Real-life Rocky’s book to launch

McPhersons client, John Cole, is pleased to announce a new photography book project, Shadow Boxers. The book is a celebration of arguably the last great era of club fighting in New York. The world of real-life Rocky’s, a hard masculine world where a man had a chance to fight his way to fame and glory. A world that no longer exists. In the late 1970’s and early 80‘s John spent over five years in New York and New Jersey seedy gyms and boxing venues, documenting characters with bashed in noses and unshakeable dreams.

For over forty years John has worked all over the world as a professional photographer shooting assignments for major news corporations including The Sunday Times, The Observer, Newsweek and Paris Match. He has photographed celebrities, sporting stars and politicians, such as Mohammed Ali, Nelson Mandela, Princess Diana, Elton John and Derek Jarman. Although John finds this fun, what he really loves is documenting ordinary people doing extraordinary things, giving voice to those who may not have a voice of their own.

John is launching a Kickstarter campaign to help raise funds to publish this exciting book. Find out more and please donate here.
Profits from the sale of Shadow Boxers will be shared with The Ringside Charitable Trust (UK), which looks after the needs of ex-boxers.
Photo is of Freddie Brown taken by John Cole