'Negotiation Process Makes Fights': Donaire Explains Rigondeaux, Fight Business

[Light_Speed]

Nonito Donaire, Jr. is familiar with Guillermo Rigondeaux's plea. For years he called out the sport's big names after his sensational win over Vic Darchinyan in 2007 as a flyweight, hoping to cash in on his newfound fame, but had to settle with fighting lesser known, and financially less rewarding opponents. He said the "big boys" wanted too much money at the time to fight him and give him his opportunity.

Some of those names have gone on to become world champions like Moruti Mthalane and Hernan Marquez, but if he had it his way, he would've wanted to fight the likes of Jorge Arce, Christian Mijares, and Fernando Montiel, whom he fought later on at the bantamweight division. Now Rigondeaux has been calling him out, and some fans have taken the bait and labelled Donaire a "ducker".

"What people fail to see is that the negotiations is what makes the fight happen," Donaire told me when I asked him about the whole drama regarding Rigondeaux.

As much as Donaire wants, and has wanted to fight the biggest names available for him, truth is, boxing doesn't work like that. Donaire has a contract with his promoter, and his promotional company has their own plans in how they intend to cash in and market their investment.

"People think I make all my fights, but I've called out all my fights," Donaire said, and reiterated, "It's the negotiation process is what makes the fight."

"I don't care. Whoever's name is in that contract, that's who I'm fighting. I'll say 'this and this and that', I'll say 'hey I want to fight Mares', 'hey I want to fight Nishioka', they're going to take it in consideration, but they got to talk to the guys, and the guys that represent them, the networks and all that stuff. It takes a long time. Imagine that. This is just this level. Imagine the Mayweather and Pacquiao level," Donaire explained.

Rigondeaux, despite having a world title, has not proven himself to be a draw. And as far as the negotiation process goes, there are more sensible fights for Donaire financially at the moment like Arce or Nishioka than the Cuban amateur boxing legend. As fans, we can all express our discontent for not getting the fights we want, but sadly, professional boxing is a business, and promoters, networks, and fighters have to all agree on what makes the best business sense.

"Lets say for example, the Darchinyan rematch; it was already a signed contract, but I guess, supposedly, 'Darchinyan said' I signed to late when there was three months still before the fight. But I think they just didn't agree with the money," Donaire continued. "From what I heard at that time, Darchinyan had the Armenian TV rights and Australian TV rights, but they wanted more. Like I said, it's the negotiation process that makes the fight happen."

As much as Rigondeaux is a very capable champion in the super bantamweight division, it doesn't help his case that he is relatively unknown outside of hardcore boxing fanatics. Donaire makes a lot of money, and Rigondeaux is looking to make his share for a fight with Donaire. Unless he is willing to take "Mathebula money", then a showdown with Donaire is a tough sell at this point.

"Or lets say with Rigondeaux; HBO has been disappointed with him," Donaire pointed out. "HBO doesn't want to match me with him for the fact that it might be a boring fight. They don't want another Narvaez. That's why they'd rather pick an Arce, or a Gatti type of fighter, because it's exciting for them, because there's blood and that kind of stuff."

http://www.filipinoflash.com/news/it...fight-business

[Suavecito80]

Now it makes all the sense in the world to fight old ass Arce. Thanks for clearing that up.

[Fetta]

But i thought Arum lets his fighters choose? And am i the only one that saw an empty stadium?

[DLT]

Donaire is going to drain the juice out of that Narvaez comparison. HBO would love a Rigo fight. I wont rip Donaire like others do though. The sport is still a business and I dont think you have to fight everyone right away as long as you do get to them in the not so distant future.

However, this is just another case of a guy who people tried to play like is so different than other stars who take certain routes but the truth is that 99.9% of them do when they reach a certain level.

Just like Margarito wanting no part of the Williams rematch after he beat Cotto yet everyone was calling him the most feared man in boxing. Its all the same. They all want the big fights when they dont make much money but when they get the power then they will pick & choose who & when they fight

[Chuckguy]

Donaire destroys rigo within 4 rounds
let Rigo fight a real challenger and see what happens
he needs to be tested before he can say he is on Nonitos level
once he gets tested and wins then we can start talking about a match up
I like Rigo he is skilled but come on only 10 fights
lets get real here this isnt the UFC

[CHOWWOKKA]

I wonder when the "depends on my promotor Bob Arum" remix ft Nonito Donaire will come out

..........

[KnockUTheFukOut]

His excuses have changed at least 3 times, it goes from Rigondeaux style is boring, to Rigondeaux only has 10 fights and haven't fought anybody, to now "BUSINESS"

hahaha...IF YOUR SCARED THEN JUST SAY YOUR SCARED! Stop with the **** excuses, what will him and his Wife come up with next? The More he talks about the situation the worse he makes himself looks and of course his fans are going to come and defend him but who give a FUK about them, they don't know **** about boxing

then when he turns around and fight people like Mathabula, Vazquez Jr and Narvaez but then him and/or some of his lame fans say "Rigondeaux Does Not Deserve A Shot" But those 3 Fighters Did? hahaha

This is the JuanMa and Gamboa thing all over again, Arum was trying to Protect JuanMa for the longest time because he KNEW he wasn't that good and Gamboa was better but Arum was trying to capitalize with the Rican market and build him up...same thing with Donaire, he said it himself that Rigondeaux would beat Donaire when Rigondeaux was trying to leave Top Rank hahaha

[MalikKnucklez]

You've done a hell of a PR campaign for Nonito in the last few weeks, Light Speed.

Most respectable posters on here, whether being involved personally or not, are pretty familiar with the "business of boxing" and how it works. We don't need you to keep re-iterating what we've known for years.

A few things that you should consider;

Even from a "marketing" perspective, Donaire's last 3 fights haven't been shrewd choices. To the "casual" boxing observer, which this article is implying that Donaire's platform is currently catering to, is completely unfamiliar with these fighters. ALL, from a general consensus, have been less talented, and u can argue, with the exception of Vasquez of course, even less market value than Rigondeaux.

The reason why the Rigo-Donaire fight hasn't been made isn't because Rigo has refused "Mathebula money". I know this for a fact.

I'm not hating on Nonito because frankly, he's not the first and won't be the last to take this route. Champions in boxing get protected, marketable prospects in boxing get protected. Nonito certainly has the talent and the appeal to fit in that category. This isn't news.

But please, don't make this about anything more than that. The fact the Rigo fight hasn't been made is because Rigo is a low reward- high risk fight. Out of all of the guys in the division Nonito is campaigning at, Rigo has the best, and very REAL chance of defeating Nonito. Period. If he was low reward, low risk (like the last 3 guys Nonito has fought), then Nonito most certainly would've been WBA Superbantamweight champion of the world by now.

[bojangles1987]

I'm not even peeved that it won't be Rigondeaux. What about Nishioka or Mares? At least one of those three fights can be made. Arce may be exciting, but it's not the best fight to be made.

[ChiTown2Diego]

...
But please, don't make this about anything more than that. The fact the Rigo fight hasn't been made is because Rigo is a low reward- high risk fight. Out of all of the guys in the division Nonito is campaigning at, Rigo has the best, and very REAL chance of defeating Nonito. Period. If he was low reward, low risk (like the last 3 guys Nonito has fought), then Nonito most certainly would've been WBA Superbantamweight champion of the world by now.

Many on here are not intelligent enough, or too busy hanging on their man-crushes nutzsak to understand this simple concept you explained. These guys have trained, sacrificed and worked their aszes off for the majority of their lives. When they reach a certain level it makes sense to them to navigate through their career together with their management team in such a way where they can make the most $ with a solid focus on keeping that gravy train going. They all do it.