By Mark Vester

During a recent appearance on BoxingScene.com's official audio show, Leave It In The Ring Radio, promoter Gary Shaw discussed HBO's failed attempt to make a tournament at 140-pounds. HBO approached several promoters with their idea, including Shaw, Don King and Golden Boy Promotions. Shaw was willing to insert WBO champion Tim Bradley intor the tournament, and King was willing to put in WBC/IBF champ Devon Alexander. Shaw says Golden Boy were not willing to put in WBA champ Amir Khan, Juan Manuel Marquez, Marcos Maidana and Victor Ortiz.

"HBO offered us a lot of money to have a 140-pound tournament. The only two people who said okay, were Don King for Devon Alexander and Gary Shaw for Tim Bradley. [Golden Boy CEO] Richard Schaefer said 'no, Khan doesn't want to fight this one, and Ortiz doesn't want to fight this one,'" Shaw said.

To solve the problem, Shaw says HBO should have stepped in and forced the hand of Golden Boy to involve Khan, Ortiz and Maidana in such a tournament.

"The only people who are in total control, are HBO and Showtime because they have the platform and they have the money. What they should have said to Richard Schaefer is 'we have no use for Ortiz, Maidana and Khan. When they're ready to fight the best fights out there with the best fighters, then come back and we'll put them on HBO.' That's what needs to be done," Shaw said.