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By T.K. Stewart - Sure, the economy is in the dumper. Millions are losing their homes and their jobs. Right now at least, there doesn't seem to be much light at the end of the tunnel. It's a Christmas scene that Ebenezer Scrooge would have loved.
But Golden Boy Promotions CEO, Richard Schaefer and Top Rank, Inc. Chairman, Bob Arum think they've got a cure for what ails the boxing fan. It's coming on January 24th when WBA welterweight champion Antonio 'The Tijuana Tornado' Margarito and 'Sugar' Shane Mosley lock horns at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
It's a fight fans' fight that matches up two aggressive boxers with marquee names and it's a fight that is not going to be accompanied with a lofty pay-per-view asking price - it's on HBO.
"I think when the country goes through a recession, the people also go through a recession," said Schaefer of the world's woes. "Everyone is going through a time of tightening their belts and we as promoters are obviously aware of that. What we wanted to do with this fight is ensure that we can do these kinds of fights, not just on pay-per-view, but on HBO."
With the world in the vice-like grip of what some economists are predicting will be the most severe economic downturn since the Great Depression, the powerbrokers in boxing have been forced to be more frugal when it comes to their asking price. The recent pay-per-view flops of Bernard Hopkins vs. Kelly Pavlik in October and Joe Calzaghe vs. Roy Jones in November caused the executives at HBO and the promoters associated with the bouts to re-evaluate their future strategy. [details]
But Golden Boy Promotions CEO, Richard Schaefer and Top Rank, Inc. Chairman, Bob Arum think they've got a cure for what ails the boxing fan. It's coming on January 24th when WBA welterweight champion Antonio 'The Tijuana Tornado' Margarito and 'Sugar' Shane Mosley lock horns at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
It's a fight fans' fight that matches up two aggressive boxers with marquee names and it's a fight that is not going to be accompanied with a lofty pay-per-view asking price - it's on HBO.
"I think when the country goes through a recession, the people also go through a recession," said Schaefer of the world's woes. "Everyone is going through a time of tightening their belts and we as promoters are obviously aware of that. What we wanted to do with this fight is ensure that we can do these kinds of fights, not just on pay-per-view, but on HBO."
With the world in the vice-like grip of what some economists are predicting will be the most severe economic downturn since the Great Depression, the powerbrokers in boxing have been forced to be more frugal when it comes to their asking price. The recent pay-per-view flops of Bernard Hopkins vs. Kelly Pavlik in October and Joe Calzaghe vs. Roy Jones in November caused the executives at HBO and the promoters associated with the bouts to re-evaluate their future strategy. [details]
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