Philippines, 10 Oct 2025
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


Chris Farina: The Godfather of Boxing Photography


PhilBoxing.com



Farina (in yellow shirt) in action.

San Leandro, California -- Judging by his work, the esteemed Chris Farina seems to be at the right place all the time. For the past 30 years, the master photographer (Dominus Pretium in Latin) has amassed a collection of heartfelt images he keeps in a portfolio of who?s who in boxing and entertainment.

Sports Illustrated, ESPN Magazine, The Ring, Las Vegas Sun, Vanity Fair, PhilBoxing.com, for example, have featured his life?s work in the fight game.

Prizefight scenes he?s taken are award-winning pieces recognized by the BWAA---Boxing Writers Association of America.


Chris Farina.

Many celebrities have been in front of his lens including Bill Gates, The Artist formerly known as Prince, Sylvester Stallone, Tom Cruise, Robin Williams, Victoria?s Secret models Tyra Banks, Adriana Lima, Alessandra Ambrosio, Heidi Klum and Gisele Bundchen and so on.

www.ChrisFarina.com shows memorable shots everyone can appreciate.

As Top Rank?s chief photographer from 1989-2015, Chris had unfettered access to fighters.


Manny Pacquiao and Freddie Roach pose with Farina and Farina's photo of Pacquiao.

The challenging job required meticulous planning and execution.

A sight to behold, the final print usually was.

Of all his choice subjects, though, it is the fighter?s narrative that tugs at his heartstrings---pugilists like Johnny Tapia, Miguel Cotto, Oscar De La Hoya, Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, Erik Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera and Juan Manuel Marquez and, of course, Senator Emmanuel Dapidran Pacquiao have captivated his mind?s eye.

The Art of the Fight Video:



When Manny Pacquiao pulverized Ricky Hatton in two rounds, Chris Farina was there.

?Fighters have innate abilities and habits. The photographer?s job is to anticipate the action based on the boxer?s tendencies. Hatton tended to be flat-footed and off-balanced after throwing punches. Manny knew that and countered with a looping left hook. The result was a brutal knockout of Hatton. The look on Pacquiao?s face afterward was classic,? Farina observed.

When Juan Manuel ?Dinamita? Marquez flattened Emmanuel Manny? Pacquiao with a smashing right cross to end their tetralogy, Farina was again at ringside.

?The photo of the aftermath of Marquez-Pacquiao IV had all the elements of a great picture. The victor and the vanquished, the glory of victory and the agony of defeat all filmed in 1/1000th of a second,? Farina explains. "If you see a punch through the camera, you?ve missed that punch.?

?Preparation is key. Coming to a venue, hours or sometimes days, before fight night can alleviate headaches. The last thing you want is to improvise at ringside. Save up and buy the best equipment you can afford and maximize its full potential. Having the proper gear is winning half the battle.?

Not all assignments go as planned.

Having a Plan B is paramount.

In one instance, Farina explains how a missed opportunity turned into something special after ?The War? between Marvelous Marvin Hagler and Tommy ?Hitman? Hearns.

?Early in my career, I was not able to cover Hagler-Hearns up close. Due to the magnitude of the event, I was relegated to the press room away from ringside action. As a result, I missed the three-round beauty and one of the greatest fights ever. I was crushed, but I still made the most of it.?

At the post-fight press conference, Chris Farina landed the coveted cover of Ring Magazine showing Hagler smiling and sporting an itty, bitty band-aid covering a wide cut on his forehead sustained while knocking out Tommy Hearns.

Chris Farina says he fell in love with photography twenty-five years ago, thanks to his father.

?My dad had a boxing show on radio and I used to tag along. He told me to bring my camera. Covering the fights with him was priceless. From then on, I got hooked, ?Farina reminisced, ?I learned the trade on my own, without formal education. I was fortunate enough to have great mentors like David Lee Waite and Neil Leifer who showed me how to create pictures not just take snapshots (there is a difference). I try to compose, frame and capture the moment as is. Boxing has been my love since I was six years old and I hope my journey continues.?




References:

• Photos and video are courtesy of www.ChrisFarina.com
• Instagram: ChrisFarinaPhoto
• Veteran boxing photographer since 1985 (Top Rank?s official photographer 1989-2015)
• Multiple winner of boxing photography awards from the BWAA
• First boxing photographer ever featured with a 20-page spread in RING Magazine history
• Featured 250+ times on ESPN's front page of boxing
• The Farina Collection is one of the largest privately-owned boxing collections in the world with a stellar photo library dating back to 1983 and continuing into the present day.
• Photo Representation: GETTY IMAGES
• The Art of the Fight video, in addition to the photo collage above, is courtesy of Mr. Chris Farina by way of UCN---Undisputed Champion Network as featured on YouTube.com.

Author?s notes:

It has been eight years since our beloved sister Maria Christine Rivera-Cesano left us and joined our Creator. We miss you so much, especially during the big fights.



Click here to view a list of other articles written by Emmanuel Rivera, RRT.


Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • DAVE ALLEN VS ARSLANBEK MAKHMUDOV SHEFFIELD PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES
    , Fri, 10 Oct 2025
  • HANOI OPEN DAY TWO: CHUA, GORST, BIADO, SHAW AND DUONG CRUISE INTO LAST 64 IN HANOI
    , Fri, 10 Oct 2025
  • BOSTAN AND FAWAZ TRADE VERBAL BLOWS IN SHEFFIELD CITY CENTRE FACE-OFF AHEAD OF TITLE REMATCH – LIVE ON DAZN
    , Fri, 10 Oct 2025
  • Yoelvis Gomez Set to Face Unbeaten Antraveous Ingram in Title Clash on DAZN
    , Fri, 10 Oct 2025
  • Dante Kirkman Set to Make Southern California Debut Against Power Puncher Wesley Vanderlinden on October 23 at Fight Club OC
    , Fri, 10 Oct 2025
  • 8th AQ Prime FIDE Standard Open chessfest slated
    By Dong Secuya, , Thu, 09 Oct 2025
  • A Filipino and an American Homecoming
    By Emmanuel Rivera, RRT, , Thu, 09 Oct 2025
  • Tragedy Strikes Again: Arturo Gatti Jr., Son of Boxing Legend, Found Dead at 17 in Mexico
    By Dong Secuya, , Thu, 09 Oct 2025
  • Golden State Making a Bid for NBA Title
    By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Thu, 09 Oct 2025
  • JOHANN CHUA LAUNCHES TITLE DEFENCE WITH DOMINANT START IN HANOI | 2025 HANOI OPEN POOL CHAMPIONSHIP
    , Thu, 09 Oct 2025
  • RED-HOT CUBAN MIDDLEWEIGHT YOENLI HERNANDEZ: “I’M READY WILLING AND ABSOLUTELY ABLE TO FACE THE BIG NAMES IN MY DIVISION.”
    , Thu, 09 Oct 2025
  • BOOTS ENNIS GOES HEAD-TO-HEAD WITH LIMA AHEAD OF 154LB DEBUT – LIVE ON DAZN
    , Wed, 08 Oct 2025
  • ALLEN AND MAKHMUDOV MEET FOR FIRST FACE-OFF IN SHEFFIELD AHEAD OF HUGE HEAVYWEIGHT SHOWDOWN – LIVE ON DAZN
    , Wed, 08 Oct 2025
  • Amateur Boxer Tyrone Welch Dies After Match in Saginaw
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Wed, 08 Oct 2025
  • AJ Lim Captures Fourth PCA Men’s Singles Title, Extends Dominance in Philippine Tennis
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Wed, 08 Oct 2025
  • THRILLA IN MANILA GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY 18: JOE FRAZIER VS. GEORGE FOREMAN FIRST ENCOUNTER - THE SUNSHINE SHOWDOWN
    By Maloney L. Samaco, , Wed, 08 Oct 2025
  • 5th Zhengxing Cup Philippine Xiangqi Rapid Open tournament on October 12
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Wed, 08 Oct 2025
  • Joey Canoy back in training; preparing to face IBF champ Beaven Sibanda in February
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Wed, 08 Oct 2025
  • RED OWL BOXING ANNOUNCES BROADCAST TEAM AND FULL FIGHT CARD FOR THIS FRIDAY NIGHT’S “BOXFEST XVI”
    , Wed, 08 Oct 2025
  • Tyson Fury back in 2026?
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Tue, 07 Oct 2025
  • THE PAST WEEK IN ACTION 6 OCTOBER 2025: Cecilia Braekhaus Retires After Defeating Ema Kozin
    By Eric Armit, , Tue, 07 Oct 2025
  • SAVE THE DATE: MATCHROOM BOXING ANNOUNCES MONTE-CARLO SHOWDOWN VI FOR SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6 – LIVE ON DAZN
    , Tue, 07 Oct 2025
  • Team Cebuana Lhuillier Finishes Strong in PCA Men’s Team Tennis Championship Finals
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Tue, 07 Oct 2025
  • Three Heavyweight Champs Were Ringside for the Thrilla Event
    By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Tue, 07 Oct 2025
  • Cutman Excellence Shines in Dubai: Denis Kolesnir and Jose Mohan Lead Groundbreaking Cutman Seminar
    By Carlos Costa, , Tue, 07 Oct 2025




  •  



     
    PhilBoxing.com has been created to support every aspiring
    Filipino boxer and the Philippine boxing scene in general.
    Please send comments to feedback@philboxing.com


    PRIVATE POLICY | LEGAL DISCLAIMER
    developed and maintained by dong secuya
    © 2025 philboxing.com.