Boxing has long been a point of fascination in literary circles, as demonstrated by classic and contemporary
movies,
television, and
writings that capture the subject. Though not an entirely new phenomenon, boxing fervor is on the upswing at the moment, as new film projects, TV series, and even fashion lines are finding inspiration in
The Sweet Science.
On Freddie Roach: This winter, HBO will offer boxing fans an intimate look at the inner-workings of the sport. A six-episode docuseries featuring celebrated trainer
Freddie Roach is set to premiere in early 2012. The show, directed by Peter Berg of
Friday Night Lights, will be filmed in the cinéma vérité style (so it should be a notch classier than
reality TV), and will follow Roach in his daily life as owner and operator of Hollywood’s famous
Wildcard Boxing Club. Meanwhile, HBO has commissioned a pilot for another boxing-themed program:
Spike Lee is set to direct
Da Brick, a biopic series based on the early career of
notorious fighter
Mike Tyson.
Cerdan Vintage Sportswear: Inspired by the recovered sketches of eminent French boxer
Marcel Cerdan, this sportswear line was resurrected by Cerdan’s grandson Nicolas and recently made available
online. The line features the signature ’40s and ’50s aesthetic that defined iconic boxing style: think
flat caps and
wool beanies,
raglan styling, and oversized emblems stitched onto
warm-ups. And Cerdan’s heir isn’t the only one experimenting with this vintage look. Canadian menswear brand
Wings + Horns recently collaborated with the
Ace Hotel NYC and Japanese retailer
BEAMS to create a
collection of fashion sweats inspired by the styles worn in NYC’s boxing gyms of the 1950s.
KNUCKLE: This
Sundance Selection in World Cinema Documentary chronicles the real-life, decades-long feud between two families in Ireland—a feud that comes to frequent, literal blows in
bare-knuckle boxing matches. First-time director Ian Palmer trailed the rival families, the Joyces and the Quinns, for 12 years, shooting footage of a string of fights and capturing familial history as it unfolded in the process. The film has garnered
mixed reviews, but it has been
optioned by the (apparently boxing-obsessed) HBO network, for a TV series remake from the producers of
Eastbound & Down. For a glimpse into the family drama and corresponding bloodshed, watch the trailer
here.
