A trip back to the grim times of the early 1980s bounced into the ring at the Lowry Theatre recently.

Sucker Punch, a play based on the competitive world of boxing in working class London, highlights the harsh reality of growing up and trying to battle through the shackles of your class against an ever-increasing hostile society.

Sucker Punch, by acclaimed writer Roy Williams, assembled a talented bunch of actors  who portray the despairing world of working class boxers.

The plot centres on Leon, played by Shem Hamilton, and his friend Troy, played by Christian Alifore, who are two likeable lads who are found breaking into a boxing club.

Club owner Charlie, played by Liam Smith, decides to make them do chores around the club rather than hand them over to the police.

He then discovers that Leon is a talented boxer and decides to train him up. His current prodigy Tommy, played by John Rogers, is angered by this and decides to move to a new club.

Leon excels in boxing and fights his way all the way to the Olympics. Unfortunately, his blossoming relationship with Charlie’s daughter, Becky, played by Poppy Winter, falls at the wayside, partly due to his success and also because Charlie doesn’t want the two of them together.

The play flows on an undercurrent of racism as Leon and Troy, alongside Leon’s no-good dad Squid, played by Wayne Rollins, are constantly targeted because of their race.

Some of the language may be offensive in today’s society, but it adds to the realism of the time.

Sucker Punch is a hard-hitting public statement of the 1980s, reminiscent of Road, Billy Elliot and Brassed Off.

The whole play is set in the surrounds of a boxing gym, which also doubles up as the Olympic arena.

Songs from the early 80s’ are also played out on a cassette recorder to add to the authenticity.