From Sergio Martinez to Chad Dawson, Andre Berto to Tim Bradley, the stables of boxing promotional entities DiBella Entertainment and Gary Shaw Productions contain some of the most prolific names in the current boxing landscape.
Tonight, however, the head of the respective companies, Lou DiBella and Gary Shaw, will show their appreciation for years past as they team up with local PBS affiliates to present New York Fight Clubs, a twenty five minute retrospective on professional boxing in New York City at the turn of the twentieth century, focusing on neighborhood venues and the ethnic rivalries that were formed.
DiBella served as the program’s Executive Producer and boxing consultant, while Shaw is the show’s producer and chief financier.
“Like anything in life, having an appreciation for what came before you is so important,” said DiBella. “New York Fight Clubs is a real insight into what boxing was and what it meant to so many people, especially in the New York City area. Without the fights, venues, and excitement created by boxing in the early 1900s, modern promoters like Gary and me wouldn’t exist. I want to thank Gary for getting involved in what I believe is a very significant project.”
New York Fight Clubs airs at 10:30pm on WNET (New York City) and WLIW (Long Island). Check local listings for channel number and re-air times. Featured interviewees include author Jimmy Breslin, boxing historian Mike Silver, trainer Bobby Jackson, and Newsday boxing correspondent Bobby Cassidy, along with his father and former top contender in the 1960s and 70s, Bobby Cassidy.
