Does anyone else find it ironic Oscar de la Hoya is a promoter not on the outs in the sport, but within his own Golden Boy Promotions? It was nearly 4 years ago when he told editor-in-chief of Broadcasting Cable, Ben Grossman about GBPs dystopic, Single Promoter Boxing World, the company had in store for us. Several Victorias Secret shopping sprees, empty bottles of Patron and piles of nose candy later...the plan goes on, but without our Golden Boy wonder. See Fam, if boxing is truly in the midst of what GBP fighters have used their post-fight interview time to refer to as a, Cold War, it didnt begin in recent months. As much as it hurts the narrative the GBP/Showtime pom pom waving faithful love, the record needs to be considered. The so-called Cold War didnt start Oct. 26, 2013, when Kid Chocolate became the first champion to reference it on a national broadcast (following his controversial victory over Gabby Rosado), when he needed to come up with a reason for not being interested in a Gennady Golvokin middleweight unification fight. He proved thats all he was doing when asked about a Sergio Martinez fight by the interviewer the following moment. He was forced to swallow his words about not being a matchmaker and not caring who he fights, by admitting he fancied a fight with the shop-worn lineal champ, and not the up-and-coming wrecking machine known as GGG. It also didnt begin when Bernard Hopkins defeated Karo Murat and called anyone else with a belt a fraud later that same night, as he declared his instabake allegiance to Showtime. He reiterated the theme of the night originally revealed by Quillin, saying theres a Cold War going on in boxing. One fight prior, on March 9, 2013, Hopkins was fighting on HBO and using his post-fight interview time to beg for a network deal from either HBO or Showtime. This Cold War, wasnt stopping him from fighting on HBO last time and saying he was interested in fighting for them again. I dont know what changed other than Kovalev punching holes through people on HBO, but thats another story. What about Floyd signing with Showtime? Did that start boxings so-called, Cold War? The announcement was made in February of 2013. Simply put, Floyd signed with Showtime in Feb. 2013, Hopkins fought on HBO in March. No Cold War, in March when he says he needs a home and will fight for HBO or Showtime after beating Cloud! Hmmmm. Hopkins is a Vice President at GBP. He knew damn well in March 2013 when he made a play live for a deal on the HBO, that no Cold War made his effort a futile exercise. Both Hopkins and Qullin proved to be unintentionally revealing by the timing of their statements. When there is a formidable threat who can take their belts away, a Cold War prevents the fight. When there is a big win waiting for them on the other side of 12 rounds though, they are as eager for the fight as a hungry Clubber Lang. Simply put, referencing the Cold War, is just using boxings most fashionable excuse to keep the minds of the people off the fights they want to see. Many fighters believe the public to be idiots. They think average fans are incapable of checking the record. They think you wont hold them accountable for what they say and how they conduct themselves. Bob Arum has indicated he is willing to consider Saul Canelo Allvarez and Amir Khan as Manny Pacquiao opponents, outside of his own Top Rank stable of fighters. GBP fighter, Adrien Broner has recently professed his desire to face Manny Pacquiao. Of course, Arum has stated repeatedly he can get HBO to share promotional rights for a Pacquiao vs Mayweather fight with rival network Showtime. So whats really going on with this co-called Cold War? Before continuing it would be advantageous to determine the textbook definition of a cold war. Merriam-Webster defines a cold war as, a conflict or dispute between two groups that does not involve actual fighting, as well as, a condition of rivalry, mistrust, and often open hostility short of violence especially between power groups. This condition of hostility, or Cold War, is not a recent development. Publicly referencing it, and using it in place of justifiable cause to wiggle out of certain fights however is a recent development. Clearly, the declaration of a Cold War is just the most recent method some networks, promoters fighters are using to manipulate the sports public and participants, for their own agenda. Perhaps if we can determine when this agenda began we can determine when or how any, Cold War might have began. The aforementioned Broadcasting Cable interview from 2010, where de la Hoya revealed GBPs endgame comes to mind... *** Ben Grossman: Isnt boxings biggest problem its lack of one organization? Doesnt the sport need one commissioner and organizing body? Oscar DLH: The Don Kings and Bob Arums have had a chokehold on this sport for the last 40 years. Theyve been able to put great fights on, theyve been able to promote the sport, yes, but I believe the days are long past of the way they promote. Now, we have to think outside the box; we have to think like the NBA and MLB and have one commission and one major promoter in the sport. Thats one of the reasons I commend UFC for what they have done in such a short period of time; they are the only real player in their category, the mixed martial arts world. They have been able to organize themselves, have all the TV dates, a pay-per-view every month; thats why they are valued at more than $1 billion. They are doing the right thing, and its time for boxing to do the right thing, as long as we dont have those obstacles named Don King and Bob Arum. Ben Grossman: How does that actually happen? You want Golden Boy to replace them? Oscar DLH: Absolutely. We need to sign all the talent and get all the TV dates; then you can have your own agenda and have a schedule for the fans and the sport. You can do a monthly PPV, a bi-weekly HBO fight, you can have the best fighters fight each other. When you have five or six promoters, its very difficult. Ben Grossman: So, is your plan to take over boxing? Oscar DLH: My plan is not to take over boxing, but really do what no other promoter was able to do, and that is have unified rules and one commissioner and make sure the fighter is taken care of and is not cheated out of anything. Thats one of the reasons boxing hasnt really taken itself to the next level, because we cannot make those big fights and a lot of times promoters are the ones in the way. We are very transparent with whatever we do with our fighters, and in a way, yes, we do want to take over. Well, we dont want to take control of boxing, but we want to do the right thing for the sport. Have one [entity] running it like UFC. Its very confusing with all these championship belts-my idea would be to have one champion in each division. There should be one heavyweight champion, not 20 like we have now. Too much confusion. We have to weed out the bad and bring in the good. *** When news of that interview hit the boxing press, nearly every other promoter was on record as being outraged. Did that begin the Cold War though? No. What is happening in boxing now has been in development for many years. De la Hoya was just really feeling himself one day way back in 2010 when he revealed the plan. Now GBP is trying to make history without him. Maybe theyll even rewrite it too. Theyve had some practice. In 2001, de la Hoya purchased Roy Englebrecht promotions and secured his services for 3 years as COO. As Englebrecht taught Oscar and Schaefer how to run a boxing promotion, they walked into a sweetheart deal with HBO, which eventually led to the infamous GBP/HBO Output Deal. One can check Golden Boys website and see how theyve rewritten the record. At one time their About Us page said de la Hoya founded GBP. Perhaps theyve heard the complaints. It now reads, Golden Boy Promotions was established in 2002 by Oscar de la Hoya, the first Hispanic to own a national boxing promotional company. Some might think that sounds better. If so, then what was Englebrecht doing as COO the first 3 years, if not establishing GBP? Oscar de la Hoya neither founded nor established GBP, he simply bought a company founded by Englebrecht and employed the man to get the company established. De la Hoya does deserve credit though. He spent his money wisely, became the face of the company, and got involved in the business at a time when HBO decided they would rather be Al Haymons b*tch than Don King and Arums suckers. This sentiment at HBO is in part what led to GBP getting a vast majority of HBO boxing dates for years to come. Clearly history has been rewritten. Who can say where it will end? Perhaps one day well click on GBPs About Us page to learn how, Richard Schaefer established GBP.
Posted on: Tue, 27 May 2014 18:44:36 +0000
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