Sky Documentaries pulls no punches with an astounding slate of boxing & MMA programming this year

Sky Documentaries presents an impressive slate of combat sport programming this summer, delving into the fascinating and often misunderstood worlds of boxing and Mixed Martial Arts. Throughout June to September, the channel dissects the narrative surrounding these sports through an impressive line-up of authentic and eye-opening documentaries.  

The Good Fight Club (24 June) follows inspiring young MMA athletes as they try to make their way from a South London gym to Las Vegas to pursue their dreams, Right to Fight (16 July), showcases the shocking untold story of women’s boxing, and Ricky Hatton (w/t), expertly explores the life of one of the world’s most recognised boxing heroes, coming this September.

From Bafta-award winning Century Films, The Good Fight Club follows the fortunes of a group of young Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) athletes fighting to make it from their South London gym to the glittering home of MMA: Las Vegas. 

One of the fastest growing sports in the world, MMA is also one of the most lucrative, with its stars earning some of the highest salaries in sports - and the fighters of Team Underground want in on the action. 

Each has a different reason for coming to the cage - Thomas dreams of being a role model for the deaf community, Shanelle hopes to create a better life for her 5 siblings, and for Aidan, fighting has helped him recover from anorexia - but in Team Underground they have found a community. Head coach Steve - whose kids are some of the most talented fighters in the gym - welcomes anyone willing to train hard, creating a family on and off the mat. 

This dynamic and determined group have found camaraderie in the gym, but once they step into the cage, they leave their team behind and must face the ultimate battle alone.  

The Good Fight Club is directed by Jack Retallack and Liz Biggs, with executive producer Brian Hill. Produced by Century Films in association with Sky Studios.  

From multi-award-winning producers RAW, director Georgina Cammalleri and produced by Tim Wardle and Cassandra Thornton, comes Right to Fight, the untold and surprising story of the pioneers of women’s boxing, who defied sexism and racism for their place in the ring. 

Powerful, moving and dramatic, this is the story of how a small group of maverick pioneers overcome the odds to become the first women issued with professional boxing licenses. 

New York, 1974. Life for women is hard. Domestic violence is deemed a “private matter”, and women can be fired for getting pregnant.  Against this backdrop, women from all walks of life decide to forge a path into the most unexpected and most macho of sports: boxing. They are mocked and patronized, told that women are too delicate to fight, and their attempts to secure boxing licenses are rejected.  But time and time again, they pick themselves up from the canvas and continue the fight, taking the New York State Athletic Commission to court and igniting a movement across the country that will change the face of boxing forever. 

Weaving together rare and previously unseen archive footage, intimate interviews with the key fighters behind the campaign, managers, trainers, judges and spectators, and contemporary verité filmmaking, this cinematic documentary takes viewers ringside to one of the greatest fights never told.   

Right to Fight is directed by Georgina Cammalleri and produced by RAW in association with Sky Studios. 

From multi-award-winning sports documentary specialists Noah Media Group comes a definitive portrait of a unique, working-class hero and one of the world’s most beloved boxers - Ricky ‘The Hitman’ Hatton. The documentary, with incredible access to Ricky and unseen archive footage, charts his journey from the Hattersley estate near Manchester to headlining on the strip in Las Vegas is an emotional insight into a brilliant but flawed sporting hero.  

Earmarked for greatness from the moment he turned professional, Ricky quickly rose to the pinnacle of his sport. Adored by the public, he was a raging force in the ring, but the eventual pain of defeat would become utterly unbearable. Triumph, and pride were replaced by depression, addiction, and shame. His courage was clear, but it hid a darkness that would overwhelm him.  

Crucially, his relationships with those closest to him fell apart. A near decade estrangement from his family and split from his coach pushed Ricky to his absolute rock bottom and an attempted suicide. Raw and compelling, the documentary showcases this cautionary tale and inspirational story of a man forced to navigate a path through fragile relationships and broken dreams as he attempts to make sense of a life that appeared destined for a happy ending. 

Ricky Hatton is directed by Dan Dewsbury and produced by Noah Media Group (14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible, Finding Jack Charlton), in association with Sky Studios. 

Notes to editors 

For further information, please contact: skydocumentaries@premiercomms.com