A new three-part observational documentary about former professional boxer Barry McGuigan, ‘Fight Game: The McGuigans’ has been commissioned by BBC One. It will air on BBC One Northern Ireland Wednesday May 17 at 22:40.
Filmed between June 2016 and February 2017, Fight Game: The McGuigans follows the family and the fortunes of star fighter Frampton and other boxers in the Cyclone stable including Coalisland fighter, Conrad Cummings.
Providing a candid, glimpse into McGuigan family life. The series features frank and revealing interviews with Barry, Carl, boxing trainer Shane and other family members.
“Boxing is the honesty business. It’s life in a 12-round fight. Half a second and you’re knocked out, you’re looking up at the stars and it’s over.” says Barry McGuigan.
Over the course of three programmes, unprecedented access to the McGuigan and Frampton families is given in the run up to and during two big fights.
One on 30 July 2016, in New York, when Belfast’s Carl Frampton defeated Mexico’s Leo Santa Cruz to become WBA Featherweight Champion of the World.
Then the second on 28 January 2017, when Frampton lost his featherweight title, and his unbeaten record, after a points defeat in his rematch bout with Santa Cruz in Las Vegas.
The series provides a fly-on-the-wall insight into the world of boxing and the hard work, skill and determination – not to mention family support – that goes into making a world champion.
Fighting Frampton’s corner is the McGuigan family firm, Cyclone Promotions, headed by
manager and former WBA Featherweight Champion, Barry McGuigan, director and Barry’s wife,
Sandra, and their sons Shane, Jake and Blain.
While the programme highlights the excitement and thrill of winning, it also shows the other side of boxing – the danger.
Fight Game: The McGuigans is not just a series about boxing; it is also a series about relationships and the blood, sweat and tears at the core of both.
Filming took place in both Belfast & Coalisland, Co.Tyrone in Northern Ireland. The documentary is produced by sport documentary specialist production company Ad Hoc Films who have previously produced sports related documentary’s including Night of the Fight: Hatton’s Last Stand for ITV, which focused on boxer Ricky Hatton’s failed attempted comeback.
Fight Game: The McGuigans will air BBC One Northern Ireland on Wednesday May 17 at 22.40.
