Comments Thread For: Arum: I Want Rigondeaux To Be More Fan-Friendly

[richardt]

then why agree to promote him???? respectfully, you can't have it both ways.

He agreed on the basis that neither he nor ANYONE else in the sport would have thought that a major network would ever shun a guy who beat a top PFP guy. I am not saying what Arum says is right but stop just looking at Arum! HBO is the one to petition against, they are the ones who backed off. They own everyone's a$$ because without a network, no one in Boxing will make a penny. The Boxers nor their managers or promoters drive the sport. No TV, no sport.

[-PBP-]

You don't get it????? Donaire wasn't booed because he wasn't jabbing and running against his opponents as Rigo was perceived as doing. It is all about audience perception.

So now we have classifications of booing.

Its ok to be booed if you are just waiting to be patient and look for an opening to land one punch.

But its not ok to be booed if you are perceived to be "jabbing and running".

[richardt]

I get the difficulties but they were known variables that needed to be planned for in advance.
You know that fights aren't one at a time but are part of plans for 2-5 fights over the course of 1-2 years.

Bob appears to be towing HBO's company line rather than promoting Rigo as he should. Rigo doesn't need to change his style-rigo's opponents need to learn more skills so they can deal with what he brings to the table.

Tell that to HBO! But the fact is, something turned them off and they make the decision. If Rigo was flamboyant, made for more exciting fights, spoke good English, or any combination of the above, things might be different but SOMETHING turned them off but at least now Rigo will get a second chance to make a first impression. If he fights in a typical finesse style and doesn't amp it up, he may have to pay the consequences, right or WRONG!

[richardt]

So now we have classifications of booing. Its ok to be booed if you are just waiting to be patient and look for an opening to land one punch. But its not ok to be booed if you are perceived to be "jabbing and running".

Apparently so or WHY did HBO back off then? Either A) Donaire IS or is PERCIEVED as more exciting, or B) he is American, C) Speaks good English or any combination of the above. Those are your only choices. But IF Rigo was more exciting, he would not need to be American or speak English because those last 2 items are not disqualifiers if the right elements are in place, otherwise we would not have guys like Mathyssee and countless others get TV dates. There are a lot of non-American, non-English speaking fighters that get airtime because of something that creates a buzz. That is what Rigo needs. I do not cosign that a fighter has to be a war machine but he has to have something that HBO seems to think Rigo lacks. If I owned HBO, I would want to showcase him but don't preach to the choir. I am looking at the cause and effect.

[mrlopez]

i honestly

dont see what the problem is in asking a fighter you promote/pay to be a lil more fan friendly. Brings more money and recognition.....

[-PBP-]

Apparently so or WHY did HBO back off then? Either A) Donaire IS or is PERCIEVED as more exciting, or B) he is American, C) Speaks good English or any combination of the above. But IF Rigo was more exciting, he would not need to be American or speak English because those last 2 items are not disqualifiers if the right elements are in place, otherwise we would not have guys like Mathyssee and countless others get TV dates. I do no cosign that a fighter has to be a war machine but he has to have something that HBO seems to think Rigo lacks. If I owned HBO, I would want to showcase him so stop preaching to the choir. I am looking at the cause and effect.

HBO had plans for Donaire to be the "next Manny Pacquiao." It was brought up in every one of his fights. Those plans were ruined when he looked like a C level fighter that night.

So instead of praising Rigo's performance:

1. They blame the lack of action on 100% on him, despite the fact that his opponent had been booed in his previous 4 fights

2. They try to black ball him because of his "style" despite having several other fighters with similar styles on their network

3. Arum tries to portray the fight as "close", blames the loss on Donaire's "weight problems" and "lack of focus" and goes on a media rant degrading his own fighter

Do the math. You don't publicly insult a fighter that your trying to promote and get TV slots. He had done a great job with Rigo up until that point and I'll give him that. But because his long term plans with Donaire were ruined, he has changed his tune.

[richardt]

HBO had plans for Donaire to be the "next Manny Pacquiao." It was brought up in every one of his fights. Those plans were ruined when he looked like a C level fighter that night.

So instead of praising Rigo's performance:

1. They blame the lack of action on 100% on him, despite the fact that his opponent had been booed in his previous 4 fights

2. They try to black ball him because of his "style" despite having several other fighters with similar styles on their network

3. Arum tries to portray the fight as "close", blames the loss on Donaire's "weight problems" and "lack of focus" and goes on a media rant degrading his own fighter

Do the math. You don't publicly insult a fighter that your trying to promote and get TV slots. He had done a great job with Rigo up until that point and I'll give him that. But because his long term plans with Donaire were ruined, he has changed his tune.

You're forgetting something. Perception is reality! HBO still sees Donaire as more exciting than Rigo. They saw Donaire as more engaging in the ring in his fights, especially those that had exciting moments where he dropped and stopped a guy. YOU are not going to change the perception of HBO and neither am I. The only one who can do that is the fighter that gets in the ring. Rigo is on his own....no more living off the coattails of Donaire, he is out on his own the next fight. What he does in that fight shows where his future lies. When you talk about them blackballing his style but having similar styled fighters on their network then that comes down again to perception and Rigo needs to change the perception. Like I said, if he stands in the pocket and makes fighters miss and makes them pay, he can be exciting. He was exciting the way he took out Rico Ramos but he needs to not carry a guy who is overmatched against him. That is not asking a lot of him because he already does it in microcosms! You talk about Arum putting the blame of how the fight went on weight loss, etc. Again, Rigo is on his own and Donaire is passé! So no one cares about what Arum blames the fight on because that has nothing to do with Rigo's next fight and he should not have signed with Arum in the first place but it got him his biggest fight. He has to forge his own path now. If he thinks Arum is hurting his career, ask to bow out. Or live with the way things are and explode on the next guy he faces to send a message.

[CTC JOHNNY]

Rigondeaux is a true champion caliber fighter period !!!! Donaire is fighting a easy fight against Vic but if he was to fight a guy like Joseph A he would have a job on his hands !!! Rigondeaux vs Koko Martinez would be a nice fight !!! Donaire is no Flash when he is put in front of a TRUE Elite athlete with the God given ability to do work on another's fighter body and mind !!! Give them Hell Rigondeaux !!!

[-PBP-]

You're forgetting something. Perception is reality! HBO still sees Donaire as more exciting than Rigo. They saw Donaire as more engaging in the ring in his fights, especially those that had exciting moments where he dropped and stopped a guy. YOU are not going to change the perception of HBO and neither am I. The only one who can do that is the fighter that gets in the ring. Rigo is on his own....no more living off the coattails of Donaire, he is out on his own the next fight. What he does in that fight shows where his future lies. When you talk about them blackballing his style but having similar styled fighters on their network then that comes down again to perception and Rigo needs to change the perception. Like I said, if he stands in the pocket and makes fighters miss and makes them pay, he can be exciting. He was exciting the way he took out Rico Ramos but he needs to not carry a guy who is overmatched against him. That is not asking a lot of him because he already does it in microcosms! You talk about Arum putting the blame of how the fight went on weight loss, etc. Again, Rigo is on his own and Donaire is passé! So no one cares about what Arum blames the fight on because that has nothing to do with Rigo's next fight and he should not have signed with Arum in the first place but it got him his biggest fight. He has to forge his own path now.

I agree. Its up to Rigo to carry his own torch and Agbeko will give him plenty of opportunities.

But insulting him publicly will not help change HBO and public perception. It will only make it worse. That's not what you pay your promoter to do.

[richardt]

I agree. Its up to Rigo to carry his own torch and Agbeko will give him plenty of opportunities.

But insulting him publicly will not help change HBO and public perception. It will only make it worse. That's not what you pay your promoter to do.

This is true. I have never seen any PFP top fighter have to go through so much after his biggest win like he has. He will be taking it out on someone and eyes will open up when he does.