Bullets didn’t stop Clarence Booth, so why shouldn’t he be confident about winning ‘Last Chance?’

“Mr St Pete” debuted as a pro in 2011, but can be characterized as a “late bloomer”—he lost his third fight, to current contender Cletus Seldin, dropped a decision to Alex Saucedo (in 2016) and got stopped by Sergey Lipinets (in 2017). Both of them have recently challenged for world titles, so yes, Booth was in tough.

Booth is amped to do the tournament: “I’m excited as hell, the last year I have been getting things right.”

Booth, who acknowledged he was on a wayward path before seeing the light, which made him dig into his boxing, is fortunate to be fighting, and to be alive.

It was late July in St. Pete, Booth was dropping off his nephew at his cousin’s place. A car rolled by and suddenly shots rang out. Booth got hit, once in each leg and in his right elbow. “They thought we were other guys, it was a case of mistaken identity. All grace to God, I could have easily been killed!”

He’s the right guy to pick to win ‘Last Chance,’ Booth says. “It’s been ten years, now I got this art (boxing) down pat. I’m going to win the tournament. I’m in a great head space, I’m a late bloomer. I know who I am, and I don’t see nobody beating me!”