By Rick Reeno
In the aftermath of last Saturday's rematch win over Ali Funeka, former two-division champion Joan Guzman was calling out the big names at junior welterweight, including WBA interim-champion Marcos Maidana, who knocked out Victor Cayo in the HBO televised main event.
Guzman wants Maidana, but the major networks don't want Guzman. He burned a bridge with Showtime when he failed to make weight for a televised fight against Nate Campbell in 2008. Even with Guzman's weight advantage of 3.5-pounds, Campbell was willing to go forward with the fight. Guzman, citing health concerns, would not go forward. The network was forced to bump Timothy Bradley-Edner Cherry to the main event at the late hour.
Last Friday, a stripped down Guzman weighed 144-pounds; nearly two weight divisions above the lightweight limit of 135. The rematch with Funeka was nearly canceled and HBO's doubleheader was put in jeopardy. Golden Boy Promotions and Gary Shaw reached an agreement to save Guzman-Funeka. The fight may have been saved, but HBO was far from happy.
Golden Boy's CEO Richard Schaefer is realistic on the subject. He knows Guzman will not be an easy sell to HBO or Showtime. Guzman will have to prove himself to the networks. And he doesn't have to prove himself in the ring. He has to prove himself on the scale. If Guzman can prove himself by making weight on a consistent basis, Schaefer is confident that networks will welcome him back.
"HBO was very upset at the continued disrespect at making weight. I don't think HBO, or any major network, will be inclined to put him on until he proves that he can make 140-pounds. That being said, I thought it was great performance by Guzman. He can be a real force at 140-pounds," Schaefer told BoxingScene.com.
