The last time boxing was featured regularly on a Tuesday was back in 1998 when the USA Network aired the final episodes of the long-running Tuesday Night Fights series. Now, nearly 13 years later, boxing fans finally have a reason to tune in during the beginning of the week again as FX gets set to debut their new series Lights Out. Premiering next Tuesday, January 11 at 10PM, the hour-long drama dives headfirst into the sport and the business of boxing, touching on the emotional, physical, and financial struggles that fighters and their families go through, as well as the consequences that come from the tough decisions they must make. Fortunately, I was afforded the opportunity to review the first season of the series and I must say it did not disappoint.
The show follows the life of former heavyweight champion Patrick "Lights" Leary, played by Holt McCallany, who retired five years ago after losing his title in a controversial split decision loss to current champion Richard "Death Row" Reynolds. Although the beloved former champion and his family have been living comfortably off of the earnings he made throughout his career, a series of questionable business decisions, made by his brother/manager, has placed Leary in a serious financial bind. Despite concerns for his health, Leary is left with little choice but to mount a comeback in hopes of securing a payday to support his family.
Although the storyline may sound familiar to diehard boxing fans who have likely seen every single Rocky movie, the show is filled with a number of unpredictable twists and turns that still make it original and unique, including a greedy promoter and a corrupt "businessman" who are both eager to exploit the 40-year-old former champion in hopes of maintaining control of the sport. If Rocky was boxing's Godfather, then Lights Out is The Sopranos. The show's writers have managed to cleverly weave in a number of familiar headlines, including a boxing vs. MMA matchup, plaster in hand wraps, and even a fighter that drinks his own urine, not to mention a cast of characters that exhibit familiar traits of some of boxing's own colorful fighters, trainers, managers and promoters.
Simply put, if you're a fan of boxing, you'll be a fan of Lights Out, so next Tuesday, make sure you tune in and show your support. If ratings are good, it could easily turn into a regular series that features cameo appearances by several of your favorite fighters...and that's the type of exposure that both they, and the sport, could use.
Visit the Lights Out official website at http://www.fxnetworks.com/shows/originals/lightsout/
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