Is Top Rank setting Crawford up for failure?

[NC Uppercut]

Regarding those points, I think it's a bit more complicated:
1-2:
Postol fight was made on PPV because HBO wasn't willing to pay enough money to make it on regular TV.
It was pretty much situation where it was either made on PPV(which allowed certain pay-day for both Postol and Crawford to accept the fight for), or the fight wouldn't have happend instead.
I think it was great support from Top Rank to make it, as they didn't make much money on that show at all.

3-4:
I think everyone expected Pacquiao to beat Horn and Top Rank probably figured that having Manny pull out great numbers of ESPN in spectacular win will make Crawford fight even bigger.
I also believe that Crawford didn't want to move up just yet - at the time.

5:
We'll see what happens with this fight, I think they will probably make it free ESPN.

Your response on 1-2, I don’t agree with, it was a blessing in disguise. I think that helped spawn the ESPN deal. Thank you HBO budget!

[The Big Dunn]

Regarding those points, I think it's a bit more complicated:
1-2:
Postol fight was made on PPV because HBO wasn't willing to pay enough money to make it on regular TV.
It was pretty much situation where it was either made on PPV(which allowed certain pay-day for both Postol and Crawford to accept the fight for), or the fight wouldn't have happend instead.
I think it was great support from Top Rank to make it, as they didn't make much money on that show at all.

3-4:
I think everyone expected Pacquiao to beat Horn and Top Rank probably figured that having Manny pull out great numbers of ESPN in spectacular win will make Crawford fight even bigger.
I also believe that Crawford didn't want to move up just yet - at the time.

5:
We'll see what happens with this fight, I think they will probably make it free ESPN.

Solid response with fair points.

Then Bob should've done what was necessary to make the fight in Nebraska on regular HBO. He would lose in the short term but make it up down the road.

Not only didn't they make much money, they had a terrible TV atmosphere that likely deflates TV viewership for Crawford. IMO Top Rank should've been taking steps to maximize viewers.

Not true. Crawford would obviously take a Manny fight over Indongo JWW unification. He took Indongo because he couldn't get the Manny fight.

Crawford made the best of that situation. The way Bob is positioning Loma for a Manny fight is what he should have done for Crawford back then. This is the complaint Floyd had-you are making me wait because its in the best interest of the company. One of the reasons Mikey left as well.

The reality is there can only be one "top dawg". Bob has shown he will put the interests of the top fighter over one of the other-see Manny/ Cotto as prime example.

[WesternChamp]

I think they want to make a double announcement of Crawford/Horn & Pacquaio/Alvarado. Pacquaio is being too indecisive and he's holding everything up.

Crawford-Horn should have been announced a month back and on regular ESPN. I thought the promotion was whack for Lomachenko-Rigondeaux too. Remember there was no press conference but with it being on regular ESPN at least it had a chance of some TV ratings. Crawford-Horn (without Pacquaio) is destined for failure much like the Postol fight.

as he should! good for him.

[Eff Pandas]

Bob has proven to be an expert at building a fighter. IMO he made several moves which I think really hurt Crawford's value/worth:

1. The Postol fight should've been in Nebraska on regular TV instead of Vegas.
2 The Postol fight definitely should not have been Crawford's debut fight on PPV.
3. Crawford should've gotten the Manny fight instead of Horn.
4. The fight should've been his PPV debut.
5. The Horn fight should be on regular ESPN, not PPV.

Agree on 1. BUT 2. Wasn't the Postol fight a PPV fight cuz of budgetary reasons with HBO like other fights have been?

3. How the eff does Bob MAKE Manny take that fight. From most accounts I heard that was a Manny problem more than a Bob problem.

4. Well yea IF the fight could've been made. Although I have less problem with it being 1st, 2nd or 3rd cuz I don't see a problem with trying out PPV or making big fights that happen to have to be on PPV to be made like I believe Bud vs Postol was one of.

5. I imagine it will be if Manny isn't in. I assume thats why nothing is official yet. Manny on the undercard = PPV, Manny not on the card = ESPN.

I'm critical of Arum myself & I think he definitely favors certain guys, which promoter doesn't, but I don't see anything particularly out of line with how things are going with Crawford. If anything I think it just seemed to take a long time to get Crawford on this road to bigger success in boxing that I believe he coulda started sooner & been further along the path of now.

[Cheek busting]

Bob has proven to be an expert at building a fighter. IMO he made several moves which I think really hurt Crawford's value/worth:

1. The Postol fight should've been in Nebraska on regular TV instead of Vegas.
2 The Postol fight definitely should not have been Crawford's debut fight on PPV.
3. Crawford should've gotten the Manny fight instead of Horn.
4. The fight should've been his PPV debut.
5. The Horn fight should be on regular ESPN, not PPV.

You can argue over simple mistakes that have been made by Top Rank, but how one can say Arum is trying to "sabotage" or "set him up for failure" is amazing.

Crawford is one of a handful of fighters who demands seven figure paydays. And he is only a star in his home town.

Arum has made Crawford a multimillionaire (or at least he should be unless he spends like crazy) and has put him in the position to make the next five generations or his family to live off trust funds if he manages his money right. That means his kids, grandkids, etc. will never have to work a normal 9-5, and can pursue their own business and leisure interests.

I'm getting a little too deep, but you get the point.

Arum plucked Crawford out from Nebraska, believed in him, most likely signed a contract that allowed him to have all his training expenses paid,and a living stipend, so he could focus fully on his career.

Crawford has been one of the most gifted and blessed fighters for "low risk, high reward" fights of his generation.

Sure, Arum wants to make money off Crawford, he's not altruistic or anything, but if Arum makes money so does Crawford.

[mathed]

Makes sense - Top Rank signs black fighters just to ruin their careers, everyone knows that...


I think many people complained about promotion of Lomachenko vs Rigondeaux too.

Smh.... must be why Bradley had like 10 consecutive million plus paydays and is now a full-time TR commentator, because TR set him up to fail?

Crawford is now a p4p top 3 boxer, getting ready to make a few million on a PPV, I don’t hear Crawford saying TR has done him wrong.

[The Big Dunn]

Agree on 1. BUT 2. Wasn't the Postol fight a PPV fight cuz of budgetary reasons with HBO like other fights have been?

3. How the eff does Bob MAKE Manny take that fight. From most accounts I heard that was a Manny problem more than a Bob problem.

4. Well yea IF the fight could've been made. Although I have less problem with it being 1st, 2nd or 3rd cuz I don't see a problem with trying out PPV or making big fights that happen to have to be on PPV to be made like I believe Bud vs Postol was one of.

5. I imagine it will be if Manny isn't in. I assume thats why nothing is official yet. Manny on the undercard = PPV, Manny not on the card = ESPN.

I'm critical of Arum myself & I think he definitely favors certain guys, which promoter doesn't, but I don't see anything particularly out of line with how things are going with Crawford. If anything I think it just seemed to take a long time to get Crawford on this road to bigger success in boxing that I believe he coulda started sooner & been further along the path of now.

2. Yes, but IMO Bob could've made the short term investment in Nebraska and regular TV, took a small loss but maximized viewership for Crawford, then made up for it had he made the Manny/Crawford PPV next.

3. Fair point. Obviously either through financial incentives or financial penalties-which ever method gives us the outcome we want.

4. I think you want to maximize the PPV main event appearance of boxers that fans see as the best in the business but maybe have not crossed over to the casual fan. I think putting Crawford's PPV debut against Postol, in vegas undermined Crawford's true value.

Put that fight in nebraska with a loud crowd (even if it is PPV) and it changes the optics for the viewer. Hot cheering crowd is much better than a passive, luke warm crowd that was hotter for the semi main.

5. I guess so. However, if you have the deal from ESPN, allot resources accordingly.

Bob is steering his top draw away from Crawford and toward another fighter. That to me makes it clear he is hurting Crawford's overall value. Now maybe Manny isn't as gung ho about Crawford as he is Loma.

respect your point but IMO the optics look incredibly bad.TR is steering the #2 WBO ww away from the WBO ww champ and toward a CW fight at a lower weight with a possible LW champ (assuming he beat Beltran which we all think is a formality).

[The Big Dunn]

You can argue over simple mistakes that have been made by Top Rank, but how one can say Arum is trying to "sabotage" or "set him up for failure" is amazing.

Crawford is one of a handful of fighters who demands seven figure paydays. And he is only a star in his home town.

Arum has made Crawford a multimillionaire (or at least he should be unless he spends like crazy) and has put him in the position to make the next five generations or his family to live off trust funds if he manages his money right. That means his kids, grandkids, etc. will never have to work a normal 9-5, and can pursue their own business and leisure interests.

I'm getting a little too deep, but you get the point.

Arum plucked Crawford out from Nebraska, believed in him, most likely signed a contract that allowed him to have all his training expenses paid,and a living stipend, so he could focus fully on his career.

Crawford has been one of the most gifted and blessed fighters for "low risk, high reward" fights of his generation.

Sure, Arum wants to make money off Crawford, he's not altruistic or anything, but if Arum makes money so does Crawford.

Making someone a millionaire is always good-unless they should've been a multi, multi millionaire. I guess it's cool Jordan is a billionaire, until you realize Phil Knight is a billionaire 25 time over. get my point?

I can't deny that Arum has made Crawford more recognizable, has helped him monetize his god given talent, and has helped him get out of poverty. In that sense he has helped his career, no question.

From a boxing perspective, there are moves he made that don't look to me like he is positioning Crawford as his top dawg. If he doesn't, then Crawford, as I pointed out earlier, could fins himself in the same position Cotto did relative to Manny.

I don't think that is in his best interest.

[filup79]

Makes sense - Top Rank signs black fighters just to ruin their careers, everyone knows that...


I think many people complained about promotion of Lomachenko vs Rigondeaux too.

There's a reason why Floyd left Top Rank. He saw how Arum wouldn't commit to him and promote him into getting big fights. Arum was more into promoting the latino fighters like DLH, Cotto and Margarito. If Arum knew Floyd would have blew up the way he did after leaving him, Arum would have asked for millions instead of the 750k buy out.

[Cheek busting]

Smh.... must be why Bradley had like 10 consecutive million plus paydays and is now a full-time TR commentator, because TR set him up to fail?

Crawford is now a p4p top 3 boxer, getting ready to make a few million on a PPV, I don’t hear Crawford saying TR has done him wrong.

Hahah so much this.

Bradley a feather-fisted dude who NEVER would have gotten a tenth of the wealth he has today if not for Top Rank.

Bradley is likely worth close to 15 million dollars easily.

And now has a cushy six-figure job as a commentator.

lol set up for failure. hahahahah