Frank Warren Warns British Fighters About U.S. Pay
By Frank Warren
EVERY British fighter - and promoter - wants to go to America to get on TV but all that glitters is not necessarily gold.
It's still rare for Brits to get big money from US networks and David Haye will confirm that.
A few years ago promoter Mick Hennessey teamed up with Oscar De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions with the promise of high-profile fights for his boxers.
That fizzled out and over the last few years, the likes of Hatton Promotions have dangled a 'tie-up' with Golden Boy in front of emerging Brits.
Some young fighters don't seem to understand that HBO and Showtime won't fork out much on relatively unknown Brits, while fights that go on in the early hours of the morning UK time don't attract big money from Sky.
Ricky Hatton proved to be the exception from losing blockbuster showdowns with Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather. But the norm is more like his brother Matthew, who won't have got a huge purse to take on Saul Alvarez.
Our guys go to the States as 'strictly opponents' for Golden Boys fighters - why would they want Brits beating their American and Hispanic fighters?
This week Carl Froch offered Showtime £150,000 to bring his June clash with Glen Johnson to the UK.
It was always going to be a non-starter because the British Boxing Board of Control won't allow overseas fighters over the age of 40 to appear on these shores unless they are a champion.
But it shows the boxing rings in the US aren't always the promised land.
Froch's fight takes place in a 3,000-seat venue in Atlantic City and he's right to say he could get a far bigger gate in Nottingham.
But Carl was aware that his Super Six semi-final would have to be in America when he signed a contract with Showtime to take part in the event.
ROBERT McCRACKEN has had his licence as an amateur coach suspended by the International Amateur Boxing Association. They aren't happy that he also trains professional fighters.
It's a big blow as McCracken was in charge of the British Olympic team for 2012.
FLOYD MAYWEATHER has just been hit with a £2.3million tax bill. Problems are piling up for Pretty Boy, who is being sued by Manny Pacquiao and also faces some criminal charges.
He may be back in the ring before too long whether he wants to fight or not.
WHO needs enemies when you have an appalling family like Rola El-Halabi's.
Rola saw a world title bid ended last weekend when her stepfather stormed the dressing room and shot her in the hand and foot.
BOB ARUM says he's worried about Erik Morales' safety when he fights Marcos Maidana tonight.
I agree, not because Maidana is anything special, but Morales is a shot fighter. He shouldn't be in there.
