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HBO pursues better matches
Network outshined by rival Showtime in '05
By KEVIN IOLE
REVIEW-JOURNAL
HBO long has been the 800-pound gorilla of televised boxing. But in 2005, the cable network was greatly outshone by its less heeled rival, Showtime, which put on far more compelling fights.
While Showtime aired such bouts as Diego Corrales vs. Jose Luis Castillo and Ricky Hatton vs. Kostya Tszyu as part of its basic package, HBO countered with such mismatches as Fernando Vargas vs. Ray Joval and Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Henry Bruseles.
HBO has come under heavy fire for what appeared to be a strategy of shifting every significant fight to its pay-per-view division and using the regular service to show its stars in appearance fights.
But HBO Sports president Ross Greenburg said Saturday the network will not only increase the number of shows it airs on its basic service but strive to keep more of the high-quality matchups off pay per view. Greenburg said HBO will increase its budget to land better fights.
HBO's "World Championship Boxing Series" will expand from 10 dates in 2005 to 14 in 2006. Its "Boxing After Dark" series, which had five shows in 2005, will become a monthly staple in 2006, Greenburg said.
"We don't ever want to do a crappy fight on HBO," Greenburg said when asked about the large number of apparent mismatches HBO broadcast this year. "We put strict guidelines on opponent approval so we know we have good fights on HBO."
But Top Rank chairman Bob Arum said he is reluctant to have budding star Miguel Cotto sign a long-term deal with HBO in part because he doesn't want the network to choose his opponents.
Arum said Top Rank will continue to select Cotto's opponents, then try to sell the bout to a television network.
"If you take their money, then they have the right to make the fights, and they have morons making the fights," Arum said.
Greenburg disputed that characterization but said part of the problem in attracting quality fights is that the fighters aren't willing to take less money to appear on HBO. He pointed to the Feb. 25 pay-per-view fight at Mandalay Bay between Shane Mosley and Fernando Vargas as one that would have been perfect for HBO.
But he said the promoters and fighters wanted to take a gamble by fighting on pay per view, even though the bout will take place during the Winter Olympics.
HBO will work vigorously to convince boxers to sign and to fight big bouts on the network, Greenburg said, which would make them more attractive pay-per-view commodities in the long run.
He said HBO's ratings indicate there is great interest in boxing, and he thinks boxing would benefit if HBO could televise compelling matches.
"We're not the great saviors of this sport, but we love it," Greenburg said. "We're gym ****. We love a great fight. Nothing gets our juices flowing more than sitting ringside -- I'm getting chills now -- two minutes before a fight like the one (Saturday between Jermain Taylor and Bernard Hopkins)."
j THE ROCK -- Las Vegan Hasim Rahman, the WBC heavyweight champion, probably will fight mandatory challenger James Toney in March, Greenburg said. But Rahman's bankruptcy complicates things.
Because of the cancellation of his fight against Vitali Klitschko on Nov. 12, Rahman did not make his $4.2 million purse, and a proposed settlement with promoter Don King was scrapped.
Top Rank has made a bid to the bankruptcy court to take over Rahman's promotional rights. A hearing is set for Friday.
"We got to know Rahman as we were promoting the Klitschko fight and we like him and feel we can do a lot for his career," Arum said. "He needs to be built and we can build him. He's a very, very attractive guy because he's big and strong and well-spoken.
"But he's also very coachable and understands what it will take to make himself a name. He's willing to do that."
j HATTON OK -- Ricky Hatton, who added the WBA super lightweight title to his IBF belt when he stopped Carlos Maussa in England last month, had plastic surgery to repair cuts around his eyes after taking head-butts from Maussa.
But Hatton, who hopes to fight Arturo Gatti, Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Cotto next year, said the injuries aren't as bad as they appear.
"None of the muscle has been damaged, and it's just the skin that was torn up," said Hatton, who has a nasty scar just below his left eyebrow and a smaller one above his left eye.
Hatton said he would be back in May and would prefer to fight Mayweather first.
But given that Mayweather has an April 8 bout against undisputed welterweight champion Zab Judah lined up, Hatton said he'll settle for Gatti if the former champion defeats Thomas Damgaard on Jan. 28.
j AT THE ALADDIN -- An intriguing welterweight bout between WBO champion Antonio Margarito and rival Manuel Gomez will be at the Aladdin Theater for Performing Arts on Feb. 18, Arum said.
WBC junior flyweight champion Brian Villoria and WBO strawweight champion Ivan Calderon will defend their belts on the pay-per-view show, Arum said.
j BARRERA UP SOON -- Promoter Oscar De La Hoya said WBC-IBF super featherweight champion Marco Antonio Barrera will fight IBF lightweight champion Jesus Chavez on March 25.
"That's one of those fights that I would buy a ticket to see," De La Hoya said.
j IN TRAINING -- De La Hoya, who will meet WBC super welterweight champion Ricardo Mayorga on May 7 at the MGM Grand, said he has begun initial fight preparations.
De La Hoya said he will send trainer Floyd Mayweather Sr. to his home in Puerto Rico to help him as he prepares for what will be his first bout in 18 months.
De La Hoya hasn't fought since he was stopped in the ninth round by Hopkins on Sept. 18, 2004, at the MGM Grand.
"The juices are flowing again and I can't wait to get back," De La Hoya said.
j MOVING UP -- Frenchman Jean-Marc Mormeck, who has the WBA and WBC cruiserweight titles, will meet IBF champion O'Neil Bell on Jan. 7 on Showtime.
If he wins that fight, Mormeck said he would like to move up to heavyweight.
"I remember watching Mike Tyson fight and all the attention that went around those big heavyweight fights," Mormeck said. "I always wanted to be in that situation. If I get past (Bell), then I'm going to talk to Don King about getting me some fights at heavyweight."
j CEASE -- King sent cease-and-desist letters to most promoters last week, warning them not to interfere in his contract with IBF heavyweight champion Chris Byrd.
Byrd, who is suing King, contends he is a free agent able to do business with anyone.
j READY -- WBO super middleweight champion Joe Calzaghe, who meets IBF champion Jeff Lacy on March 4 in Manchester, England, knows what's riding on the fight between unbeaten champions.
"This is the money fight for me," Calzaghe said. "This is the fight for me to leave a legacy in the super middleweight division (because) I am fighting the best."
Network outshined by rival Showtime in '05
By KEVIN IOLE
REVIEW-JOURNAL
HBO long has been the 800-pound gorilla of televised boxing. But in 2005, the cable network was greatly outshone by its less heeled rival, Showtime, which put on far more compelling fights.
While Showtime aired such bouts as Diego Corrales vs. Jose Luis Castillo and Ricky Hatton vs. Kostya Tszyu as part of its basic package, HBO countered with such mismatches as Fernando Vargas vs. Ray Joval and Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Henry Bruseles.
HBO has come under heavy fire for what appeared to be a strategy of shifting every significant fight to its pay-per-view division and using the regular service to show its stars in appearance fights.
But HBO Sports president Ross Greenburg said Saturday the network will not only increase the number of shows it airs on its basic service but strive to keep more of the high-quality matchups off pay per view. Greenburg said HBO will increase its budget to land better fights.
HBO's "World Championship Boxing Series" will expand from 10 dates in 2005 to 14 in 2006. Its "Boxing After Dark" series, which had five shows in 2005, will become a monthly staple in 2006, Greenburg said.
"We don't ever want to do a crappy fight on HBO," Greenburg said when asked about the large number of apparent mismatches HBO broadcast this year. "We put strict guidelines on opponent approval so we know we have good fights on HBO."
But Top Rank chairman Bob Arum said he is reluctant to have budding star Miguel Cotto sign a long-term deal with HBO in part because he doesn't want the network to choose his opponents.
Arum said Top Rank will continue to select Cotto's opponents, then try to sell the bout to a television network.
"If you take their money, then they have the right to make the fights, and they have morons making the fights," Arum said.
Greenburg disputed that characterization but said part of the problem in attracting quality fights is that the fighters aren't willing to take less money to appear on HBO. He pointed to the Feb. 25 pay-per-view fight at Mandalay Bay between Shane Mosley and Fernando Vargas as one that would have been perfect for HBO.
But he said the promoters and fighters wanted to take a gamble by fighting on pay per view, even though the bout will take place during the Winter Olympics.
HBO will work vigorously to convince boxers to sign and to fight big bouts on the network, Greenburg said, which would make them more attractive pay-per-view commodities in the long run.
He said HBO's ratings indicate there is great interest in boxing, and he thinks boxing would benefit if HBO could televise compelling matches.
"We're not the great saviors of this sport, but we love it," Greenburg said. "We're gym ****. We love a great fight. Nothing gets our juices flowing more than sitting ringside -- I'm getting chills now -- two minutes before a fight like the one (Saturday between Jermain Taylor and Bernard Hopkins)."
j THE ROCK -- Las Vegan Hasim Rahman, the WBC heavyweight champion, probably will fight mandatory challenger James Toney in March, Greenburg said. But Rahman's bankruptcy complicates things.
Because of the cancellation of his fight against Vitali Klitschko on Nov. 12, Rahman did not make his $4.2 million purse, and a proposed settlement with promoter Don King was scrapped.
Top Rank has made a bid to the bankruptcy court to take over Rahman's promotional rights. A hearing is set for Friday.
"We got to know Rahman as we were promoting the Klitschko fight and we like him and feel we can do a lot for his career," Arum said. "He needs to be built and we can build him. He's a very, very attractive guy because he's big and strong and well-spoken.
"But he's also very coachable and understands what it will take to make himself a name. He's willing to do that."
j HATTON OK -- Ricky Hatton, who added the WBA super lightweight title to his IBF belt when he stopped Carlos Maussa in England last month, had plastic surgery to repair cuts around his eyes after taking head-butts from Maussa.
But Hatton, who hopes to fight Arturo Gatti, Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Cotto next year, said the injuries aren't as bad as they appear.
"None of the muscle has been damaged, and it's just the skin that was torn up," said Hatton, who has a nasty scar just below his left eyebrow and a smaller one above his left eye.
Hatton said he would be back in May and would prefer to fight Mayweather first.
But given that Mayweather has an April 8 bout against undisputed welterweight champion Zab Judah lined up, Hatton said he'll settle for Gatti if the former champion defeats Thomas Damgaard on Jan. 28.
j AT THE ALADDIN -- An intriguing welterweight bout between WBO champion Antonio Margarito and rival Manuel Gomez will be at the Aladdin Theater for Performing Arts on Feb. 18, Arum said.
WBC junior flyweight champion Brian Villoria and WBO strawweight champion Ivan Calderon will defend their belts on the pay-per-view show, Arum said.
j BARRERA UP SOON -- Promoter Oscar De La Hoya said WBC-IBF super featherweight champion Marco Antonio Barrera will fight IBF lightweight champion Jesus Chavez on March 25.
"That's one of those fights that I would buy a ticket to see," De La Hoya said.
j IN TRAINING -- De La Hoya, who will meet WBC super welterweight champion Ricardo Mayorga on May 7 at the MGM Grand, said he has begun initial fight preparations.
De La Hoya said he will send trainer Floyd Mayweather Sr. to his home in Puerto Rico to help him as he prepares for what will be his first bout in 18 months.
De La Hoya hasn't fought since he was stopped in the ninth round by Hopkins on Sept. 18, 2004, at the MGM Grand.
"The juices are flowing again and I can't wait to get back," De La Hoya said.
j MOVING UP -- Frenchman Jean-Marc Mormeck, who has the WBA and WBC cruiserweight titles, will meet IBF champion O'Neil Bell on Jan. 7 on Showtime.
If he wins that fight, Mormeck said he would like to move up to heavyweight.
"I remember watching Mike Tyson fight and all the attention that went around those big heavyweight fights," Mormeck said. "I always wanted to be in that situation. If I get past (Bell), then I'm going to talk to Don King about getting me some fights at heavyweight."
j CEASE -- King sent cease-and-desist letters to most promoters last week, warning them not to interfere in his contract with IBF heavyweight champion Chris Byrd.
Byrd, who is suing King, contends he is a free agent able to do business with anyone.
j READY -- WBO super middleweight champion Joe Calzaghe, who meets IBF champion Jeff Lacy on March 4 in Manchester, England, knows what's riding on the fight between unbeaten champions.
"This is the money fight for me," Calzaghe said. "This is the fight for me to leave a legacy in the super middleweight division (because) I am fighting the best."