HBO Sports Launches Original Digital Series Ring Life, Gripping Stories of Aspiring Contenders

HBO Sports will present a new series of original short films titled Ring Life, which will roll out across HBO digital media platforms including HBO.com (http://www.hbo.com/ringlife/), HBO Mobile, HBO’s YouTube Channel, and as free podcasts via Apple’s iTunes Music Store beginning November 10, 2008. Ring Life will also be offered on HBO On Demand as of December.

Inspired by the real lives of eight hopeful boxers with dreams of becoming champions, each of the promising contenders will have their stories told in three, 4 to 6 minute segments which will play in weekly installments through April 2009.

Intimate, honest and compelling, Ring Life, narrated by Jim Lampley, the accomplished host for HBO World Championship Boxing and HBO Pay Per View, will chronicle the lives of these aspirants as they define the spirit of boxing; balancing jobs, family life, training, expectations and the pursuit of their dreams. Front and center in these fighters’ lives, Ring Life will get inside their hearts and minds to discover what drives them in the ring and beyond, in the ultra competitive sport of professional boxing.

“With so much at stake and tremendous pressure building within each of the 24 segments, watching these boxers go through hardships is enough to hook any viewer,” said Rick Bernstein, executive producer, HBO Sports. “Whether you end up rooting for them or become astounded by their desire to stay the course, they will definitely make a lasting impression.”

The first boxer to be featured is former Golden Gloves champion Dmitriy Salita, an up-and-comer who is on the fight card for the HBO Pay Per View show on November 8th, Joe Calzaghe vs. Roy Jones, Jr. An Orthodox Jew from Brooklyn, Salita’s life is a major balancing act between his strong faith, which guides his daily life, and how he adapts that world to fit his boxing aspirations. Salita’s first two segments will launch Ring Life on November 10th, followed by the third segment on November 17th.

The second Ring Life fighter to be showcased is rising heavyweight contender Chris “The Nightmare” Arreola, a 2001 Golden Gloves champion who is fighting on the November 29th Boxing After Dark telecast. The son of an East L.A. boxer, Arreola carries a considerable load – a dream of becoming the first heavyweight world champion of Mexican descent. Arreola’s video segments will premiere November 24th, and December 1st and 8th respectively, followed by new fighters stories released every Monday across HBO digital platforms.