Boston Boxing: Team Training on NESN Packs Quite a Punch

New England Sports Network (NESN) is in the midst of airing a six-episode reality television program titled, Boston Boxing: Team Training .

The series documents the teachings of a renowned local boxing trainer to 40 amateur pugilists with extremely varying skill levels over a span of 12 weeks.

Ed LaVache, the owner of the Boston Boxing Club in Allston, instructed these amateurs how to train and box in competitive teams.

“This series is special because it shows what type of gym we run,” said LaVache, who began boxing 20 years ago for exercise when he played football at Framingham State College. “We have a varying clientele. Some boxers are extremely competitive and others are mostly non-competitive. Some are males, and some are females.”

Among LaVache’s elite pupils are New England Amateur Welterweight champ, Tommy Duchette of Waltham and Hector Hernandez of Boston.

Duchette, who is ranked 13^th in the nation as an amateur in his weight class, is attempting to qualify for the U.S. Olympic boxing team and Hernandez is training with hope of capturing his Marciano belt and title.

“These people aren’t in it for the money," said LaVache. “They are fighting to improve and win.”

The idea for this series was spawned by filmmaker and President of Metropolitan Pictures , Scott Matalon.

Matalon, a native of Brooklyn, N.Y., had recently finished filming his second movie and he was looking for another project to commence.

Matalon and a friend casually visited LaVache’s gym to absorb its atmosphere and he was intrigued by what he observed.

“I walked in, I met Ed, and he was telling me about his 12-week program,” said Matalon, who attended New England Conservatory of Music for jazz. “I thought, ‘This is what I want to film. There’s a story here. This is my project.’”

Matalon said he had a sensational time working on the series primarily because, “Everyone involved was nice and supportive. The owners, trainers and boxers were all great.”

Matalon, who also partnered with Stingray Body Art and Boston Boxing & Fitness to complete this work, noted how impressed he was with the overall culture in boxing.

“Boxing is a unique sport,” said Matalon. “Boxing has a sense of respect that other sports don’t have. Fighters really care for their opponent’s health and they are friends immediately after the fight is over.”

Episodes of Boston Boxing: Team Training can be viewed on NESN on Wednesday evenings, following Boston Bruins games through the end of February.

The series will culminate with a special one-hour episode that will feature a final “Main Event.”

“As a filmmaker, I was thrilled, because the beginning and ending really supported the dramatic conclusion.”

Boston Boxing: Team Training is ideal viewing for both ardent fight fans and casual ones alike.

“Boxing is a unique sport” and this series has already garnered tremendous reviews and it is still set to feature a “dramatic ending.”

Boxing -Examiner~y2010m1d23-Amir-King-Khan-will-knockout-Marcos-Maidana-in-Sin-City">Amir "King" Khan will knockout Marcos Maidana in Sin City

Antonio Margarito should be forever banned from boxing

Miguel Cotto will knockout Israel's first world boxing champion

Floyd Mayweather wants to fight Shane Mosley....an admitted abuser of steroids