Tweet
Fist Notes/Weighty Issues…
Man, is it just me or are you as un-attracted to HBO and the way they handle situations that are current within the sport as I am? It seems to me that they try to be unbiased about fighters and the people that are involved with the business end of the sport when it best favors them.
Note to the network: Don’t sit back and blame a fighter like Joan Guzman for taking a fight in the lightweight division when he knew he couldn’t make the weight. At that, you even tried to degrade him with that fighters’ code B.S. that he should have lived up to. FIRST of all, when every other entity around you in the business has no code (including NETWORKS), why the hell should you, as a fighter, try and live up to this code?
It’s clear that everyone is on their own in boxing. If you are looking for solidarity and unions, put on football pads or pick up a bat. Honestly, if Guzman turned down this championship rematch with Funeka, would he still have gotten a television date? Of course not; so let’s examine this closely.
If you could make your largest purse by just signing the dotted line to fight on HBO, wouldn’t you be tempted? Even if you knew that you couldn’t make weight and even if you would have to pay a $25,000 penalty and you couldn’t fight for the belt? A championship belt that is similar to one you had already?
Here is the kicker, a fighter like Guzman has been on television before and he has held a belt. For Guzman, he is at a point in his career where he needs exposure to help his popularity and to create a buzz, or flat out just make the most cheddar that he can.
Unfortunately, exposure in boxing equals television dates. Plus, if I have to pay a $25,000 fine and still make more money after expenses, fines, and payouts (managers, trainers, and training expenses) by taking the fight on HBO than if I were to say, “Hey, HBO, sorry but I can’t make weight. I can’t fight. Take me off the show; don’t give me another date until God-knows-when, if ever. Oh, and, by the way, it’s okay, because I’ll fight anywhere else but your television network for peanuts in some club where no one would care. Just so you keep the supposed integrity of your network,”…what choice do YOU think I’d make?
Now is it me or does that whole situation sound funny? I mean, come on, HBO, if you are not going to take on the responsibility of being able to positively affect the sport, don’t ever get on a high horse ever again. Don’t pin everything on a fighter, but then again, that is the constant way of this business. If you don’t want to take blame for things and situations that occur in the sport- because in the end, you still benefit- point the finger at the fighter.
Everyone gets their due; everyone gets their pay; everyone gets to **** (oh, I meant “reap”) the benefits of what the fighter does inside the ring, except for the fighter and his family. But when the fighter turns around and plays the system in his favor, he is uncontrollable and a disease to the sport. Wrong, point the finger where the finger needs pointing. Stop calling out fighters like Hopkins and the ones who have the smarts not to be punked by the system the problem.
Man, is it just me or are you as un-attracted to HBO and the way they handle situations that are current within the sport as I am? It seems to me that they try to be unbiased about fighters and the people that are involved with the business end of the sport when it best favors them.
Note to the network: Don’t sit back and blame a fighter like Joan Guzman for taking a fight in the lightweight division when he knew he couldn’t make the weight. At that, you even tried to degrade him with that fighters’ code B.S. that he should have lived up to. FIRST of all, when every other entity around you in the business has no code (including NETWORKS), why the hell should you, as a fighter, try and live up to this code?
It’s clear that everyone is on their own in boxing. If you are looking for solidarity and unions, put on football pads or pick up a bat. Honestly, if Guzman turned down this championship rematch with Funeka, would he still have gotten a television date? Of course not; so let’s examine this closely.
If you could make your largest purse by just signing the dotted line to fight on HBO, wouldn’t you be tempted? Even if you knew that you couldn’t make weight and even if you would have to pay a $25,000 penalty and you couldn’t fight for the belt? A championship belt that is similar to one you had already?
Here is the kicker, a fighter like Guzman has been on television before and he has held a belt. For Guzman, he is at a point in his career where he needs exposure to help his popularity and to create a buzz, or flat out just make the most cheddar that he can.
Unfortunately, exposure in boxing equals television dates. Plus, if I have to pay a $25,000 fine and still make more money after expenses, fines, and payouts (managers, trainers, and training expenses) by taking the fight on HBO than if I were to say, “Hey, HBO, sorry but I can’t make weight. I can’t fight. Take me off the show; don’t give me another date until God-knows-when, if ever. Oh, and, by the way, it’s okay, because I’ll fight anywhere else but your television network for peanuts in some club where no one would care. Just so you keep the supposed integrity of your network,”…what choice do YOU think I’d make?
Now is it me or does that whole situation sound funny? I mean, come on, HBO, if you are not going to take on the responsibility of being able to positively affect the sport, don’t ever get on a high horse ever again. Don’t pin everything on a fighter, but then again, that is the constant way of this business. If you don’t want to take blame for things and situations that occur in the sport- because in the end, you still benefit- point the finger at the fighter.
Everyone gets their due; everyone gets their pay; everyone gets to **** (oh, I meant “reap”) the benefits of what the fighter does inside the ring, except for the fighter and his family. But when the fighter turns around and plays the system in his favor, he is uncontrollable and a disease to the sport. Wrong, point the finger where the finger needs pointing. Stop calling out fighters like Hopkins and the ones who have the smarts not to be punked by the system the problem.
Comment