons about life.” Michael remembers one particular drive to a bout with Bill in his old broken down old Chevvy Impala. “He noticed that I was melancholy and in a very pensive mood. And I remember him saying, “everything okay at home?” And I said, not really’.

“And we drive quietly. And then he says, ‘you know, Michael, I find in life that if you help other people with their problems, somehow your own problems just disappear.’

 “Now, I can tell you something, lads. I'm 67 years old, and I always remember that advice he gave me. And I passed that on. So boxing is not just about what you learn in the ring, but what you learn out of the ring.”

 

Praise for Empire Fighting Chance

Michael was full of praise for what Empire Fighting Chance has achieved for young people and believes in the huge benefits of contact-free boxing. He says, “First of all, congratulations to Empire for starting this and for persevering and helping these young people. It's a remarkable achievement.”

Michael adds, “The pure act of getting up and showing up to the boxing class in the first place changes them. That one little act changes them. That's something that they have to decide to do and they go in, and because it's contactless, it removes the fear.

“You know, ‘I'm not going to get punched in the nose and I can still box’. How fun is that for anybody! And so don't forget: any type of physical movement and any kind of working out that you do is going to help your mind no end and it will give you confidence.

“You know it's no different than playing touch football or touch rugby or American football flag football. It still gives you the confidence; it's still the same thing.  You know that that physical exertion is going to make you feel better about yourself.

“ You belong to something. You know somehow that the bad stuff goes away because you're looking forward to next Thursday night and going into that boxing. It's fun; you talk about things; you make new friends from all walks of life. I think it's a wonderful, wonderful thing.”

 

What boxing teaches you

Boxing also taught Michael the key importance of self-reliance. A boxer may have his coach in his or her corner - and a referee in the middle - but ultimately, he or she is alone in the ring, “They have to have discipline even in that they have to be prepared in advance - their mother their father their girlfriend their boyfriend  -  nobody's in there with them. It's a huge, huge lesson in life.”

He says, “Never once in my dance career have I showed up unprepared. Never, ever! And I never will. And I always try to inculcate all of my dancers with that same self-belief, the belief that you can do anything if you work hard, if you're willing to work, and if you follow what's in your heart, nothing is impossible. Get after it!”

Michael remembers the time he volunteered to fight the school’s fighting hero called Jack, who was also an amateur wrestler, and arm wrestler. He tells the story to illustrate the importance of the skill and discipline of boxing. School champ Jack had just humiliated Michael’s friend Mark in a short bout and was looking for another easy victory. “I’ll fight you!” Michael remembers saying, but he almost immediately regretted it!

“This guy had muscles in places I didn't even have places!” Michael remembers now, laughing. However, Michael remembers seeing how his opponent became increasingly uneasy seeing him rock up in proper boxing trunks and boots and then being told how to wrap his hands correctly.

Michael describes what happened next, “ First round, he came out swinging and hitting me and going crazy and hauling off. And I kept the gloves up and tried to stay away from the ropes.”

Michael found it tough fending off Jack given his opponent’s prowess as a wrestler. The advice from his corner between rounds was clear: “Flatley, you'll have to knock him out otherwise he's going to kill you! You'll have to knock him out!”” Anyhow, to cut long story short,” adds Michael, “I knocked him out in the second round.”

 

Michael’s boxing role models

Michael has an impressive knowledge of the boxers who have continued to inspire him down the years: Muhammad Ali, Thomas Hearns, ‘Celtic Warrior’ Steve Collins (fellow Irishman and ex-WBO Middleweight and Super-Middleweight Champion) Manny Pacquiao, the extra-ordinary Filipino fighter who won win twelve world titles in eight different weight divisions. Probably Michael’s all-time favourites are Roberto Durán, a former world champion in four separate weights, and “Marvellous” Marvin Hagler, undisputed middleweight world champion (1980-1987).

Michael emphasises the importance of Empire’s work in helping children and young people who – so far - may not have had the right breaks, adding, “I really commend you so highly for doing this so because a lot of people come from these backgrounds and they just haven't had the opportunities that that other kids have.  So it's something that they can go on their own terms in a way. And feel good about themselves. And wouldn't it be nice if they all start passing the messages to all of their friends? And if we bring more and more and more people into it. And start to expand it outwards. It's a message of hope for people that are in tough areas.”

Michael emphasises his message for success in life, something he has always taught his incredible dancers and performers: “Don’t cheat! Don't just look like you're doing the steps!

“We all must contribute because if you do this right now, it'll stand you for the rest of your life. If you do it properly, sincerely, and give, then that will travel with you to your next business, to your relationships, to everything in life. Never ever take  the easy way! Do the work! You'll be so proud. It will absolutely change your life forever. “

 

READ THE INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT HERE!