One of the more touching moments of Showtime's Fight Camp 360: Inside The Super Six World Boxing Classic is followed by one the most brutal sequences.
Check out the complete first episode before Saturday's debut (10:30PM ET) exclusively on FanHouse below.
While training in Houston for his upcoming fight with Germany's Arthur Abraham, Jermain Taylor stares into a laptop screen as his two young daughters -- from their home in Little, Rock, Ark. -- scream back in unison and delight.
"Hi Daddy! Where have you been?"
Dad tells daughters that he is "taking care of business."
But it's a good thing Taylor's children don't witness the next scene, which is their father being knocked cold by England's Carl Froch with 14 seconds left in his previous fight.
"Jermain's had a run that's been difficult," Taylor's promoter, Lou DiBella, says later. "This is an opportunity for total redemption. He wins this tournament, he's back on top of the world."
With that, Fight Camp 360: Inside The Super Six World Boxing Classic, begins its effective exploration of the lives of the six top fighters in the super middleweight (168 pounds), round-robin tournament, alternately humanizing them as loving husbands, fathers and grandsons, as well as the vicious and talented pugilists that they are.
Produced by Showtime and NFL Films, the tournament and the series was the brainchild of Ken Hershman, Showtime Sports' general manager.
The first of the six episodes also allows viewers access to Hershman's sometimes contentious board room discussions with the fighters' promoters -- DiBella, Gary Shaw (Andre Dirrell), Dan Goosen (Andre Ward), Mick Hennessy (Carl Froch) and Kalle Sauerland (Mikkel Kessler and Arthur Abraham).
"We're the one sport where one loss is devastating to a career," says Shaw, promoter of Froch's next opponent, Direll, an Olympic bronze medalist.
Although Froch is otherwise known for his cocky nature, his mother, Carol Froch, at one point pounds her chest and begs her son "this time don't leave it until the last 14 seconds -- my heart can't take it. My son don't get knocked down."
"That was the first time I've ever been knocked down in my professional career. I was hearing the cheers, and I was thinking, 'I want to silence this crowd,'" said Froch, who was dropped by Taylor in the third round during only his second-ever appearance in America.
"A lot of people fold under pressure. But I love the pressure," said Froch. "When that adrenalin's released from the spinal cord, it gives you that pump, and that lift. And your hairs stand up. I feel indestructable and just want to do some damage."
The tournament's first bout begins on Oct. 17 when Abraham (30-0, 24 knockouts) faces Taylor (28-3-1, 17 KOs). On the same night, Froch (25-0, 20 KOs), the WBC champ, defends against Dirrell (18-0, 13 KOs) in Froch's hometown of Nottingham, England.
On Nov. 21, Denmark's Kessler (42-1, 32 KOs), the WBA champ, travels to Oakland, Calif., to take on Ward (20-0, 13 KOs) at Oracle Arena.
Air dates for FIGHT CAMP 360:
Saturday, Oct. 10 - 10:30 PM, Showtime
Monday, Oct. 12 - 11:30 PM, Showtime 2
Tuesday, Oct. 13 – 10 PM, Showtime 2
Wednesday, Oct. 14 – 11 PM, Showtime 2
Thursday, Oct. 15 – 10 PM, Showtime 2
Thursday, Oct. 15 – 10:40 PM, Showtime
Friday, Oct. 16 – Midnight, Showtime
Saturday, Oct. 17 – 6:40 PM, Showtime
Note: All times are ET/PT
Comments (Page 1 of 1)
never heard about the show before but I will definitely be checking for it on showtime. I admit, I had reservations about if being another Contenders type show but I was surprised. the fighters are all extremely likeable and the storylines are good. the english fighter with the smoking hot babe. the articulate veteran looking for redemption and the foreign fighter with the dog named after Tyson.
I like it!