Can This Filipino Save American Boxing?
San Francisco, CA– There has never been a more critical juncture in the history of boxing than the one it faces right now. Regardless of what the pundits say on websites and TV, boxing’s most popular fight of the decade thus far, Floyd Mayweather-Oscar De La Hoya, was seen by LESS than 1% of the United States population. Even Larry Merchant of HBO admitted while appearing on “Ring Talk Worldwide” this past Saturday with yours truly, boxing has hit a low never before seen, but he attributes it to the fact there isn’t a dominant American heavyweight.
IF HBO LEFT BOXING, THEY WOULDN’T SUFFER MUCH
With 30,000,000 homes, what’s the most they could lose in subscribers, 500 to 800.000 homes. Big deal! Truth be told, boxing, with the exception of some PPVs, is both a money and ratings loser at HBO, especially with Al Heyman getting blank checks from HBO VP Kerry Davis for a series of boxing matches entitled, “Big Al’s Boxing Exhibitions.”
TAKE OFF YOUR PINK GLASES, BOXING IS GASPING FOR AIR!
Boxing has been on “life support” ever since the networks, CBS, NBC, and ABC, dropped the sport like a pretty date with a social disease. Oscar De La Hoya couldn’t bring it back, Mike Tyson, for obvious reasons blew any opportunity to resurrect the sweetest science. But now there is a Filipino, Manny Pacquiao, both a champion in the ring and affluent in English. The hottest fighter in boxing by some 25 degrees Fahrenheit, Pacquiao was put on the back-burner by HBO’s oh so arrogant boxing czar Ross Greenburg, this during the month of December. Bottom line, Ross, although he’ll deny this vehemently, the reality appears to me that he couldn’t give a *hit about boxing.
SURROUND YOURSELF WITH SMARTS & NOT RACIAL STATISTICS
Look, I’ve been in business long enough to realize that unless you are 100 % hands on, then you’ve better have a worthy team of subordinates that can carry and not fumble the football when you give it to him. Capable people, regardless of creed or color. The current underlings, headed by Kery Davis, these guys haven’t done a damn thing to try and improve HBO boxing. Kerry’s been running things for a decade now. Can you tell me one instance in which he has done something positive for boxing? How about for HBO? Davis is collecting a check, all the while hoping nobody corporate bothers to look up his dress.
TOMORROW WE TALK ABOUT HBO COUNTERPUNCHING!
I’ll expand on this early Friday morning. I’ll also discuss the possibility that Pac wants out after two more fights! In the meantime, in case you missed the first story I wrote on “Showtime Stealing Manny Pacquiao From HBO.” click fior PART 1: Showtime Steals Pacman From HBO
Pedro Fernandez