ANOTHER DUMB BOXER WHO LOST HIS FORTUNE…
Last night’s FX episode of Lights Out was a big turning point in the journey of fictional boxer Patrick “Lights” Leary. The 40-year-old, former heavyweight champion finally decided to make a comeback. It’s a decision foreshadowed to have dire consequences on his health and family life.
The show opened with Leary and his young daughter Daniella in a doctor’s office. He’s seeking a second opinion from an earlier diagnosis of the beginning stages of pugilistic dementia. After being given a surprising clean bill of health, we learn the happy news as simply Freudian wishing dream, quickly dispelled as Leary wakes up in his bed.
The reality he awakes to is a seven-figure tax debt to the IRS, leaving Chapter 7 bankruptcy as one option to keep their house. When the financial planner brings up fighting again, his wife Theresa, who was the main reason for his retirement five years ago, quickly shoots down the idea. But this time Patrick stands his ground, and presents the comeback as the only feasible means to get out of the debt. There’s truth in his words, but a big motivation is his pride. Leary’s grown accustomed to the lavish life he’s supplied his family, and doesn’t want the public embarrassment of everyone knowing they’ve fallen on hard times mainly due to financial mismanagement.
MMA, there’s no elegance in that game. Boxing used to be the sport of kings…You’ve been wearing the apron too long…You’re going to have to learn how to take a punch again.
Moving forward with the comeback, Leary’s biggest decision is the first opponent. His old trainer and father, Robert “Pops” Leary, warns him to start slow. Patrick himself admits he’s just looking for the payday, “I want the easiest fight for the biggest money.” The name his team settles on is an old friend named Jojo Reed. Reed is characterized as still having a decent name, but no power to give Leary any significant trouble. Jojo himself had just been dropped by Don King-styled promoter Barry K. Word, making him a free agent. He meets with Patrick and happily jumps at the opportunity and solid payday.
With roughly two months to prepare, Leary’s five years away from the ring rears its ugly head in training. He has no balance or snap on his punches. His father is so disgusted that he ties ropes to Leary’s legs as he would do a novice. The elder Leary sternly informs his son that nothing else must be on plate if he’s to succeed (“I don’t care if your house is on fire, let it burn!”). And roadwork will now commence at 5 AM, just like the old days.
Just as Leary begins hitting his stride, two huge setbacks hit him. Jojo Reed becomes the victim of a heinous assault which crushes most of the bones on his hand, effectively ending his career. In addition, Leary’s brother Johnny reveals that he awarded Barry K. Word options on his next three fights. Furious, he fires Johnny as his advisor and confronts Word. The sly promoter steadfastly denies injuring Reed, but offers in his place Javier “El Diablo” Morales, a bruiser modeled after Sonny Liston and Antonio Margarito (even down to accusations of plaster use in his last fight). To add more intrigue, Leary’s confidant and local Mob figure Hal Brennan has a clandestine meeting with Word. The particulars of the meeting aren’t revealed, but are sure to have consequences in future episodes.
You tell her now and this family is finished…I don’t have a choice and neither do you.
Daniella is the only one who knows about his medical problems. Knowing that Morales is a dangerous opponent, she threatens to tell her mother. Leary desperately lays out the consequences of the move, explaining their family would be destroyed. He conceptualizes his decision as the only one to save the family. With his daughter in tears, he quietly sympathizes with the loss of her innocence (“I’m sorry you have to grow up this quickly…”).
The move doesn’t work, as Theresa finds out about the opponent switch. Realizing she cannot endure the possibility of him being hurt, she asks him to leave the home tonight as to not to alarm the children in the morning.
“What do we tell the kids?” Leary asks blankly.
“We’ll figure something out,” she replies.
The estranged couple departs separately in tears, and Patrick “Lights” Leary is left knowing his comeback will be without his biggest champion by his side.
Next week’s preview showed the first images of the fearsome Javier “El Diablo” Morales, who ominously tells Leary to have his children pray for him. Leary’s health is also getting worse, leading to concerns he might not even make it to fight night.
Check your local listings for reruns. This show is mandatory viewing if you’re a boxing fan, and gets better with every episode.
Beats, Boxing and Mayhem 