On 30 October 2026 I photographed a professional boxing night in Ris-Orangis, just outside Paris. I was there for Temehau (@temehauu), who fought that evening. He won. I spent about three hours on site and delivered the photos the next day.

A fight can’t be replayed. A punch lands, a look changes, a coach leans in. If I’m not in the right place at that second, the photo doesn’t exist.

A choice: reportage, not poster

I wanted these pictures to feel like a documentary. No dramatic retouching, no polished lighting. I shot on a Fujifilm GFX 100 RF, a medium format camera, with a bare Profoto B10X Plus and no modifier. The flash is hard and a little raw, on purpose. It keeps the feel of a sports hall on a fight night.

Starting in the locker room

I almost always start away from the ring. In the locker room the crowd is only a murmur. The coach wraps Temehau’s hands, tightens, checks, tightens again. The gloves are laced with a routine both men know by heart.

In the locker room, in black and white, the coach wraps the tape around Temehau’s hand

That’s where I took some of my favourite photos of the night. The walls are green, the light is ordinary. I don’t try to fix it. I take what’s there.

In a locker room with green walls, the coach laces Temehau’s gold glove

The ring: little light, a lot of movement

In the hall, a few lamps light the ring and the rest is dark. I frame tight, often from below the ropes, so you can feel the distance between the two fighters. What I watch first:

  • the coach and the boxer between rounds, when the water bowl comes over the ropes;
  • the hands, because everything happens there;
  • the boxer’s reaction right after an exchange, more than the punch itself;
  • the referee, to place the scene, up to the moment he raises the winner’s arm.
In the corner of the ring, a water bowl comes over the ropes toward the boxer between rounds
Exchange of punches in the ring: the boxer in red extends his arm toward his opponent, who covers up
Temehau, in red shorts, walks across the ring while his opponent is down near the ropes

And then, at the end, the referee raises Temehau’s arm.

The referee raises Temehau’s arm, in his red kit, at the end of the boxing match in Ris-Orangis

What I keep in mind when shooting sports events

  1. Arrive before the crowd. The quietest images happen before the hall fills up.
  2. Know the running order. When the boxer walks out, where the coach moves, where I must not stand.
  3. Stay discreet. Between rounds, my only job is not to get in the corner’s way.

Organizing a sports night in Paris or Île-de-France?

I also photograph brand events, VIP evenings and sports nights. A page to help you plan your date: how much does an event photographer cost in Paris. To talk it through, write to me. I reply within 24 hours.

Quick answers

How do you photograph a boxing match without disturbing the fighters?

Stay out of the corner, keep still between rounds, and agree on your position with the organizer before the night starts.

What gear for a fight in a dark hall?

Here, a Fujifilm GFX 100 RF and a Profoto B10X Plus without a modifier, for a documentary look. Knowing your light and your scene matters more than the gear list.

How long until you receive sports event photos?

For this night, I delivered them the next day.

Can these photos be published?

Yes. The organizer approved the publication.

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