By Rick Reeno
MGM Grand, Las Vegas - Former Golden Boy Promotions CEO, Richard Schaefer, was all smiles during Thursday's final press conference for Saturday's debut edition of 'Premier Boxing Champions' on NBC.
Schaefer was the CEO for Golden Boy from 2002 until he stepped down last June. He is currently retired from the sport, but still provides some advice and support to his close friend, Al Haymon.
Haymon, regarded as the most powerful man in boxing, is the manager/adviser to over 170 boxers. Haymon is going to use his 'Premier Boxing Champions' series to showcase the majority of those fighters. The series, called PBC for short, has locked in multi-year deals with NBC/NBC Sports, CBS/Showtime, Spike TV, Bounce TV and likely ESPN.
"I'm working as an adviser to Al Haymon's management company. But that's really the extent of my involvement [in boxing]. I spend maybe 10% of my time on boxing, but my time right now is really not boxing. I'm just there for when Al has any questions or needs any advice - I'm happy to give him my view of things, and that's really the extent of my involvement. I realized that there is a whole different world outside of boxing and I'm enjoying it. I'm enjoying my time off," Schaefer told BoxingScene.com in an exclusive video interview .
"[I give him advice] as it relates to his fighters. If he has questions about his fighters, on the management side, but as I said it's very little because he doesn't really need much advice. He is the mastermind behind the resurgence of the sport."
Following his departure from Golden Boy, the company President Oscar De La Hoya initiated a legal action against him. As 2015 rolled in, Schaefer and De La Hoya reached a confidential settlement.
Schaefer is more than capable of returning by the end of the year. But will he?
"There are days when I do think about coming back and there are days when I think 'why?' I was very fortunate to start with Oscar and Golden Boy and make it the number one promotional company in the world. And I left at the top. So I achieved in boxing what I wanted to achieve, so there are days when I am absolutely happy just to go to the fights as a fan. So I am perfectly fine to move on from boxing, but then there are days when I can see myself coming back. There are a lot of things going through my mind and I really don't have an answer right now on which direction I plan to go. What I do know right now, is for the time being I am retired from boxing. I'm perfectly happy with the way things are going," Schaefer said.
Since the nasty split between Schaefer and De La Hoya, the two of them have not spoken to each other - but Schaefer indicates that he's not holding a grudge against his former close friend.
"I haven't had any conversations or a relationship with Oscar [since the split]. But I was with Oscar for 14-years and I am proud of what we accomplished together and as ugly as things have gotten I wish him nothing but the best. It's time to move on. As ugly as the things that he said about me, I'm not going to say anything. I could certainly tell my side of the story and a lot of people would say 'Wow.' But I'm not going to do that, I'm going to move forward and not look backwards, and I wish him nothing but the best," Schaefer said.
"I think the good times with me and Oscar certainly outweigh the bad times. I know his kids, his family, his wife. He knows my kids, my family. I could be sour and be upset and so on. And if he decides to continue to talk bad about me - what can I do? I'm not going to go into that [and retaliate], but as I said I wish him nothing but the best."
When it comes to the claims that were made against him in the press - regarding the behind the scenes speculation as to why de la Hoya engaged him in a legal battle - Schaefer indicates the allegations are not worth discussing.
"I really don't want to go there. I'm proud of what I accomplished professionally. I'm proud of the values I have. I can look in the mirror in the morning and know that I've done things right. I can go anywhere that I want to go. I don't have too many enemies I believe. I treat people with respect. Those who are good to me I'm good to them," Schaefer said.
