Interesting article on Maxboxing with HBO

[Eaner0919]

Personally, I'm liking how HBO is doing its schedule for the top half because it shows they are wanting to make the best quality fight.

but at the expense of the back end of the scheduling?

the money allotted for this first half could very well limit them as to what they have towards the end.

2 million is only 500k more than what Arum wanted them to pay for Cotto Vanes. Also, HBO still probably would have forked over a lot of money for Martinez-Zbik/Lee.

but Cotto also brings ratings something Martinez has yet to do so while they may be similar in terms of money spent the ratings they would pull for a Cotto fight would be the difference

It was Dziniziruk who held out for more money and HBO forked over. They are going to overpay, sure. The author addresses that here and there (especially incases like Andre Berto), but HBO is making quality match ups for the first time in a while.

it still does not make it okay to overspend even if it meant making the best matchup on paper.

and what's to say that just because we see the arguably the two best available the match up will be entertaining? for every Donaire Montiel we often get Dawson Pascal which was largely unentertaining until the end.

sometimes it's about styles as well not just putting in what we deem are the two best available

People have always been focusing on the negative, but this is what it took to get those fights done. These were solid fights.

no it's not necessarily focusing on the negative IMO. To me, it's cause for concern that HBO owes Devon a 7 figure payday or that inspite of a risk of March 12th's fight being a stinker we will get one more Dzinzurik fight.

this isn't to bash HBO solely but it is okay to point out that while they are trying to make good fights they are also spending their future budget on fighters instead of fights. Alexander and Dzinzurik being the latest cases

[warp1432]

but at the expense of the back end of the scheduling?

the money allotted for this first half could very well limit them as to what they have towards the end.

At the end of 2010, Bradley-Alexander was on the end of everyone's lists of what they wanted to see. Also, just because they might be low on funds by the end of the year doesn't mean they still can't make good fights. Showtime does more with less, HBO should too.

We'll see what happens, but I definitely do take your points into consideration.

but Cotto also brings ratings something Martinez has yet to do so while they may be similar in terms of money spent the ratings they would pull for a Cotto fight would be the difference


it still does not make it okay to overspend even if it meant making the best matchup on paper.

Martinez-Williams was the number 2 highest ratings of HBO and Cotto-Foreman just edged it. Cotto is a bigger name for sure, but Martinez has built a name for himself too.

and what's to say that just because we see the arguably the two best available the match up will be entertaining? for every Donaire Montiel we often get Dawson Pascal which was largely unentertaining until the end.

sometimes it's about styles as well not just putting in what we deem are the two best available

Yes, but a large part of criticism for HBO is they don't do the first half of the match up, just showcases. Sometimes these match ups need to happen regardless of the circumstances.

no it's not necessarily focusing on the negative IMO. To me, it's cause for concern that HBO owes Devon a 7 figure payday or that inspite of a risk of March 12th's fight being a stinker we will get one more Dzinzurik fight.

this isn't to bash HBO solely but it is okay to point out that while they are trying to make good fights they are also spending their future budget on fighters instead of fights. Alexander and Dzinzurik being the latest cases

While I do agree that HBO makes a lot of mistakes when it comes to guaranteeing fighters dates, I think if they are, they might as well match them up with great fighters in return. I'd gladly watch Alexander Matthyesse and Sergei-Kirkland.

HBO makes mistakes, but a ton of people go after them. They don't do 100% wrong and they have done some things right. This is what the article was about.

[ghost deini]

HBO say they don't buy fighters they buy fights but then why does Amir Khan get a date set when he had no opponent at the time