Farewell, Friday Night Fights: Boxing Series Airs Finale Tonight

What was it like condensing 17 years of FNF into a video essay?
Joe Tessitore: “It’s always harder to write shorter than longer, add in the fact that this production, and this crew, and many in the boxing business attached to this show have been like family to me and it was nearly impossible to cross the line of knowingly not mentioning, thanking or any other necessary litany that could be created. I wanted to simply identify the DNA of the series and I hope we did that. Our senior coordinating producer Matt Sandulli was very helpful in giving me the freedom to express what I wanted to.”

For the past 17 years, ESPN Friday Night Fights, which will celebrate its final show tonight with the highly anticipated finals of Boxcino 2015 (10 p.m. ET, ESPN2), showcased some of the best bouts in the boxing industry and introduced fans to future stars and champions.

ESPN began televising boxing April 10, 1980, making the sport a weekly television staple again for the first time since 1964. Beginning this summer, Premier Boxing Champions on ESPN (PBC on ESPN), will bring boxing to a new level never seen before on the network when the series debuts July 11 (ESPN, 9 p.m.)

Tonight’s telecast will include a special video essay written and voiced by longtime blow-by-blow commentator Joe Tessitore in which he summarizes what Friday Night Fights has meant to the fan and boxing community over the last 17 years. ESPN.com and Friday Night Fights contributor Nigel Collins also looks back at the series.

ESPNFrontRow.com caught up with ESPN senior coordinating producer Matt Sandulli, who has overseen ESPN’s boxing production for the last nine years, for more insight. Read full Q&A

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