Articles of 2009

Strange Days Indeed: Rivals Promoters Band Together

Published

14 years ago

July 25, 2009

Ron Borges

The mere fact they could all spend a day in one hotel room without bloodshed or a lawsuit being filed was a breakthrough but the clearest evidence that something was different this time came with about 30 minutes left in an all-day summit meeting of nearly all of boxing’s regular promoters last week.

Through the door of the Roosevelt Hotel in Manhattan burst Don King himself. As one attendee said, “Five or 10 years ago he would have told us he didn’t need any of us. Even King understand things are different today.’’

What’s different is the business of boxing, which while in ascendancy in many parts of the world is in steep decline in the United States. While major shows continue to gross millions, the lifeblood of the sport, the club shows that are the developmental ground for fighters are struggling and the mid-level promoters are having increasing problems finding ways to showcase young talent.

Eventually, some theorize, this will cause problems for even boxing’s biggest promoters because you can’t make unknowns cable stars very often.

“This was something long overdue,’’ said Lou DiBella, one of the sport’s biggest promoters and a former HBO executive. “Until as an industry we realize all our problems can’t be fixed individually we’re going to struggle.

“It’s encouraging that everybody sent someone to be here. Only top Rank (Bob Arum) and Main Events (Kathy Duva) didn’t attend and that was only because of (Arturo) Gatti’s funeral services. They both signed off on the idea though.

“There’s a lot to do and there will be disagreements but everyone agreed pursing the formation of a trade association was enough for one day but if we don’t follow up it was all for nothing. I don’t expect we’re going to go from all acting for ourselves guys to all working together overnight but finally people recognize a problem.’’

Five or six years ago, DiBella proposed a similar summit and was laughed at. But the economic landscape has changed so radically in the sport that even the biggest companies – Arum’s Top Rank and Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions attended and are likely to return for the next meeting Sept. 14.

“This was the first time every major and small promoter in the country agreed something needs to be done collectively,’’ said Art Pelullo. “I really think things are going to change. We have to do things that help the sport grow because we’re dying.

“Small promoters needed to be more protected from poaching by big promoters. We need to find ways to buy some things with a group discount, like insurance and rates for hotels and from airlines.

“One thing we want to talk about is taking fighters into bankruptcy to break a contract. The guy doesn’t owe me anything and I still lose my contract.

“Frankly, I’ve been fortunate. I make a lot of money. I don’t really need this. But the sport does.’’

Dave Itskowitch, Golden Boy’s CEO of boxing, said he came to the room with trepidation, fearing it would turn into 29 promoters attacking their business model, which is the most successful in the sport. Surprisingly, it was not.

“People checked their egos and their grievances at the door,’’ said DeGuardia, who has been the driving force behind the idea ever since he and Pelullo joined forces to co-promote Demetrius Andrade. “It was a good start.’’

Not everyone in the room has the faith of DeGuardia in the collective process but no one was willing to criticize the effort on the record. In fact, one claimed Golden Boy’s presence was, to him, a sign that no one is big enough in boxing any more to go it alone for long.

“Oscar’s not fighting any more,’’ he said. “They’re not making the money they once did. They’re still doing fine but everybody loses money on ESPN and Versus. They see where King and Main Events are now. They we’re at the top once but not any more and they’re smart enough to know they may not be the flavor of the month for ever either. Then what?’’

Whether a collective can significantly alter the landscape for boxing promoters remains to be seen because this has never been a sport where working together is valued. But times are different and for many promoters desperate and so desperate measure are necessary to stop the marginalization of boxing. Yet skepticism remains.

“The main problem is the guys with horses have no horse tracks to run them at,’’ said Mike Acri, a long-time promoter from Erie, Pa. who has been at all levels of the sport but the apex and so brought deep perspective to the room. “It’s a vicious circle because 80 per cent of club shows don’t make any money but they’re necessary.

“Between 1993 and 2003 I ran 117 shows, 36 co-promotions. Now I run three or four a year. If you don’t have horses o you don’t have a track to run you don’t race. I’m old school about this. I don’t think these things usually work.

“I don’t mind if it gets a little vicious. The problem is when you get a few greedy guys who want to take everything. What’s the issue if we can’t get along?

“Look. It’s cool. We’ll be socialists if you want but we’re all scratching for a living. We got to eat first.’’

Although Top Rank was unable to have a representative present because Carl Moretti attended Gatti’s funeral in Montreal that day, Arum signed off on a declaration calling for the formation of a trade association and continued efforts to work collectively for the common good. Yet Top Rank president Todd duBoef needs to see much more before he’s sold on the idea of a boxing collective.

“Could it be good for the sport? Yes,’’ said duBoef, who has been recruited to become part of the organization’s executive committee. “Globally boxing is enormous but here it’s star driven. We have to promote the sport not just the individuals.

“Other sports have stars but the sport is what’s paramount. Baseball, football, basketball, soccer. Pele is gone but the World Cup is still the World Cup. That’s one thing we need to do in boxing.

“We have to do a better PR job too. It is not a dormant sport, as people seem to think in the U.S. In the month of May it was the No. 1 searched item on ESPN.com because we had big events going on.

“Could this be the first step toward controlling some things in boxing under one umbrella? It could but I don’t believe the promoters are the problem. The promoter wars of 40 years ago between Arum and King are over. It isn’t that way any more. So I want to see more of what they really want to do.’’

Long-time Philadelphia promoter J. Russell Peltz continues to run successful shows often without television and has for years partnered with veteran California promoter Don Chargin on shows around the country, attended and admits he “vacillates’’ between being for the idea and wondering if it could ever work.

“Don’s more optimistic,’’ Peltz said. “Just getting everybody in one room was more cooperation than we’ve had in the past but what happens when individual interests are at odds with the greater good? That’s always been where the problem came up.

“So we’ll see. Personally I think the biggest problem we have is that promoters don’t promote fights any more. They promote fighters and the fan suffers. They don’t get good fights. They get one-sided fights for $50 to pad some young guys record and they don’t come back.

“We’ve made fans suffer through some of the worst shows in history. How can you expect to maintain a fan base doing that?’’

Chargin, for one, is hopeful a trade association would curb the long-held tradition of poaching, where promoters lure fighters away form one promoter with promises both true and false. He feels if a trade organization can simply find a way to control that it will be a positive step.

“It depends on what kind of teeth we give the organization,’’ Peltz said.

In the 1940s and ‘50s there was a similar organization called the managers’ guild, which tried to regulate such rustling of talent. It was successful for a time but eventually was legally toppled as a restraint of trade. To avoid those problems, the group is looking for an attorney to draw up potential by-laws and may eventually hire a public relations agent whose job would be to work to promote the sport in the way leagues like the NFL, NBA and major league baseball do, rather than simply an individual, the idea being boxing itself has never had its own advocate but in these troubled economic times desperately needs one.

“Let’s see how many of the 32 guys who signed put up some money to pay for that,’’ one skeptic who wanted to remain anonymous said. “We’ll see if they’re willing to go into their individual pocket for the common good. That will tell you a lot about how far this goes.’’

When the group meets again on Sept. 14 talks will become more specific and as President Obama is learning it is in the details that problems arise. What seemed clear last week in New York however is that all 32 of the promoters who signed the declaration calling for the creation of a trade association for boxing promoters understand one thing – the status quo has to change.

“It tells you something that every promoter in the country was there on their own dime,’’ Itskowitch said. “From the smaller promoters, like Aaron Jacobs in Florida and Jimmy Burchfield in New England, to the biggest ones. Can it lead to something? I don’t know but the sentiment was there. Everybody has the same problems, just on different scales. People realize something needs to be done. We all sat in a room and didn’t rip each others’ heads off. There wasn’t much ill will in the room. That’s a big first step.’’

The question is, toward what?

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Ron Borges

Articles of 2009

UFC 108 Rashad Evans vs. Thiago Silva

Published

13 years ago

December 31, 2009

David A. Avila

Former champion Rashad Evans meets Brazil’s venerable Thiago Silva in a non-title belt that can lead to a return match with the current champ, but first things first.

Evans (15-1-1) and Silva (14-1) meet in Ultimate Fighting Championship 108 in a light heavyweight bout on Saturday Jan. 2, at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. A win by either fighter could result in a world title bid. The fight card is being shown on pay-per-view television.

Events can change quickly in the Octagon and anybody can beat anybody in the 205-pound weight division. Just ask Silva or Evans.

Silva and Evans are both experienced and can vouch firsthand about the capriciousness of fighting in MMA and especially as a light heavyweight. On one day this man can beat that man and on another day, that man can beat this man. It can make you absolutely daffy.

Evans, 30, is the former UFC light heavyweight world champion who only defended his title on one occasion and lost by vicious knockout to current champion Lyoto Machida of Brazil. It’s the only defeat on his record.

Silva, 27, is a well-rounded MMA fighter from Sao Paolo, Brazil who is versed in jujitsu, Muy Thai and boxing. He can end a fight quickly in a choke hold just as easily as with a kick or a punch. His only loss came to who else: Machida.

Evans and Silva know a win can push open the door to a rematch with current UFC light heavyweight champion Machida.

“A win against Rashad would put me in the track against Lyoto,” said Silva, in a telephone conference call. “That's what – what I want to do.”

When Silva fought Machida the two Brazilians were both undefeated and feared in the MMA world. The fight took place in Las Vegas and with one second remaining in the first round a perfectly timed punch knocked Silva unconscious.

“I was humbled big time, man,” says Silva who fought Machida in January 2009. “I learned a lot from that fight. I think I can correct the mistakes from that fight, not overlooking anything else right now, but just I want to get the chance to fight him again.”

For Evans it was a different circumstance. The upstate New Yorker held the UFC title and was defending it after stopping then champion Forrest Griffin by knockout. Still, many felt Machida was far too technically versed. Evans was stopped brutally in the second round.

“I've made it a point to not – to not get distracted on what I want to do, because you know Thiago (Silva) is a very hungry fighter,” said Evans who has not fought since losing the title to Machida last May. “My focus is just on Thiago so much. You know I don't want to overlook him, you know, not even a little bit.”

Dana White, president of UFC, says the winner of this fight could conceivably fight Machida in the near future. Evans and especially Silva are motivated by the open window.

“I learned a lot from that fight. I think I can correct the mistakes from that fight,” says Silva. “Not overlooking anything else right now, but I just want to get the chance to fight him again.”

What a prize. The winner gets to face the man who beat him: Machida.

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Articles of 2009

Ten Boxing Wishes For 2010

Published

13 years ago

December 30, 2009

Ralph Gonzalez

As 2009 comes to a close, one reflects on what went well and what went wrong during the year in boxing. There were many highlights. Pacquiao vs. Cotto and Showtime’s Super Six tournament were part of the best that boxing had to offer. But there were some low points too therefore the industry has some work to do in order to keep generating fans. Here are some suggestions for 2010:

10. Better pay per view cards

Paying 40 to 50 bucks to watch the main event gets old real quick. Why do we have to sit through a horrible under-card to get to the main course? It’s like being fed spam appetizers before the Thanksgiving turkey. It seems that the pay per view promoters just don’t get it. Are they watching what they put on or do they only watch the “big fight” as everyone else is slowly being conditioned to do so?

9. Time to make Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. fight

Okay, I understand he’s the son of one of the greatest fighters that ever lived. But he’s had 42 fights against low to mid level competition and has never managed to look spectacular. It’s time to throw the 23 year old out of the nest to see if he can fly. My suggestion is a fight against Sergio Mora or maybe even Yuri Foreman. Neither of these guys can punch. They may outbox Junior but they won’t totally humiliate him.

8. No more ridiculous Pay Per View mismatches

Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Juan Manuel Marquez should’ve never been made. It was a ridiculous fight when it was announced and it was more ridiculous when it took place. Unable to bring Manny Pacquiao to the bargaining table for a third match against Juan Manuel Marquez, someone figured that pairing up the 135 pound champion against a natural 147 pounder like Mayweather would be a great idea. The pay per view generated over a million buys but the fact that millions of people were treated to an incredibly boring mismatch is what’s truly worrisome. I can guarantee you one thing about this card. The sport of boxing lost fans once the show was over and done with. Talk about short term thinking.

7. Chris “The Nightmare” Arreola shows up for a fight in amazing shape

It was painful to see Chris Arreola take a beating from the Ukrainian giant, Vitali Klitscho. The champion certainly earned his “Dr. Ironfist” moniker as he plowed his powerful shots into the former #1 WBC heavyweight contender’s face. He reddened and bloodied the young Mexican American with an assortment of weapons and foot movement seldom seen on a six foot seven inch heavyweight. Arreola was brave and unrelenting in battle. He never stopped coming forward and took chances when he could. His work in the ring at the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles wasn’t the problem. Where Arreola let himself down was outside the ring. His unwillingness to condition himself into a finely tuned athlete cost him certain immortality as the first ever heavyweight champion of Mexican descent. Arreola has the heart and skills but it was his mental fortitude that broke down. Anyone who’s followed the Riverside fighter knows that his best weight is somewhere in the 230 pound range. It certainly isn’t at the 252 pounds he registered on the scale at the Staples Center. Those fifteen to twenty extra pounds might have made all the difference in the world. Maybe he would’ve been a little quicker, maybe he could’ve sustained a faster pace in order to tire out the champion. In his most recent fight against Brian Minto, Arreola weighed in at a career high 263. It looks like “The Nightmare” isn’t willing to change for anyone. At this pace, the only nightmares he’ll be providing will be to the management of Hometown Buffets all across Riverside. Just kidding “Nightmare”!

6. More respect for the lighter weights

Real boxing fans know that the most exciting fighters in the sport are usually found toiling in weight divisions south of 154 pounds. Pacquiao, Cotto, Juan Manuel Marquez, Edwin Valero, Israel Vazquez, Juan Ma Lopez, Vic Darchinyan, Rafael Marquez and countless others have been the real driving force behind this sport. It’s those great fighters that have made boxing fanatics out of casual fans. The heavyweights may get all the money and glory but it’s the little guys who make the sport shine and it’s time they received greater compensation. It’s dismaying to think that a mediocre heavyweight can make three or four times as much as the great Rafael Marquez.

5. An American Heavyweight champion

Speaking of heavyweights, two Americans tried and failed at dethroning Vitali Klitschko this year. Both Kevin Johnson and Chris Arreola did their best to wrestle the belt away from “Dr. Klitschko” but came up short since they were easily outclassed. What happened to the great American Heavyweight? Where’s our new Joe Frazier or Ali? Even a new Gerry Cooney or a Ken Norton would do at this point. I’ve got a feeling that the only way we’re going to see an American champion is if Klitschko retires. My money is on Arreola. Although undisciplined and rough outside the ring, he’s got tons (no pun intended) of natural talent. He’s without a doubt the most talented American heavyweight on the scene.

4. More ShoBox

The Showtime Cable network gave us the best boxing on TV for the price of a cable television subscription. Their ShoBox series has been a proven hit for Senior VP of Sports Programming Ken Hershman. The concept is simple yet brilliant. Match up two up and comers with great records and let’s see what happens. Sometimes the results are surprising. Many have passed the ShoBox test and went on to bigger and better things. Others have been exposed as having padded records and eventually their careers stall and take a dive.

3. More safety in Mexico so I can attend a show without a gun battle breaking out

Having lived near the Tijuana border all my life I’m dismayed at the war zone that the city has evolved into. Every day there are reports of shootings fueled by the drug war trade. Believe it or not, there was a time when Tijuana was safe and most wouldn’t have thought twice about crossing the border for some seafood and nightlife. No more. Having covered several boxing cards on Revolucion Avenue many years ago, I got a taste of just how important the sport is to Mexican fans. It’s also important to me but not that important. For now I’ll stick to covering shows at the Pechanga Casino and in the less dangerous city of L.A. I never thought I’d say that.

2. Pac Man vs. Mayweather

This is the fight everyone wants to see. Seeing how Mayweather dominated Pac Man’s arch enemy, Juan Manuel Marquez, you have to wonder if the Filipino can handle Lil’ Floyd’s speed and size. One thing is for sure, betting against Pacquiao doesn’t usually work out for me. It never has. There’s no future in it. So if the fight gets done it’s Pacquiao by TKO in ten.

1. And finally

One final wish is reserved for all the readers of TheSweetScience.com I wish you all a healthy and happy 2010. Thank you for your continued loyalty to the site. It’s very much appreciated.

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Articles of 2009

A Very Special New Year's Day Column

Published

13 years ago

December 30, 2009

Robert Mladinich

It has been just over four months since Nick Charles, the play-by-play announcer for Shobox: The New Generation, was diagnosed with stage IV bladder cancer and forced to take a medical hiatus from the monthly show that has aired since 2001.

Since then he has undergone grueling chemotherapy treatments that have resulted in him losing all of his hair as he forces himself to live as normal of a life as possible. Through sheer force of will, as well as the strength and support that he receives from his wonderfully loving family and his strong Christian faith, the 63-year-old Charles has managed to keep his weight up while not falling prey to the always lingering threats of depression, cynicism and negativity.

If one was unaware that he was battling such an insidious disease, you’d never know from talking on the phone to him that he has been to hell and back. He has lost none of the inspiring energy that has endeared him to members of the boxing community and legions of worldwide viewers.

“I’m doing great,” Charles said during a telephone conversation on December 30th. “I’ve been off the chemo for a month, and the doctors have told me that I’m 80 percent in remission. I’m going to see them again in three months. It may come back, but if it takes one year, or two years, or however long, I’m going to make the most of the good time.”

As physically and emotionally wrenching as the grim diagnosis and subsequent treatment has been, even for someone as perpetually positive as Charles, the longtime announcer said a lot of good things have come from it.

Having been married three times, Charles is the father of four children: Jason, 38, Melissa, 34, Charlotte, 22, and Giovanna, 3 ½.

While Charles is not big on regrets, he is the first to admit that he wasn’t always there for his older children. For many years he traveled the world as a CNN correspondent, often putting the demands of his career above all else, including those closest to him. Nowhere was the strain more evident than in his relationship with Melissa.

Having been divorced from Melissa’s mother since 1977, Charles said his relationship with that daughter has been especially “hot and cold, all of our lives.”

His illness has enabled them to forge a relationship that has been “based on a massive amount of forgiveness and understanding.”

“This has had a tremendous healing effect on both of us,” said Charles. “My illness has had a fortifying effect on a lot of things, the most important of which is my relationships with my family.”

That also includes his first wife, with whom he has had an often acrimonious relationship over the past three decades.

“It took a long time for the scab to become a scar, but we had lunch one day and it was so great to once again see the gentle, soft sides of each other,” he explained. “The whole divorce process creates a hardness that doesn’t always go away.”

Charles is also the grandfather to three children, some of whom are about the same age as his youngest daughter. He jokes that he has a “nuclear 21st century family” because of the similar ages of two generations of children. One of the hardest things for him has been the realization that he can’t always play with them in manner in which he would like.

“The hemoglobin is the fuel in your tank, so when it’s low you can’t will yourself to do things no matter how much you want to,” said Charles. “You can’t just sleep it off or work through it. I don’t want the kids to wonder why I can’t play in the backyard with them, or kick a soccer ball, or throw them in the air.”

Particularly difficult is when Giovanna reminds her father of how handsome he is, but then innocently asks him what happened to his hair, eyebrows and lashes.

“You try to keep things on a need to know basis, which is not easy when dealing with curious kids,” said Charles.

While Charles might look like the kind of guy that things have often come easy to, the reality is that his beginnings were far from auspicious. But, he says, his often challenging Chicago childhood blessed him with the steely resolve that has helped him so much during the arduous journey he is now on.

“I had it pretty rough growing up,” he explained. “I remember the lights and the heat being shut off and eating mustard sandwiches. I went to work at 13 and always had insecurities about the future. But I always expected and saw the best in people, so when I got sick, never once did I say 'Why me?”

Since taking a leave of absence from Shobox, the outpouring of support from the boxing community has warmed Charles’s heart. For a guy that is battling for his life, he actually considers himself fortunate to be surrounded by so much goodness in both his personal and professional lives.

“I always hear that boxing people are ruthless, but I couldn’t disagree more,” said Charles. “I’ve probably received about 1,000 e-mails, and people are always following in sending their best wishes. From the relatively unknown people in boxing to many of the more famous people, there has been an outpouring of true affection.”

Charles said that the Top Rank organization has been exceedingly kind and gracious. He was touched beyond description when he learned that officials in Oklahoma got special permission to have a seamstress sew “Keep Fighting Nick” onto their sleeves. He chokes up when talking about cut man Stitch Duran giving up an endorsement opportunity so he could put Charles’s name on his outfit. He never tires of hearing shout-outs from fighters on television.

Charles has always been a people person with an inordinate faith in the goodness of his fellow man. Battling this illness has only made his already strong faith in humanity even stronger.

“Adversity is a great teacher, and it really teaches you who your genuine friends are,” said Charles. “I have a lot of friends.”

He also has a remarkable wife, Cory, a CNN producer to whom he has been married for 11 years. She is the daughter of an electrician, a self-made woman who exudes all of the warmth of her native Brooklyn. She has reinforced her husband’s spiritual base by her love, optimism and strength of character.

“If I get down, she reminds me to not get too caught up,” said Charles. “I believe in eternity, and that has put me pretty much at peace.”

More than anything else, Charles wants to get himself back behind a microphone sooner rather than later, and hopefully on Shobox. He is the first to admit that viewers “don’t watch the series to see Nick Charles,” but he is proud of the fact that he was “part of the identity” of such a popular show.

“And people love comeback stories,” added Charles. “That’s the message I’m getting from the people out there.”

In boxing the word “champion” is often overused because it pertains only to winning belts and receiving worldwide recognition for being the best at your craft. The reality is that life’s real champions have other qualities, such as the innate ability to treat people well and always make them feel better about themselves, especially when the recipients of the goodwill are in no position to give them anything back.

By that standard of measure, Charles is as much, if not more of a champion than all of the boxers he has covered during the nine years that Shobox has been on the air.

I know I speak for scores of others when I say, “Happy New Year, Champ. We hope that you are the comeback story of the year in 2010.”

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