The Cyber Boxing Zone Encyclopedia
Television with a Boxing Setting

• Alcoa Presents: One Step Beyond, "The Last Round"(Jan 10, 1961 ) Chalres Bronson plays "Yank Dawson," a boxer haunted by a ghost.
• Alfred Hitchock, "Ten O'Clock Tiger," (date). A crooked manager dopes up his fighter. With Frankie Darro, Robert Keith, & Karl Lucas.
• Amen, "The Boxer" (Feb 25, 1989). The congregation thinks the Deacon (Sherman Helmsley) must be punch-drunk for agreeing to manage boxer Windmill Pearson—until Windmill gets into the ring with a contender.
• The A-Team, "Pros and Cons" (2/8/1983). B.A.'s friend is held in a prison where the warden holds fight-to-the-death-boxing matches whose winner receives short-lived freedom. With Ken Norton.
• The Avengers
  • "Killer Whale" (___1963). Boxing and ambergris are at the heart of this unusual tale.
  • Who Was That Man I Saw You With? (date). In which Steed goes boxing, and Tara boxes clever.
• Baretta
  • The 5 and a half pound Junkie"
  • "It's Hard, But It's Fair" Episode #61 (11/2/1977). Baretta poses as a boxer's trainer to uncover his owner's heroin deals. With Pepe Serna &  Bobby Chacon.
• Bat Masterson
  • "The Fighter" (11/5/1958). Bat gets the contract of a boxer in a poker game.
  • "Come out Fighting" (4/7/1960). Bat, arrested en route to a championship boxing match, finds himself arraigned before infamous "fining judge"
• The Bernie Mac Show, "The Main Event" (Nov 21, 2001). Jordan is tormented by bullies at school, so Bernie teaches him some moves that unfortunately turn Jordan into a monster. Guest Stars: Sugar Ray Leonard (as Himself)
• The Best of Families (mini-series: 1977). Stephen Rafferty (Guy Boyd) enters a prize fight to earn the money to pay for his father's funeral. Episode 1.
• The Best of Groucho -- episodes with Rocky Maricano's; another with Joe Louis.
• Big Valley, "Price of Victory" (2/13/67). Bare-knuckle boxer Jack Kilbain (Pennell) gives up fisticuffs for a job with the Barkleys. Kilbain then finds he can't resist returning to the ring for one more bout, even though he may lose his family--and his life!.
• Big Town, "Title"(?/?/1953). A boxer is told by his brother to throw a fight. When he refuses, a gangster tries to kill him. Stars Patrick Mcvey & Jane Night Guest Stars Horace McMahon, Dan Barton, Tracey Roberts and Michael Fox
• Boston Blackie, "Boxing Racquet" (1952)
• "The Buster Keaton Studebaker Show" (1950). Buster learns the hard way not to be seen with the wife of a boxer, in particular when he has to climb in the ring with him.
• Car 54 Where Are You?, "Puncher and Judy" (2/29/1963). Tuddy and Muldoon meet an aspiring boxer. With Rocky Graziano, Sugar Ray Robinson.
• Celebrity Playhouse, "A Very Big Man" (1956), with Pat O'Brian, Hugh O'Brien. O'Brien plays a manager torn between his personal needs and those of his fighter.
• Chicago Hope, "Waging Bull" (date). Doctors Watters, Wilkes, Shutt, and McNeil are Las Vegas for a series of medical seminars. Jack meets up with an old friend, now a teenage boxer, and decides to watch him fight. The boy loses his boxing match, and later on collapses in the shower and dies.
• Chevrolet Tele-Theatre, "The Final Bell," (1/23/1950). With Canada Lee.
• Climax, "Champion" (3/31/1955). Adapted by Rod Serling from a story by Ring Lardner. Fight sequences staged by John Indrisano. Rory Calhoun stars in this famous story which deals with a boxer whose rise to fame has been at the expense of friends and associates. Through flashbacks, we see how Midge Kelly rose from the Chicago slums to a world championship.
• Colgate Comedy Hour: Martin & Lewis. ( 10/4/53). In this episode Dean and Jerry return from a trip to Europe and reporters are waiting for them. They sing 'Great to be home' and do impressions of people from all the countries they visited. Then Dean plays a man addicted to Boxing on TV and Jerry does the ads.
• Combat, "Main Event" (9/14/1965). Guest Stars: Jack Carter, Ben Cooper. A boxing contender and his trainer join the squad
• Crossroads
  • "Two-Fisted Saint" (Apr 6, 1956)
  • "Ringside Padre" (Oct 19, 1956). Guest star Eddie Albert.
• The Crusader, "The Boxing Match" (1955). Brian Keith is a freelance journalist who attempts to right the wrongs of society. Charles Bronson guest stars as Mike Brod, a recent escapee from a communist country. Bronson gets mixed up with crooked fight promoters.
• C.S.I., "Fight Night" (Nov 14, 2002). A middleweight boxing champ dies in the ring after taking a brutal beating from his nemesis, but Grissom finds evidence that points to murder.
• Daria, "Boxing Daria" (ep. 60)
• Deadline, "Howl" (Oct 30, 2000). Benton picks up a movie star at a boxing match and takes her home. The next day, she is found dead, and Benton is too drunk to remember if he did it or not. Soon, a top boxer is also a suspect. A great show!
• December Bride
  • "The Boxing Show" (Oct 3, 1955).
  • "The Prize Fighter" (Nov 5, 1956).
• Dempsey (1983). TV miniseries & edited TVM with Treat Williams
• Desilu Playhouse
  • "The Killer Instinct" (13 Jul 1959). Starring Rory Calhoun (as Juan O'Rourke) Janice Rule (Elaine Mace). At the peak of his career, boxing idol Juan O'Rourke returns to his hometown in Mexico to place a tombstone on his mother's grave. In Mexico he meets two people who will eventually change his life. One is an American model, Elaine Mace. The other is Angel, a promising amateur boxer whom Juan decides to manage. Joseph Landon's drama is based on events in the career of ex-boxer Joey Barnum.
  • "KO Kitty" (17 Nov 1958). Starring Lucille Ball (as Kitty Williams) Aldo Ray (as Harold Tibbets). Kitty Williams, a dancing teacher, is delighted when she learns that she has inherited a boxer from her late Uncle Charlie. Kitty has always loved dogs. But the boxer turns out to be Harold Tibbetts, a muscle-bound country boy.
• Dick Van Dyke, "Body and Sol" (Nov 24, 1965). Rob tells of the time he became the middleweight champ of his Army Camp.
• Diff'rent Strokes, "Arnold's Hero" (Oct 24, 1979). Arnold's wildest dream is realized when he comes face-to-knee with "The Champ" -- Muhammad Ali guest stars.
• Dukes of Hazzard, "And in This Corner, Luke Duke" (11/14/1980). Luke is kidnapped after a pair of conmen convince him to partake in a boxing match and then abscond with him and the profits from the event.
• Ed Sullivan Show, "Bell, Bag, and Canvas," Wayne & Schuster "Golden Boy" spoof
• Ellery Queen, "The Adventure of the Sunday Punch" (Jan 11, 1976). With Jerry Quarry and Art Aragon.
• The Fall Guy, "TKO" (Nov 2, 1983). Colt tries to protect a fight manager from the mob. Sugar ray Robinson, Archie Moore, Larry Holmes, Bobby Chacon. Flip Wilson, 'Title" (date). Muhammad Ali flirts with Geraldine.
• Four Star Playhouse, "Knockout" (__1953). Starring Broderick Crawford.
• Freedom Road (1979), TV Movie with Muhammad Ali & Kris Kristofferson.
• The Fugitive, "Decision in the Ring" (1963). Kimble lands center ring when he gets involved with an ailing boxer. Ruby Dee co-stars.
• The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw (1971). Includes a boxing match refereed by Bat Masterson (Gene barry!)
• George, "Requiem for a Lightweight" (Nov 13, 1993). George Foreman sitcom.
• G.E. Theater, "Return of Gentleman Jim" (date). Hosted by Ronald Reagan and staring George Montgomery as "Gentleman Jim." A Twilight Zone type comedy with Jesse White as a fight promoter who matches Corbett's Ghost against Joe Louis, who has a cameo.
• Gomer Pyle, USMC, Grudge Fight" (Nov 12, 1965). Sgt. Carter foolishly challenges the fleet's retired boxing champion
• Gunsmoke, 'The Preacher" (Jun 16, 1956). Seth Tandy, a helpless newcomer in Dodge is bullied by boxer "Roaring" Sam Keeler. Keeler continues to torment tandy until Matt steps in and meets him on his own terms.
• Here Come the Brides, "To the Victor" (2/27/1970). Joshua (David Soul) and a young Greek farmer train for a bare-knuckle boxing match.
• The Honeymooners, "The Bensonhurst Bomber" (Sep 8, 1955). Norton talks Ralph into a boxing match with Harvey from the pool hall.
• I Dream of Jeannie, "The Strongest Man in the World," with Jerry Quarry & Maxie Rosenbloom
• I Love Lucy, "Ricky and Fred Are TV Fans" (xx,xx, 1953). Ricky and Fred watch boxing on TV leaving Lucy and Ethel boxing widows.
• I Married Joan, "Prize Fighter" (date). Starring Joan Davis & Jim Backus
• The Incredible Hulk, "The Final Round" (3/10/1978). A boxer named Rocky rescues Bill Bixby (the Hulk) from muggers, Rocky gets him a job at his gym. The gym's owner is a drug dealer!
• The Jack Benny Show, "Jack Is a Boxing Manager" (March 17, 1964, Ep. 225). Jack daydreams that he is fight manager for Kid Dynamite (Dennis Day).
• The Joe Palooka Story -- 1954-1955 TV Series; 26 episodes
• Johnny Staccato, "Viva, Paco!" (22 Oct 1959). Johnny Staccato investigates the disappearance of Puerto Rican fighter Paco Vidella. Knowing that Paco is scheduled to fight the featherweight champion and knowing how much Paco wanted the bout Johnny feels something must have happened.
• Knight Rider, "Redemption of a Champion (1/31/1986). When a sports promoter who claims to have some incriminating information about a legendary boxing match is murdered, Michael investigates an upcoming fight involving a villainous promoter and a former boxing champ who is determined to step back into the ring even if it kills him... Guest Stars Ken Norton, Don King, Carlos Palomino. Jerry Quarry, Danny Lopez, Monte Masters.
• Kraft Presents Phil Silvers and Paul Lynde (3/25/1970). Joe Frazier and the Knockabouts. sing "In the Midnight Hour" Rocky Graziano appears in a sketch with Silvers and Frazier about 2 shady boxing managers looking for a heavyweight.
• Laugh-In, "Drop Your Socks & Grab Your Pencils" (Sep 29, 1969). Sammy Davis at 5'4", 130 lbs. has a world-championship boxing match as he squares off against Wilt Chamberlain, 7'3", 296 lbs. Sammy wins with an upper cut to the knee
• Lois & Clark, "Requiem for a Superhero" (date). Crooked boxing promoter Max Menken is using the brilliant Dr. Sam Lane, Lois’s father, to turn his fighters into cyborgs utilizing the surgeon’s advanced and super strong artificial limbs.
• Loretta Young, "Count Of Ten" (1954). Loretta plays the critically ill wife of a retired boxer (Eddie Albert) who re-enters the ring to raise money for a life-saving operation for her.
• Love, American Style, "Love and the Champ" (1970). Episode with Sonny Liston.
• Lucan, "One Punch Wolfson" (16-Jan-1978). Lucan -- a boy raised by wolves -- becomes a prizefighter to pay the bills for a private detective to find his parents.
• The Lucy Show, "Fight Manager" (Feb 20, 1967). Guest Star: DON RICKLES Season 5 -- episode 130
• McMillan and Wife, "The Face of Murder" (Jan 5, 1972). Ex-Champion Battling Freddie O'Neil (Clauide Akins) helps solve mystery of the Dutchman, a jewel thief.
• MacGyver"Split Decision" (Ep. 135, Dec 2, 1991). Dick Butkus guest stars as a boxer in trouble.
• Mad TV (date). Lennox Lewis apearance.
• Mack and Myer for Hire, "Boxers" (1963). Mack and Myer are hired to assist the heavyweight champ in preparing for his next fight
• Magnum, P.I
  • "Faith and Begorrah" (Apr 28, 1983). Co-stars Lee Canalito.
  • "A Sense of Debt" (Dec 1, 1983). Magnum feels obligated to step in for a bareknuckle boxer.
• Marciano(TVM: Apr 17, 1991). The story of Rocky Marciano. Cast: Belinda J. Montgomery, Richard Herd, Tony Lo Bianco, Vincent Gardenia.
• Martin, "Guard Your Grill". After winning a charity boxing match against another deejay, Martin challenges pro boxer Tommy Hearns. Martin ends up getting his butt kicked big time. Riddick Bowe has a cameo.
• M*A*S*H, "Requim for a Lightweight" (date). Marcia Strassman is a new nurse in camp that Hawkeye and Trapper both desire. Hotlips has her transferred out, the boys complain to Henry. He offers to help if Trapper will get in the boxing ring against the General's prize fighter.
• Masquerade Party (1956); Joe Louis appearance on game show
• Maverick, "Stampede" (Nov 17, 1957). Having just been robbed by gambler and boxing promoter Tony Cadiz, Bret Maverick is anxious to make up for lost money. He befriends a gentle giant who may well prove to be a sure thing in the ring. Also starring Efrem Zimbalist, Jr., and Pat Comiskey.
• Miami Vice
  • "Down for the Count: Part 1" (episode # 3.12) 9 January 1987
  • "Down for the Count: Part 2" (episode # 3.13) 16 January 1987. Zito takes over training a boxer when his manager is killed, which angers Guzman, a mobster with other plans for the fighter. Meanwhile Crockett and Tubbs set themselves up as cable TV promoters in an attempt to capture Guzman.Mark Breland guest stars.
• Mission Impossible, "The Fighter" (2/9/1973). Crooked boxing promoters involved with the Syndicate. With William Windom, Joe Maross, Geoffrey Deuel
• The Mod Squad, "The Comeback," (Mar. 8, 1971). With Sugar Ray Robinson, Rocky Graziano & Indian Red Lopez
• The Monkees, "Monkees in the Ring" (date). A corrupt boxing promoter convinces Davy that he possess the talent to be a prize fighter. Suspicious of the promoter's motives, Mike, Micky, and Peter learn that all of Jones' bouts are fixed. Songs include "Laugh" and "I'll be back up on my feet."
• Mr. & Mrs. North, "Title" (1953). Jerry and Pamela pay a visit to the training camp of boxer Vince McKay when a routine sparring session turns deadly for the promising contender.
• Mr. Don & Mr. George, "No Wasps" (1993). UK Comedy -- George is drinking 3 bottles of whisky a day. Don convinces George to get fit.just in time for george's boxing match with dennis "killer" bowles.
• Mr. Lucky, "Gladiators" (6/25/1960). "Lucky starts a training camp for boxers on his floating supper club. When a playboy fighter and a title contender are paired for a charity bout, underworld figures want the playboy to take a dive"
• M Squad, "The Fight" (Apr 18, 1958). Charles Bronson
• Murder She Wrote, "Death Takes a Dive" (Feb 22, 1987). Guest stars Jerry Orbach, Ernest Borgnine, LeVar Burton and Adam West.
• Nancy Drew, "The Lady on Thursday at Ten" (Date). Nancy Drew and a middleweight boxer attempt to thwart an assassination attempt on a top British official.
• Naked City, "Five Cranks for Winter ... Ten Cranks for Spring" (xx/xx/1962). To get money so his wife can enter his prize roses in a flower show, an ex-boxer gets his manager to arrange a fight by having an alcoholic doctor vouch for his physical condition, and he’s beaten unconscious. Robert Duvall, Shirley Knight, Herschel Bernardi.
• The Odd Couple, "The Fight of the Felix" (1 Oct 1970). A tough hockey player challenges Felix to a boxing match.
• One Step Beyond, "Title" (date). Starring Charles Bronson as a boxer haunted by a ghost.
• Outer Limits, "Fun And Games" (30 Mar 1964). An alien abducts an ex-boxer and a divorcee to his home planet where they are pitted in battle against two primitive beasts. The stakes are high: the homeworld of the losers will be destroyed slowly, for the further amusement of their captors.
• Petrocelli, "A Fallen Idol" (Jan 22, 1974). Petrocelli's high school idol, a boxer now over the hill, is accused of beating his new manager to death. Guest Star: Louis Gossett, Jr.
• Peter Gunn , "Rough Buck" (date). A borrowed car, a burlesque queen and a second rate boxer offer the only clues to the murder of a young prizefighter until Peter Gunn learns of his amorous rounds outside the ring.
• Police Squad, "Ring of Fear (A Dangerous Assignment)" (1982). Frank investigates the world of boxing after there some crooked fights.
• Police Woman, "The Hit" (Dec 9, 1975)
• Punky Brewster, "The K.O. Kid" (date 2d season). Punky enlists the aid of boxer Marvelous Marvin Hagler to teach her how to fight after the school bully (Amy Dolan) beats her up.
• Playhouse 90, "Requiem for a Heavyweight" (Oct 11, 1956).by Rod Serling, with Jack Palance, Ed Wynn, Keenan Wynn (ALSO! March 31, 1957, BBC broadcasts live with Sean Connery as Mountain McClintlock!)
• Playwrights '56, "The Battler" (Oct 18, 1955). Directed by: Arthur Penn. Starring: Paul Newman, Phyllis Kirk. A young man who goes "on the bum" to follow his dream of becoming a boxer. In his travels he encounters a number of strange characters, including a crooked truck driver, a cruel cafe owner and a crazed boxer. Based on a story by Ernest Hemingway and adapted by A. E. Hotchner (later a Hemingway biographer) and Sidney Carrol.
• Quantum Leap, "The Right of God" (Apr 7. 1989). Having leaped into Kid Cody, a boxer on the take, Sam has to win the championship to fund a new church for his trainers, a group of nuns. With Vinnie Curto
• Quincy
  • "A Blow to the Head..A Blow to the Heart" (Sep 23, 1977) Joe Louis cameo! After a championship bout a young boxer collapses and dies. His wife thinks that it wasn't an accident and asks Quincy, a friend of her husband's trainer and the coroner on call, to see if he can find out how he really died.
  • "TKO" (Mar 13, 1980)Two days after winning a boxing championship a young boxer collapses and dies while looking at new cars
• Respect (TVM: 1996). Following a tough fight,boxing champion Bobby Carr (Nick Berry) is left with permanent damage to his eye.Unable to continue his career, he gets involved in a scam that goes horribly wrong and faces the biggest fight of his life to win his family back
• Resurrection Blvd Showtime series follows the triumphs and tragedies of a Latino family in East Los Angeles as they struggle for their place in the American Dream. Widowed patriarch Roberto Santiago (Tony Plana) presides over his five children in hopes of continuing the family tradition of boxing, steering his son Carlos (Michael DeLorenzo) into the boxing ring while older brother Miguel (Mauricio Mendoza) assists in training.
• Riverboat, "Riverboat Champion" (1960). Stars; Darren McGavin; Noah Beery Jr. with guest stars Dennis O'Keefe, Slim Pickins, and George Kennedy. This one's about a boxing wager on board the riverboat -- only the boxer has a glass jaw.
• Robert Montgomery Presnts, "Cashel Byron's Profession" (Jan 14, 1952). With Charlton Heston, June Lockhart, Melville Cooper
• Room 222 "And in this corner" (1/21/1972). A teacher tries to discourage a student who wants to quit school to become a professional boxer.
• Route 66
  • "The Opponent" (Jun 2, 1961). Tod and Buz recognize a "washed-up has-been" yet once famous boxer named Johnny Copa, who has been reduced to "throwing fights" to earn his living. But once he "wins" a fight bout he csts aside his friends in hopes of "a comeback." Stars: Lois Nettleton, Darren McGavin, Ed Asner, and Al Lewis
  • "Cries of Persons Close to One" (1-31-1964). Tod and Linc meet a boxer and his girlfriend. The boxer appears to be an alcoholic and violent. Stars Micheal Parks, Ellen Madison, Michael Baseleon, James Brown, James Farentino.
• Roy Rogers, "The Knockout" (1952). A boxer is controlled by crooks as his grandmother comes looking for him and asks Roy for help. Charles Bronson's first television appearance.
• Run for Your Life, "Game Of Violence" (date). Starring Ben Gazarra, with Sugar Ray Robinson and Ozzie Davis.
• The Saint, "The Crooked Ring" (July 15, 1965 ). Simon investigates a boxer's sudden rise in the ranks.
• Sanford and Son, "Golden Boy" (Feb x, 1975). Fred becomes part owner of "Young Joe Louis."
• Sgt. Preston of the Yukon, "The Fancy Dan" (1955).
• Sheriff of Cochise (also known as U.S. Marshall) (1956) "Episode" features Michael Landon as a young boxer who drops out of school and gets involved with gangsters. It’s up to the Sheriff to save the young fighter.
• The Simpsons -- see Boxing-related Episode Guide
• Star Trek, "The Fight" (3/24/1999). While boxing on the holodeck, Chakotay is contacted by a telepathic species. However, prolonged communication may leave him insane or braindead. With Carlos Palomino.
• Steve Canyon, "The Fight" (Feb 5, 1959). Dean Fredericks as Steve Canyon. A prizefighter training at Big Thunder for a championship fight gives a sparring partner an unmerciful beating. Airman Featherstone, a former professional boxer, decides to provoke the vicious fighter into a grudge match
• Sugarfoot, "Fernando" (Feb. 16,1960). Stars Will Hutchens as Tom Brewster who was a naive, sarsaparilla drinking E asterner who came West seeking to become a lawyer via correspondence school. If he defeats the boxing champ, Fernando will use his winnings to save an old mission. But Fernando and his trainer find they've taken on more than just a bout - a local gambler is after the land the mission is built on.Guest Starring Pat Comiskey, Nico Minardos, Merritt Bohn, Harry Bellaver.
• Taxi "One Punch Banta" (Sep 19, 1978). Tony is asked to spar with the world middleweight champion Carlos Navarone (played by real life welterweight champion Carlos Palomino).
• Telephone Time, "Fight for the Title" (Mar 17, 1957). Michael Landon stars as one of Benny Leonard's old foes.
• Tennessee Tuxedo and His Tales, "Tale of a Tiger" (date). A new tourist attraction arrives at the Megalopolis Zoo, boxer Tiger Tornado. The nasty rodent, Jerboa Jump, recruits Tiger to be one of his “bad guys” at the zoo.
• Terrible Joe Moran (1984). TV Movie with James Cagney & Ellen Barkin.
• Texaco Star Theater (4/20/1954). Berle is to fight boxing champ Ezzard Charles.
• This is Your Life, Micky Walker (1955); Joe Louis (date?)
• The Twilight Zone
  • "Steel" (Oct 4, 1963). Writen by Richard Matheson, from his May 1956 short story.
    
  • "The Big Tall Wish" (Apr 8, 1960). One of the best Twilight Zone episodes, originally meant for Archie Moore.
• Touched by an Angel, "Fighting the Good Fight" (May 9, 1999). Guest star Muhammad Ali.
• Vega$, "The Eleventh Event" (Jan 17,1979) Guest star Muhammad Ali.
• Wide Country, "The Lucky Punch" (1962). Starring Earl Holliman and Andrew Prine; guest star Audrey Dalton. Mitch accidentally knocks out a champion boxer and has to fight him to let him regain his stature.
• Without a Trace, "No Mas" (Apr 24, 2003). The team find themselves up against the ropes as multiple mysteries arise in the case of a boxer. Dante Jones disappears moments before a bout with a $500,000 purse that which could have made him a title contender. Jack suspects it's stunt, but Vivian, a Jones fan, can't believe that the charity-loving, straight-arrow fighter would go doewn that low road. The search goes in a new direction when his younger brother who he is always bailing out of trouble, vanishes.
• You Are There -- Walter Cronkite calls the Sullivan-Corbett Fight!