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Many Challenges of becoming a Boxing Promoter...
Interview by MaxBoxing with CEO of Art Of Boxing Promotions... interesting read
It takes a great deal of courage to engage in boxing the way Kahren Harutyunyan did as a rugged jr. bantamweight. But it may take a dose of insanity to want to get into the realm of actually promoting it the way he is. Next Friday night, at the Warner Center Marriott, his fledgling promotional outfit - Art of Boxing Promotions - stages their initial show, featuring the return of Juan 'El Pollo' Valenzuela and Art Hovannesyan.
"I'm not crazy," he would claim. "Boxing is something that I love, and it's something that I'm still learning. A lot of people ask me that question. But for now, I'm not crazy, yet. It might drive me crazy in the future. It might make me crazy - but I'm not crazy going into it."
While he says this, he laughs. He knows the risks that are involved in the often zany and unregulated world of professional boxing. Much richer men and women have gone into this business and failed miserably. But despite graduating from UCLA last year with a degree in English Literature, the murky environment of boxing is where he wants to be.
"I've always known that I'm going to continue my presence on the boxing scene, even after I stop boxing myself - without suggesting I've stopped boxing myself - but this is something that, since I'm young, nobody has tried at this age," says the 25 year old Harutyunyan. "I think that I have a lot of experience, I know some people and there is a market that needs to be developed, mainly in the Armenian community.
"But, of course, I'm getting into this business realizing that it is not an Armenian business or an Armenian community based business. If it wasn't for the Mexican community, it wouldn't exist, at least in California nowadays. So I really am capitalizing on both sides."
Harutyunyan alludes to his career inside the ring - his current mark is 14-3-3. But he is realistic that in a division that is so Latin orientated, there isn't much of a market for a hard-nosed Armenian boxer without much punching power (in twenty pro outings he has no stoppages). If his promoting career takes off, you may not see him inside the ring ever again.
"I'll probably stick with promoting if I succeed the way I imagine to be successful in the business because I've spent a lot of time training and fighting, and in our weight, in this market, it is not the best thing to do," says Harutyunyan, who in January of 2006 dropped a split decision to current IBF flyweight titlist Nonito Donaire. "If I can reach the goals that I have set forward, I'll probably stick more into promoting. But as of now, it's undecided."
One of the reasons he decided to begin his own promotional company is that his past attempts to work in the boxing establishment were rebuffed. It's a tough business to break into and it's not like job openings in boxing are posted on Craigslist or the classified ads. It's an industry where connections and who you know are just as important as your knowledge and what you know.
"I decided, ‘let me start my own thing and let's see where we go with it,'" Harutyunyan says.
The first step was applying for a promoter’s license in the state of California.
"It took awhile to get my conditional license first," he recalls of the process. "There are some conditions, financial statements you have to submit, which in my case that was the hardest part because I had a great resume, my experience in boxing, my knowledge of the sport and business, too. But I didn't have a strong financial background; I was supposed to submit my tax forms and stuff. I said to Armando Garcia (head of the commission), 'I haven't made a lot of money in boxing. If I was, I wouldn't come into promoting.' So that was my weakest part. But I said, 'I have a great credit score and I'm a very reliable debt risk. So I can take loans and start on my way.'"
So with the $1,000 dollar fee, in addition to a $20,000 bond, he was a licensed promoter. And using his own capital and some business loans, he was in business.
But will the 'Warner Center War', as they're calling it, be a hit-or-miss proposition for his company?
"In a way, yes. In a way, no," he says, explaining that his goals for this promotion are modest. "My hit for this one is to break even or to lose a couple of thousand - which is worthwhile after all the time and effort I've spent. If I lose up to $5,000, that's really fine with me. Because it's a learning experience, establishing experience. My main goal is to break even. That's my hit part, that's my success. Not the first one, but for the first few shows.
"If it is a disaster, which I don't see any reasons why it should be, then I have to think about it as a hit or miss."
He has 1,266 seats to fill. He says he has a few hundred sold and expects a strong walk-up sale. As of now, he is a staff of one. "I did everything, basically," he says, with a bit of help from his father. From passing out fliers, to putting up posters, getting sponsors, putting bulletins on his ******* facebook pages, dealing with the venue and fire marshall and even matchmaking, he is running the show by himself.
And he even had the responsibility of choosing the ring card girls, which means he took a trip to a local strip club - strictly for research and business purposes, of course.
"I went to choose some girls. These guys are a local strip club, I said, 'Why don't you guys provide the girls and I'll advertise you.' But I had to go and see what kind of girls they have. If I get that deal, that's a good deal for me, too," said the former NABO jr. bantamweight titlist. Harutyunyan has also invited figures from the fight game as special guests.
Having a regular series would be ideal.
"That would be the ultimate goal and to have a stable of fighters," says the new promoter. "My goal is to find up and coming fighters and we can help each other grow."
THE 411
For tickets call 818-521-2373 or 818-331-0313.
Or log onto www.ArtofBoxingPromotions.com.
The Warner Center Marriott is located at 21850 Oxnard St., Woodland Hills.
It takes a great deal of courage to engage in boxing the way Kahren Harutyunyan did as a rugged jr. bantamweight. But it may take a dose of insanity to want to get into the realm of actually promoting it the way he is. Next Friday night, at the Warner Center Marriott, his fledgling promotional outfit - Art of Boxing Promotions - stages their initial show, featuring the return of Juan 'El Pollo' Valenzuela and Art Hovannesyan.
"I'm not crazy," he would claim. "Boxing is something that I love, and it's something that I'm still learning. A lot of people ask me that question. But for now, I'm not crazy, yet. It might drive me crazy in the future. It might make me crazy - but I'm not crazy going into it."
While he says this, he laughs. He knows the risks that are involved in the often zany and unregulated world of professional boxing. Much richer men and women have gone into this business and failed miserably. But despite graduating from UCLA last year with a degree in English Literature, the murky environment of boxing is where he wants to be.
"I've always known that I'm going to continue my presence on the boxing scene, even after I stop boxing myself - without suggesting I've stopped boxing myself - but this is something that, since I'm young, nobody has tried at this age," says the 25 year old Harutyunyan. "I think that I have a lot of experience, I know some people and there is a market that needs to be developed, mainly in the Armenian community.
"But, of course, I'm getting into this business realizing that it is not an Armenian business or an Armenian community based business. If it wasn't for the Mexican community, it wouldn't exist, at least in California nowadays. So I really am capitalizing on both sides."
Harutyunyan alludes to his career inside the ring - his current mark is 14-3-3. But he is realistic that in a division that is so Latin orientated, there isn't much of a market for a hard-nosed Armenian boxer without much punching power (in twenty pro outings he has no stoppages). If his promoting career takes off, you may not see him inside the ring ever again.
"I'll probably stick with promoting if I succeed the way I imagine to be successful in the business because I've spent a lot of time training and fighting, and in our weight, in this market, it is not the best thing to do," says Harutyunyan, who in January of 2006 dropped a split decision to current IBF flyweight titlist Nonito Donaire. "If I can reach the goals that I have set forward, I'll probably stick more into promoting. But as of now, it's undecided."
One of the reasons he decided to begin his own promotional company is that his past attempts to work in the boxing establishment were rebuffed. It's a tough business to break into and it's not like job openings in boxing are posted on Craigslist or the classified ads. It's an industry where connections and who you know are just as important as your knowledge and what you know.
"I decided, ‘let me start my own thing and let's see where we go with it,'" Harutyunyan says.
The first step was applying for a promoter’s license in the state of California.
"It took awhile to get my conditional license first," he recalls of the process. "There are some conditions, financial statements you have to submit, which in my case that was the hardest part because I had a great resume, my experience in boxing, my knowledge of the sport and business, too. But I didn't have a strong financial background; I was supposed to submit my tax forms and stuff. I said to Armando Garcia (head of the commission), 'I haven't made a lot of money in boxing. If I was, I wouldn't come into promoting.' So that was my weakest part. But I said, 'I have a great credit score and I'm a very reliable debt risk. So I can take loans and start on my way.'"
So with the $1,000 dollar fee, in addition to a $20,000 bond, he was a licensed promoter. And using his own capital and some business loans, he was in business.
But will the 'Warner Center War', as they're calling it, be a hit-or-miss proposition for his company?
"In a way, yes. In a way, no," he says, explaining that his goals for this promotion are modest. "My hit for this one is to break even or to lose a couple of thousand - which is worthwhile after all the time and effort I've spent. If I lose up to $5,000, that's really fine with me. Because it's a learning experience, establishing experience. My main goal is to break even. That's my hit part, that's my success. Not the first one, but for the first few shows.
"If it is a disaster, which I don't see any reasons why it should be, then I have to think about it as a hit or miss."
He has 1,266 seats to fill. He says he has a few hundred sold and expects a strong walk-up sale. As of now, he is a staff of one. "I did everything, basically," he says, with a bit of help from his father. From passing out fliers, to putting up posters, getting sponsors, putting bulletins on his ******* facebook pages, dealing with the venue and fire marshall and even matchmaking, he is running the show by himself.
And he even had the responsibility of choosing the ring card girls, which means he took a trip to a local strip club - strictly for research and business purposes, of course.
"I went to choose some girls. These guys are a local strip club, I said, 'Why don't you guys provide the girls and I'll advertise you.' But I had to go and see what kind of girls they have. If I get that deal, that's a good deal for me, too," said the former NABO jr. bantamweight titlist. Harutyunyan has also invited figures from the fight game as special guests.
Having a regular series would be ideal.
"That would be the ultimate goal and to have a stable of fighters," says the new promoter. "My goal is to find up and coming fighters and we can help each other grow."
THE 411
For tickets call 818-521-2373 or 818-331-0313.
Or log onto www.ArtofBoxingPromotions.com.
The Warner Center Marriott is located at 21850 Oxnard St., Woodland Hills.
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