Iole Article: "Why Top Rank’s Future Is No Sure Thing"

I thinkmost missed the point of the article. It wasn't about top rank as a boxing promoter. It was about top rank as the TOP boxing promoter and why that isby at all a sure thing. And in that sense the article is very correct. Top Rank isn't wgat it used to be. Doesn't mean they aren't a good promotion but they clearly aren't the best right now.

They have a lot of good prospects that could be a legit cash generator but that's down the road. They might take a hit in the new year or 2 since Manny will leave but they have a decent money generator in Bradley and Crawford among others to bring in some money. Shiming brings in a lot of money from China as well. The article could be said about all boxing promoters though.

It is all about peaks and valleys. Top Rank is in the rebuilding process. They have been in the game so long, they know the sport inside out. Arum though will not be around forever and the true test for them is how to move forward when he passes on. Their current roster is not bad, they can carry on with it. Losing Arum though could make them collapse.

TR's future could well be darker than its ever been with a HBO relationship that could go south if Peter Nelson takes Hershman's position or due to PBC's impact on the sport, but it ain't got anything to do with the super talented prospects TR has. Yeah, it'll be interesting to see how things go with TR and HBO if it's Peter Nelson who gets that role. It was Nelson who prompted the Arum about "Nelson doesn't have that vision...and I'm not gonna let him screw up our prospects by taking away from us what was our great strength and that's the ability to match-make". Of course, it was right after those comments that Oscar Valdez got put on HBO on the Bradley-Vargas card. So who knows. It'll be interesting to watch it play out.

This. Even the "great " Al Haymon is losing money with his multi network PBC venture according to some reports. that is by plan tho. they were expecting to lose that money they are spending money and not expecting profits for awhile they dont even expect income until the time buys are done and they can then negotiate contracts with tv similar to ufc deals because the ratings are similar. I dont know why people ignore the business model when they say stuff like pbc is losing money lol no **** they are losing money just look at the model they are using the idea is return on investment which they dont expect to get back for a good 5 years at least

This. Even the "great " Al Haymon is losing money with his multi network PBC venture according to some reports. Haymon is walking into the future with 40-60 solid prospects, basically the entire 2012 US Olympic team, while also positioned to draw most of the top boxing talent coming out of the 2016 Olympic Games (whether formally with him, or tangentially through one of the promoters that he works with ) 1yr/3yr/5yr/10yr timelines etc, Haymon kick's Top Rank's teeth in.

Idek wtf that article is about. Okay TR doesn't have a replacement for Manny yet, but they got a great roster to fight over that position. Most promoters would be willing to eat out Arum's wife once a week for life for Ramirez, Verdejo, Loma & Crawford on their roster. Hell they'd probably do it for one of those guys. Top Rank, according to your own count, have four prospects who have varying chances of being a star. To add in the fact that HBO, the only real outlet that Top Rank has to try and build stars, is not only shrinking their budget, but also opening up said shrinking budget to other promoters, and there's a conversation to be had about Top Rank's future. Pacquiao, according to what is being said on his behalf, has 1 PPV left before hanging up the gloves. What does Top Rank's year look like 2016, 2019, and 2021? Hanging your hat on maybe 4-6 horses is a rough way to go, tbh.

**** article. What promoter's future is a sure thing? Would advise you to read the article next time, before simply going off of the headline and coming to a reaction. lol

I'm surprised Iole didn't even mention Ken Herschman being gone from HBO. Top rank may not have the clout at hbo they once did. That were already losing there leverage with Pac on his way out anyway. They really need Verejo to become the next Cotto. And for whatever reason it doesn't seem like Puerto Ricans are on that bandwagon.

**** article. What promoter's future is a sure thing? I was expecting some sort of news about Top Rank losing money etc, instead it just says that it will be hard to build a superstar...no sh1t Iole.

Kevin Iole is onto something. Somebody close to the action told me recently that the top three at Top Rank are openly at odds.— Boxing Leaks (@BoxingLeaks) November 4, 2015

I haven't read the article yet but I was about to make a thread on this. They have the fighters but no opponents. Lomachenko's opposition has regressed, Crawford basically took the year off and Bradley has no one to fight. They are boring me with their matchmaking.

The writer thinks Marquez will fight twice more? I'd be surprised if he ever laces them up again!

TR has just had an absolute sh*t year is all. They have bonafide star talent in Crawford, Lomachenko, and Verdejo - they were simply unable to make any major fights for those guys this year due to the Haymon Cold War and the fact that HBO's top fighters -Alvarez, Cotto, Golovkin aren't under the TR banner so there's less opportunity & less pull.

I think history says otherwise. Top Rank has create the past biggest stars. I've yet to see anyone replicate what they did with De la Hoya, Manny, and Floyd so far.

Iole simply thought to much into this, TR will be just fine. He pretty much contradicted himself when he named off Arums roster. Arum has good young prospects and these prospects represent ethnicities which generate a lot of $ to boxing. The old man knows what he is doing, even in a drought without a star, arum could always sell these prospects right. In sum if it were any promoter out there a fighter or 2 away from bankruptcy its not Arum. Iole needs to quit getting baked before he writes, these "what if" type articles only bring out the haters.

PBC is just starting and it's sinking already.

Loyalty has never been guaranteed & if anyone knows that its Arum/TR with Oscar, Floyd & Cotto all being good to great amateurs who TR signed & moved from prospect to champions to million dollar paydays to leaving TR for greener pastures. Soon they all will. Days of fighters signing promotional contracts is coming to an end

They survived Don King, survived Golden Boy and are comfortably surviving Haymon.

Idek wtf that article is about. Okay TR doesn't have a replacement for Manny yet, but they got a great roster to fight over that position. Most promoters would be willing to eat out Arum's wife once a week for life for Ramirez, Verdejo, Loma & Crawford on their roster. Hell they'd probably do it for one of those guys. Yeah no ****. Haymon doesn't have a replacement for Floyd, Top Rank for Manny, Roc for Cotto or GBP for Canelo. Pointless article