The documentary series about McGuigan's Gym has already begun to improve the career prospects of some of the gym's top fighters.
The four-episode series of “STABLE: The Boxing Game” aired on BBC One just weeks before Ellie Scotney defeated Segolene Lefebvre in April to win the IBF and WBO junior featherweight titles.
Her trainer, Shane McGuigan, a central figure in the series which also explores the family's contribution to the gym and its fighters, says Scotney has become increasingly popular since then.
Also among the names to watch were Chris Billam-Smith, who defended his WBO cruiserweight title against Richard Liakporhe in early June and is hoping to secure a high-profile bout later in 2024, and Daniel Dubois, who has since been trained by Don Charles and is preparing to take on Anthony Joshua in the biggest fight of his career.
If McGuigan, the son of retired world champion Barry, is one of Britain's leading trainers, his gym has some of the best fighters around. “Ellie is doing more work with Sky, they recognise she's a great personality and people are interested in interviewing her,” he said.
“It’s very difficult. There are only six fights on the card and 12 stories to tell. If A.J. [Anthony Jpshua]If you have a guy like Connor Benn or someone more famous, the press will gravitate towards those guys. She's in a women's sport, and it's hard to break through, so I think it's a really good thing for her.
“It shows you the other side of boxing. There are organised bodies behind it and narratives they want to push. There are a lot of them. I think we've stayed pretty neutral and have always worked with a lot of promoters and produced a lot of good talent.”
“It was a great way to showcase what we do in the gym and personalities like Ellie Scotney and Chris Billam-Smith. Someone would say, 'That sounds like a narcissist to have a coach'. Someone approached me about it and I said, 'Yeah, no problem. If you told the story holistically, not just about me but with some personal stories too, it would make a great documentary.'
“[The wider reaction has] It's been pretty good. A lot of fans have come and messaged me on Instagram, but they're not really boxing fans. [But] It's been very quiet in the boxing industry as a whole.”
Matchroom's Eddie Hearn was perhaps an unexpected contributor given that while Carl Frampton remained McGuigan's main fighter, there had been pre-existing tension between him and the McGuigan family.
The breakdown in their relationship with Frampton is also being explored, as well as Shane's sister, Nika, who tragically died aged 33 after a battle with cancer.
“The BBC did push it to some extent, but it was released quite late, so it did good ratings on BBC iPlayer,” Shane McGuigan continued, “and we might look at secondary sales. We're also trying to release it in the US, because it's a film that's got everything going for it. Some good, some bad.”
“It wasn't a loss for Robbie Davies but it was a disappointing performance. [against Javier Molina]It doesn't just show us 36 minutes in a boxing ring, it shows us the raw emotion that takes place there.
“The hours, months and weeks leading up to a fight they are dieting, stressing, working to heal any niggling aches and pains and you see what Chris was like two days before the fight. [beating] Lawrence Okolie and what followed.”
