HBO Sports President Talks Rigondeaux

[DARKSEID]

You have no concept of business.

The day you find a network that is loyal to boxing and boxers in a way that ratings won't effect who they put on, is the same day that network goes out of business.

Get with it.

Look man I know how it works, I just think it could be better.

It's not like they aren't companies that think like I do. There are just none for boxing. There are hundreds of succesful companies that prioritize Quality over Currency, that stand for something more than money.

[CubanGuyNYC]

It is what it is. Best they can do is put some better Rigo fights on some undercards and see if things change. Maybe Lomachenko ends up being a big fight. Rigondeaux is never going to be a star though. Not going to happen.

Rigo wasn't ever going to be a real star, no matter how exciting he might be. For starters, these guys at the lower weights have a lot farther to climb than their bigger counterparts. I'd just like to keep Guillermo around simply becuase he's a maestro. It's a damn shame when "fans" of a sport can't at least support a masterful exponent of the art. But, like you say, it is what it is....

[DannYankee]

That sucks.

When you get to the point where you can beat anyone in the world, and it still isn't good enough.

Either way, just keep winning.

The truth right there even if people don't like you they have to respect you if you're the best. GbP has more to offer rigondeaux now anyways he neeeds to go clear their stable and become top dog there as well if hbo start talking **** hbo gonna loose out cause rigo wont do business w them in the near or far future and having p4p fighters king of a division who dont wanna do business w you is never a good idea. Thought they learned that by now.

[-PBP-]

Not surprised really. But it doesn't really matter because he only has one more fight with Top Rank.

[BattleAxePurist]

I doubt GB would be that interested in Rigo even if he leaves TR especially at the price tag he commands, of course he could do something about it by actually trying to be a bit more offensive , that of course is also unlikely .

[Queen_Leia]

That's disappointing from HBO. After all Boxing has done for HBO sports, they still want to take the cheap route. No loyalty, no honor.

Rigo is clearly a Master of the Sweet Science, and his skills should be celebrated. Maybe if they Promoted him the way they Promoted Andre Berto, he would get more attention.

At the end of the day, Boxing is the sport that I love, and Rigondeaux is a master of it, so I will always watch him fight.

Money isn't everything, and I lost loyalty and respect for HBO today, because they have shown none to my sport.

He's f.u.c.k.i.n.g boring bro...I'm a boxing purist and even i wasn't entertained. You can't keep wasting money if subscribers don't want to see him. It a business and if HBO was your company, you would feel the same way...loyalty doesn't make HBO money, subscribers do.

Money and Son of God are boxing savant but I've never watched any of their fights and flipped the channel.

El Chacal need to develop more crowd friendly style or he's done.

[New England]

A hundred years from now, Jetpacks will have been invented.

Unless the people that designed them accepted that they will never be able to fly.

Edit: There are people who love nothing more than doing what someone says can't be done. I know because I'm one of them.

i'm not talking about using technology. i'm talking about flying the way a bird flies. you're just nitpicking, and it's evidence that you're not understanding the concept that others in the thread are discussing. i'm not sure how much longer i'm going to continue to explain something you clearly can't / refuse to understand.


asking to fly and asking boxing to stop being controlled by money are the same thing. humans cannot fly. boxing cannot exist simply to please "righteous" on bscene.

these are businesses with bills to pay. they would not exist if they didn't endeavor to make as much money as possible and compete with the other networks. boxing wouldn't exist if it didn't make people rich.



hbo is not going to show rigondeaux fights if they don't make money. unless you're willing to work for free you should understand why.

[CubanGuyNYC]

I kind of understand. But I don't think this is solely about Rigo. It's about a moment and who he defeated.

There were rumors and complaints that Rigo wasn't very "entertaining" for the casual fan. But usually boxers are given time. Paulie is not a very entertaining either, or Ward. Yet they are given chances.

But for Rigo everything changed after the Donaire fight. The whole internet and ESPN began campaign to label Rigo as boring and unwanted. Donaire was the cash cow--nobody focused on the fact that Donaire had been previously booed for his inability to bring the fight to a non-brawler--. He was supposed to be Pac. For exposing him, he'll never be forgiven.

Just check out Dan Rafael, who, though profoundly ignorant of boxing, has a mass following. His tweets, no matter how stupid, make an impact. He has built a consistent anti-Rigo campaign.

Rigo needs to be given a chance to come out of this mob. Remember, after the Pac fight, Bradley was banished due to the combined pressure from pac fans.

I'm not denying the fact that HBO has the right to judge based on ratings. They are a business after all. But to dismiss Rigo after 2 fights is harsh. Ward has been given chance after chance. Arum, though he joined on the anti Bradley mob, eventually gave him his chance to shine with a brawler.

Dan often says stupid shit, but I didn't have a real problem with him until he became actively prejudicial of Rigo. Every single time I read his comments about Guillermo, they're laced with the most unflattering vocabulary he can conjure. He called the Agbeko fight "dreck." lol I mean, the fight was boring and all, but Rafael specifically chooses his words in order to drag Rigo through the mud. It seems he's taken it upon himself to rid the airwaves of Guillermo Rigondeaux. For that, I've lost all respect for him as a boxing journalist.

[-PBP-]

I doubt GB would be that interested in Rigo even if he leaves TR especially at the price tag he commands, of course he could do something about it by actually trying to be a bit more offensive , that of course is also unlikely .

He doesn't need either. The best fighters at 122 and below are not in the US. He needs to travel. That's where the money is.

[Elotero]

I just came across this statement (as reported by Dan Rafael on 12/20) by Ken Hershman, president of HBO Sports, regarding Guillermo Rigondeaux:

"I'm very torn, I have to say. I was expecting more from him," Hershman said. "This is one where you listen to the fans. The fans voted by turning off the channel. At the end of the day we're a TV network and we have to please our subscribers. If they're not interested we have to respect that. In the right match maybe there will be another opportunity, but it's not something getting done in the near future. I have tremendous respect for what he does but it's not something our subscribers responded to."

I certainly respect Hershman's statement. We all know Rigo isn't selling, and business is business. However, as a fan, I still want to see "El Chacal" fight. HBO no longer does business with Golden Boy and relies on Top Rank for their match-ups. I'm hoping Rigo simply goes over to GBP after his contract with TR is over (one more fight). Maybe it'll help, maybe it won't, but something has to be tried. Showtime has expressed interest in Rigo before. Maybe they can pick up the baton.

I think GBP would do better with Rigo than TR. TR is just dropping the ball with this guy. At least there could be a LSC vs Rigo match or even a Mares, Ponce, Jhonny fight. Whats the best TR can do for him? Pit him against a 2- 0 Lomachenko? Pfft..

Rigo is my favorite fighter and its a pleasure to watch him apply his craft. Folks make it seem like he's a combo of John Ruiz, Paulie and Ishe Smith, lol.