Roc Nation Sports Wants Rigo

UPDATE: A source tells TSS that Roc Nation Sports will run their debut boxing promotion on Nov. 8. Site TBD. It’s between NYC and DC; they have a promoter license in each region. I’d expect them to sign some blue-chip boxers in the next few weeks. To this point, they have operated in a “quality over quantity” mindset, so I’m guessing we see the same in the boxing sphere i.e. they won’t be looking to sweep up all available players, but will build the boxing brand around the few and the proud….

This one could be game changer, folks. Roc Nation, the Jay-Z entity which promised bold intentions and a declaration to take market share in the sports agenting realm when it formed in 2013, will now seek to make a mark in the pro boxing sphere.

Roc Nation Sports, it was announced on ESPN.com, is dipping their toes, and feet and hands, and considerable experience and muscles in expert leveraging of personalities and buildings and all the aspects that can so impact fight promotion, into the sweetly scientific waters.

Michael Yormark, brother of Brett Yormark, CEO of the NBA Nets, and overseer of Barclays Center, the “It” arena in the world, which is located in Brooklyn, is president of Roc Nation, since March 2014.

“This is a highly serious business to us,” he told ESPN.

RNS has signed bigwigs in baseball, football, basketball and we’re told they are going to make a splash in the fight game realm. Gary Hyde, advisor to Cuban ace Guillermo Rigondeaux, has been working to get Rigo on board with RNS, which just announced the signing of fightgame vet David Itskowitch, who has worked for Lou DiBella, and then had a long stint with Golden Boy. He can handle all aspects of a promotion and the fighters’ day to day needs, from grassroots to the most top level board-room chess matches. His duties could include helping figuring out an arc for Rigo, the 14-0 hitter who is seen as a top three pound for pounder on the planet. But…We’re hearing that Hyde is still waiting for Caribe Promotions to see the value of hooking Rigo on with Roc Nation Sports.

Seems like a no brainer on my end. What’s bad about having this powerful entity, with talent agency CAA able to bring a Hollywood flair and buzz to the mix, with so much skin in the game to make their splash a lasting one, touting Rigo as sweet science superstar? My guess is Caribe comes around, and sees that this move would be of benefit to them, seeing as how they aren’t, unto themselves, a power player in the fight game.

As far as other shoes dropping, you can maybe get a hint of which fighters RNS might be targeting via social media clues. Have you seen boxers attending Jay Z shows of late? Might that be a hint as to what players will be wearing what unis in the near future?

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