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By Jake Donovan - It would’ve been a summer for the ages, all brought to you by HBO and Golden Boy Promotions. That is, of course, if the proposed schedule for June and July held up.
Once upon a time, it was dreamed up in a NYC board room that a seven-week summer stretch would look something like this:
June 20 – Wladimir Klitschko versus David Haye,
June 27 – Boxing After Dark doubleheader, including Victor Ortiz’ first shot at a major title; Floyd Mayweather-Juan Manuel Marquez 24/7 to begin airing,
July 4 – Happy Independence Day, see you next when…
July 11 – Bernard Hopkins attempts to dethrone cruiserweight king Tomasz Adamek,
July 18 – Floyd Mayeather returns after a 19-month hiatus, facing Juan Manuel Marquez,
July 25 – the exclusive replay of Mayweather-Marquez,
August 1 – James Kirkland in his first major title shot, versus Sergei Dzindziruk.
Never mind the weather; it simply doesn’t get any hotter for boxing fans than the aforementioned wish list. Naturally, a month-long break would’ve followed, as it’s par for the course for HBO to basically go dark for the month of August. But who would possibly mind after a schedule like that?
Well, now we mind.
Injuries, poor negotiating tactics and legal troubles have crippled HBO’s summer schedule. Rather than loading us up for the next seven weeks or so, boxing fans will have to savor the flavor after this weekend’s card, because the next one is two months away.
The eight-week gap between live boxing on HBO would’ve been slightly more forgivable had this Saturday’s show bore any resemblance to the originally approved version. We instead endure another reminder of the ugly tagline, “Programming subject to change without notice.”
Once upon a time, this weekend (Saturday, was supposed to serve as the coming out party for red hot super lightweight Victor Ortiz, who ended 2008 as one of boxing’s brightest prospect and entered this year as one of the more promising contenders. Golden Boy Promotions planned to match up their Oxnard (CA) thoroughbred against alphabet titlist Andreas Kotelnik. [details]
Once upon a time, it was dreamed up in a NYC board room that a seven-week summer stretch would look something like this:
June 20 – Wladimir Klitschko versus David Haye,
June 27 – Boxing After Dark doubleheader, including Victor Ortiz’ first shot at a major title; Floyd Mayweather-Juan Manuel Marquez 24/7 to begin airing,
July 4 – Happy Independence Day, see you next when…
July 11 – Bernard Hopkins attempts to dethrone cruiserweight king Tomasz Adamek,
July 18 – Floyd Mayeather returns after a 19-month hiatus, facing Juan Manuel Marquez,
July 25 – the exclusive replay of Mayweather-Marquez,
August 1 – James Kirkland in his first major title shot, versus Sergei Dzindziruk.
Never mind the weather; it simply doesn’t get any hotter for boxing fans than the aforementioned wish list. Naturally, a month-long break would’ve followed, as it’s par for the course for HBO to basically go dark for the month of August. But who would possibly mind after a schedule like that?
Well, now we mind.
Injuries, poor negotiating tactics and legal troubles have crippled HBO’s summer schedule. Rather than loading us up for the next seven weeks or so, boxing fans will have to savor the flavor after this weekend’s card, because the next one is two months away.
The eight-week gap between live boxing on HBO would’ve been slightly more forgivable had this Saturday’s show bore any resemblance to the originally approved version. We instead endure another reminder of the ugly tagline, “Programming subject to change without notice.”
Once upon a time, this weekend (Saturday, was supposed to serve as the coming out party for red hot super lightweight Victor Ortiz, who ended 2008 as one of boxing’s brightest prospect and entered this year as one of the more promising contenders. Golden Boy Promotions planned to match up their Oxnard (CA) thoroughbred against alphabet titlist Andreas Kotelnik. [details]
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