Friday Night Fights (ESPN2)

:"This article is about the ESPN2 TV program, Friday Night Fights. For a TV program with a similar name shown on the British TV channel Sky Sports 1, see Friday Fight Night. "

"Friday Night Fights" (titled on air as ESPN Friday Night Fights) is a television boxing show, of the American channel ESPN2, that shows a series of live boxing fights on Friday nights, usually at 9 p.m. ET. The program, which debuted in the fall of 1998 (shortly after the demise of USA Network's "Tuesday Night Fights" in August of that same year), is hosted from the ESPN Digital Center studio by Brian Kenny and a guest host, usually a current or former boxer. This program is also presented in high-definition on ESPN2 HD.

Ringside commentary is provided by Joe Tessitore and Teddy Atlas. Previous seasons have featured boxing analyst Max Kellerman alongside Brian Kenny and sportscaster Bob Papa in Tessitore's role ringside with Atlas.

Currently, the official name of this program is "ESPN Friday Night Fights Presented By Just For Men Haircolor". Starting with the tenth season, the presenting sponsor of the program's studio portion is KFC. The official name of the studio segments of the program is "Friday Night Fights Studio Presented By KFC."

"Friday Night Fights" has also offered counterpart programs, "Tuesday Night Fights", and in 2006, "Wednesday Night Fights".

Format

The usual set-up of the night is three matches. The first being eight rounds, the second being four, and the main event being either ten or twelve rounds. This is not always the case, though, as so another four-round match.

Between fights the show goes back to ESPN studios for Brian Kenny to talk about recent boxing news and/or have an interview with someone in the boxing world. Notable interviews include Bernard Hopkins, Antonio Tarver, Winky Wright and Sugar Ray Leonard, among others. The people being interviewed may or may not be in the studio with Brian. Special guests can also appear ringside. They usually only stay as guest commentators for one or two rounds and might possibly stay for a quick interview between matches. Guest commentators include "Baby" Joe Mesi and Bernard Hopkins.

Title matches are not uncommon on "Friday Night Fights", either. Usually this will only happen for minor belts, or if a belt (regardless of prestige) has been vacated and needs a champion.

Teddy Atlas' fight plan

Before every main event, a short video recorded earlier is shown where Teddy goes over what strategies he thinks each boxer should use and uses his assistant Saul to demonstrate (they don't actually hit each other, but Teddy will use light, open-palm hits if he's demonstrating body shots). Teddy's extensive background as a boxing trainer gives these videos a great deal of accuracy, and if a boxer uses the strategies he mentioned they usually work well. In a Rogers Mtagwa fight, Teddy predicted that Mtagwa would knock out his opponent in the fourth round, and even predicted what punch would be the finishing blow; he was right on all accounts. Normally, the videos will be recorded in the ring before anybody comes to the arena, but from time to time will be filmed outside of the arena, elsewhere in the city. One sequence ended with Saul tackling Teddy into a fountain they were standing next to.

Boxers who have fought on "Friday Night Fights"

*Emanuel Augustus (2005-07-08)
*Andre Berto
*O'Neil Bell
*Cornelius "K9" Bundrage
*James Butler (2001-11-23)
*Derek Bryant
*Aaron Davis
*Julio Diaz
*John Duddy
*Antwaun Echols (2008-02-29)
*Arturo Gatti
*Julio César González
*Allan Green
*Vivian Harris
*Audley Harrison
*Stevie Johnston
*Zab Judah (1999-07-09)
*Julian Letterlough
*Antonio Margarito
*Oleg Maskaev
*Jose Luis Castillo
*Edison Miranda
*Carlos Navarro
*Kassim Ouma
*Bobby Pacquiao
*Scott Pemberton
*Sam Peter (2006-04-28)
*Hasim Rahman
*Teddy Reid
*Omar Sheika
*Cory Spinks
*Micky Ward (1999-07-16)

Boxers who have fought on "Tuesday Night Fights":
*Emanuel Augustus (2004-07-06)
*Ian Gardner (2005-07-05)

Boxers who have fought on "Wednesday Night Fights":
*Allan Green (2006-04-26)
*Jameel McCline (2006-04-26)
*Sharmba Mitchell (2006-05-03)
*Joey Spina (2006-05-10)

Notes

When "Friday Night Fights" debuted on ESPN2 in 1998, it was originally titled, "ESPN2 Friday Night Fights". Since the sports net's February 2007 rebranding, the program was retitled, "ESPN Friday Night Fights".

"Friday Night Fights" began its tenth-anniversary season on December 28, 2007.

ee also

* "USA Tuesday Night Fights" (a television boxing show that aired on the USA Network from 1982-1998)

References

ESPN2 2008 Friday Night Fight Schedule:
* [http://www.fightnights.com/espn_friday_night_fights.php ESPN2 2008 Boxing Schedule]