Avila Manifesto: No More Coverage of Al Haymon or Mayweather Fights

I, David A. Avila, am declaring a personal boycott of all boxing events promoted by Mayweather Promotions or Premier Boxing Champions, and any events promoted by Floyd Mayweather or Al Haymon.

Greed at the expense of the media seemed to be their ultimate design last Saturday when Mayweather defended his undefeated record against Manny Pacquiao at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Many of the regular boxing media were shut out from attending the fight or covering it inside the arena.

Instead, photographers and deadline reporters were forced to watch the fight on a television screen situated in a tent outside of the MGM Garden Arena.

A tent.

Journalists who received press credentials that allowed them inside the arena did not get approval until the actual day of the fight. It was total disrespect of the media. I’m not talking about those sports journalists from CNN or ESPN who do not regularly report on boxing, I’m talking about the hardcore boxing journalists who supply their army of readers on a regular basis with stories of Mayweather, Pacquiao and many others.

It’s the boxing media that keeps the sport flowing. Not television.

Whether or not Haymon or Mayweather realize it, they cannot succeed without the media pumping out stories on a daily basis. It seems they opted to sell tickets for seating that usually goes to the press. Allegedly, they attempted to sell tickets for $50,000 a crack. When no buyers could be found, they probably decided to return those seats to the media. That’s my opinion.

I was actually told via e-mail on Saturday morning that I would be seated inside the arena. I decided a day earlier that I would not attend. I wanted promoters, especially those affiliated with Haymon and Mayweather, to know that I was not attending the so-called “Fight of the Century.” I expected a very low-action fight and decided it was not worth getting in the car in the last minute and driving more than 300 miles to Las Vegas.

After all, I’ve been covering Mayweather since 1997. I wrote several stories when he fought Genaro “Chicanito” Hernandez in 1998 to win the junior lightweight world title. I’ve been covering boxing for daily newspapers since 1993. I’ve written on boxing since 1985. It’s a job for me and those subjects I want to write about are my own decision.

My decision now is to refuse to write about any fighters under PBC or Mayweather promotions. Or any of those signed with Haymon.

Many other promoters exist in the sport of boxing. This isn’t the first time a promoter tried to control the media. History is filled with other Napoleonic-like promoters. They all fall face-first.

If I’m the only one to boycott PBC or Mayweather Promotions, so be it. But I’m sure there will be others.

Sorry readers, but these people are greedy and have no respect for journalists.

Let’s see what the Boxing Writers Association of America decides.

Follow @AvilaBoxing

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