So much goes on behind the scenes so that boxing fans can enjoy the very best of boxing each and every year. At TigerBoxing we salute the wizards that work behind the big curtain with our BOXING BIZ AWARDS.
And the awards go to… PROMOTER OF THE YEAR: BOB ARUM/ TOP RANK
For consistently putting on the most exciting fight cards of the year, and making big money for his boxers. Top Rank promoted the Pacquiao-Morales spectaculars, launched a new series with television network Versus and promoted Miguel Cotto’s rise in the P4P ranks. Besides, Bob’s still going strong at 75!
Runner-up: Golden Boy Promotions
From Oscar’s comeback to Shane Mosley’s, from the continued development of the cream of the 2004 Olympic class to a surprising showdown between Bernard Hopkins and Antonio Tarver, GBP captured the attention of fight fans all year long.
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Broadcaster of the Year: Larry Merchant
For his thoughtful insights, even if you don’t agree with him, his willingness to state negative opinions of fighters under contract to his employers, for chasing down Winky Wright for a comment after the Taylor fight – the man is 74 – for daring to question the Great One, Floyd Mayweather Jr., after his safety-first sparring match with Baldomir, and for bringing a special something to fight broadcasting: a man who has been there for 30 years and seen all the great fights. Gravitas.
Runner-up: Jim Lampley
What Al Michaels is to football, Jim Lampley is to the sweet science. The consummate professional, Lamps is the voice of boxing’s biggest events. He shows enthusiasm for his job, along with knowledge of the sport, and rarely puts his foot in his mouth. He’s also not afraid to say what he wants to say, and isn’t worried about disagreeing with any of his broadcast colleagues.
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INDUSTRY PRO OF THE YEAR: Fred Sternburg
Sternburg is perhaps the hardest-working, most creative and ubiquitous publicist in boxing. He managed to make routine press releases worth reading. He pulled off many hilarious stunts. He never turns down an appeal for help. He genuinely loves the sport and feels the pain when boxing suffers a black eye. Fred Sternburg is a publicist’s Publicist.
Runner-up: “the Showtime PR team”
Chris DeBlasio, Ivy Moon, and Minerva Martinez: No network does more to assist the media than the hard-working team from Showtime. Whether they’re providing access to fighters, sending timely announcements of media events or following up with a transcript, they’re on it. In an industry where obtaining information can also seem like pulling teeth, the Showtime folks have it ready before you realize you need it. We only hope that mixed martial arts doesn’t take them away from us too often in 2007.
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FIGHT CARD BROADCAST OF THE YEAR (NEW CATEGORY):
January 7, 2006: Showtime
The first major broadcast of the year stood the boxing world on its head. Seven days in to 2006, Don King’s year was already ruined as a pair of world title bouts from the MSG Theater ended in stunning upsets. Jean-Marc Mormeck went hunting for an early knockout of O’Neill Bell, but instead ran out of gas and suffered a stunning upset stoppage loss. Then, in the main event, Zab Judah was dominated in front of his hometown fans by the year’s Cinderella story—Carlos Baldomir.
Runner-up: Cotto vs. Malignaggi
Going head-to-head with an HBO pay-per-view in Atlantic City featuring Bernard Hopkins and Antonio Tarver, Bob Arum put on a solid night at the fights in the Garden, headlined by the entertaining junior welterweight bout between Miguel Cotto and Paulie Malignaggi. The main event was solid, there were a couple of entertaining undercard bouts and we got the chance to hear the broadcasting talents of Tim Ryan, the voice of CBS boxing and a lot of top fights in the 1980s.
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EDITOR’S NOTE: Photo #4 is that of PR ace Fred Sternburg.
