By Edward Chaykovsky
According to promoter Lou DiBella, the recent efforts by manager/adviser Al Haymon should be applauded by the boxing industry.
Haymon was able to secure, according to speculation, around $400-500 million in backing for his ongoing Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) venture.
The powerful adviser has a monster-sized stable of at least 175 to 200 fighters - including pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Haymon is signing up fighters by the truckload, and using the PBC funds to secure exclusive time-buy television deals with ESPN/ABC, CBS/Showtime, NBC/NBC Sports, Bounce TV, Fox Sports 1 and Spike TV.
The rapid pace of Haymon's venture has forced Top Rank and Golden Boy Promotions - regarding as the two biggest promotional companies in the United States - to file lawsuits.
Top Rank and Golden Boy are both claiming that Haymon is attempting to create a monopoly in order to put them (and others) out of business.
DiBella says Haymon is only doing what other promoters failed to do. He feels most promoters would sit around and wait for networks like HBO to hand them dates. Haymon decided to go in another direction.
“Anybody could have taken an initiative to make an investment in the sport,” DiBella told the NY Post. “Anyone could have taken the initiative and say, ‘I’m going to raise money. I’m going to go out there and try to bring the sport back to more eyeballs; to bring it to free television and basic cable outlets.’ It’s happening now because somebody is making an investment. What’s the problem with that?”
Because of his close relationship with Haymon, DiBella has also become a target - at least verbally - by Haymon's rivals. Some of them call him a sham promoter and a puppet.
“I know who I am,” DiBella said. “I know I’m not a sham. I’ve promoted my ass off since I left HBO in 2000. I’ve been in the sport for over 25 years. I guess because I’m doing business with the PBC or because I’m doing business with Al Haymon, I’m a sham? Was everybody else a sham who was doing business with him previously?”