HBO SHOULD KNOW STARS ARE BUILT IN THE RING!
Los Angeles, CA– I feel obliged to take those overpaid suits at HBO and boxing manager Al Hayman to task here. With all due respect to their subscribers (some who pay as high as $18 dollars a month, many who only subscribe for their boxing programming), HBO needs to change their priorities on the types of fights they put on their network. Not only do their best bouts regularly make PPV, but the bouts that don’t are essentially from a financial standpoint PPV events anyways. If you pay your cable provider for HBO and they have on average two shows a month at best, you are in essence paying $9 dollars per show. HBO also regularly gives fighters dates with a TBA opponent (To Be Announced or To Be Annihilated?) attached. As it’s been said by many journalists and boxing experts, HBO needs to get away from showcase bouts, building fighters resumes, and selling their soul to Golden Boy Promotions, an irresponsible move that negatively impacts their subscribers.
JUST ONE EXAMPLE OF HBO WASTING FIGHT DATES
One example of ineptness from the people who run HBO, many who don’t have the fans best interests at hand, is the regular appearance of 140 lb former champion Juan Urango (22-3-1 ,17 KOs) on the network. Columbia’s Urango is a limited fighter who has appeared on Home Box Office three times. Each time he has been the “opponent” against the likes of Devon Alexander (22-3-1, 17 KOs), (L TKO8), Ricky Hatton (45-2, 32 KOs) (L UD12) and WBC welterweight beltholder Andre Berto (26-0, 20 KOs) (L UD12). None one of the three fights were scintillating, not one even remotely exciting, and while Urango did hold an alphabet title in all three fights, Juan wasn’t brought in to be a spoiler. He was expected to lose and did so by wide margins all three times. Berto and Hatton were two fighters that the network held stock in. I don’t pretend to be an expert on the business end of sports programming, but it is mind boggling when fighters get gimme’ title defenses and make six or seven figure purses.
HOME BOX OFFICE DOES A “JUNE SWOON”
HBO doesn’t have a card this month, but on July 17th WBO 140 lb. champion Tim Bradley (25-0, 11 KOs) takes on unheralded Argentine puncher Luis Abrego (29-0, 23 KOs). It’s not a bad bout on paper, however Bradley turned down a fight with the WBC’s aforementioned Devon Alexander. Bradley thinks he’s worth more than he really is (can’t sell tickets besides small casino venues in the Palm Desert where they’re all casino comps), wants to further build up this potential fight. Why? Neither guy will be able to make a significant statement until they fight someone of either guy’s caliber. If Bradley believes Manny Pacquiao or Floyd “Money” Mayweather will fight him he’s been smoking PCP.
AL HEYMAN HAS WAY TOO MUCH CLOUT AT HBO
HBO could use their considerable power to force such quality bouts. However for whatever reason they are reluctant to use that leverage. Is it because HBO execs don’t have the slightest clue of what fights fans want to see? Or is it that they are so lazy that they would instead rather let entities like Al Hayman and Golden Boy dictate what fights and which fighters are part of their schedule?
HEY KERY DAVIS, YOU’RE ABOUT TO BE PIED IN DA’ FACE!
Maybe it’s easier for a network exec like HBO VP Kery Davis to let the promoter do most of the work while they are on Facebook and the like, but at the end of the day a college intern with the slightest amount of boxing knowledge could do better matchmaking attorney Kery Davis. The problem is you have lawyers running the boxing business instead of promoters, Lou Di Bella not included, thus here in lies the problem.
GIVING ARUM PROPS, NOT LUMPS!
I understand promoters and managers wanting to protect their investments, however if you invest in a commodity whether it’s boxing, clean energy or new technology, you still have to actually test those commodities to see if they are indeed worth the initial investment. People criticize Bob Arum for all of his Latin Fury shows featuring Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (40-0-1, 30 KOs). At least Arum is investing his own money in those shows and not shoving them down the throats of HBO subscribers.
GAMBOA FEARFUL OF LANKY CABALLERO?
Come July, WBA interim featherweight (126) titlist and decorated Cuban amateur Yuri Gamboa (18-0, 15 KOs) faces IBF champion Orlando Salido (34-10, 22 KOs). Negotiations for a fight with Ring magazine’s #10 ‘pound for pound’ fighter and top rated featherweight Celestino Caballero (34-2, 23 KOs) were scrapped because for some reason or the other Gamboa (who had been given a date by HBO vs. TBA) didn’t want to fight him. Salido, who’s a journeyman at best doesn’t have a shot here. Why not scrap his appearance on HBO entirely? The best quality fighters and fights should appear on HBO period!
HBO SHOULD HAVE SENT CUBAN PACKING!
If a fighter is not willing to take high risks, and is only looking to pad his or her record, then their promoter should either fund a PPV, or work out a deal with another network. For the exorbitant fees HBO charges subscribers and for the large purses fighters are being paid, they should have to fight the highest quality opponents available at the time if they want these ever-so precious HBO dates reserved for them.
LOSERS WILL FIGHT ON HBO PPV?
I am inclined to mention this before I go. The Juan Diaz (35-3, 17 KOs) vs. Juan Manuel Marquez (50-5-1, 37 KOs) fight being hosted by HBO PPV has no business being on PPV. Both pugilists are coming off defeats, and their first fight (2009 Fight of The Year) was on regular HBO, and was a much more compelling and meaningful fight at the time. Diaz has lost three of his last five fights. The undercard features perennial loser Rocky Juarez (28-6-1, 20 KOs) and former WBA 130 lb. champion, Jorge Linares (28-1, 18 KOs) who lost his title with a KO 1 in his first defense.
BATTING .500 IN BOXING IS NOT MAJOR LEAGUE!
Not only has Juarez lost six of his last 12, he hasn’t had a victory since 2008! Linares has yet to post a notable win in what has been a disappointing career thus far. In closing, is anyone in power out there listening that gives a s*it?
Kevin Perry