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By Jake Donovan - If there was a big fight staged during the generation prior to this one, chances are one of the “big three”- Don King Productions, Main Events or Top Rank - was involved in the promotion.
As the game evolves, promoters go through peaks and valleys. Some stand the test of time, others watch their once mighty kingdom whittle down to a small village before they are forced to rebuild.
Top Rank is the only one of the original big three to truly stand the test of time. Golden Boy Promotions seems to be involved in “the big event” and has a slew of dates from HBO and ESPN2, but it’s Top Rank who boasts by far the strongest lineup from top to bottom.
The first decade of the 21st Century hasn’t been quite as kind to Don King and especially to Main Events, the latter suffering one blow after another as the years have passed. Both held strong in the first part of the decade, but have since fallen behind the curve.
Both have a chance to prove in separate shows this weekend night that they can still swing with the best. Following what was a dead boxing week in the states, the onetime promotional powerhouses are the proud owners of the two most relevant cards of not just the weekend, but for the rest of the summer.
Sunrise, Florida is the location for a loaded boxing show on and off television, a reminder of what King was capable of during his promotional prime. On the boxing side alone, fans are well served to arrive when the doors open at the BankAtlantic Center, who gets involved with the sport for the second time this year.
The home to the National Hockey League’s Florida Panthers is currently slated to house 12 fights this Saturday evening, with the top two to headline the latest installment of Showtime Championship Boxing (9PM ET/PT).
How loaded is the card? The crossroads match between former cruiserweight titlists Steve Cunningham and Wayne Braithwaite is, at worst, a televised co-feature on most other shows.
On this particular evening, it’s only “good” enough to serve as the chief preliminary bout before the cameras begin rolling.
Those who arrive before Showtime viewers are able to turn in will also be treated to a tribute to recently fallen pop icon Michael Jackson, as well as a first-hand look at promising cruiserweight contender Francisco “The Wizard” Palacios and rising super featherweight newcomer Archie Ray Marquez. [details]
As the game evolves, promoters go through peaks and valleys. Some stand the test of time, others watch their once mighty kingdom whittle down to a small village before they are forced to rebuild.
Top Rank is the only one of the original big three to truly stand the test of time. Golden Boy Promotions seems to be involved in “the big event” and has a slew of dates from HBO and ESPN2, but it’s Top Rank who boasts by far the strongest lineup from top to bottom.
The first decade of the 21st Century hasn’t been quite as kind to Don King and especially to Main Events, the latter suffering one blow after another as the years have passed. Both held strong in the first part of the decade, but have since fallen behind the curve.
Both have a chance to prove in separate shows this weekend night that they can still swing with the best. Following what was a dead boxing week in the states, the onetime promotional powerhouses are the proud owners of the two most relevant cards of not just the weekend, but for the rest of the summer.
Sunrise, Florida is the location for a loaded boxing show on and off television, a reminder of what King was capable of during his promotional prime. On the boxing side alone, fans are well served to arrive when the doors open at the BankAtlantic Center, who gets involved with the sport for the second time this year.
The home to the National Hockey League’s Florida Panthers is currently slated to house 12 fights this Saturday evening, with the top two to headline the latest installment of Showtime Championship Boxing (9PM ET/PT).
How loaded is the card? The crossroads match between former cruiserweight titlists Steve Cunningham and Wayne Braithwaite is, at worst, a televised co-feature on most other shows.
On this particular evening, it’s only “good” enough to serve as the chief preliminary bout before the cameras begin rolling.
Those who arrive before Showtime viewers are able to turn in will also be treated to a tribute to recently fallen pop icon Michael Jackson, as well as a first-hand look at promising cruiserweight contender Francisco “The Wizard” Palacios and rising super featherweight newcomer Archie Ray Marquez. [details]