You don’t even know what he looks like- and that’s why you know he’s doing his job.
Contrast that with his fellow Harvard alumnus and former classmate President Barack Obama, who’s as ubiquitous on your screen as a McDonald’s commercial, and the fact that he’s so popular in anonymity its amazing. Hell he’s even more incognito than Charlie from “Charlie Angels”– at least you heard his voice.
The black Kaiser Sousa and reigning president of the fight game, is probably the only person in America on a milk carton that you can be sure isn’t missing in action. Mention Haymon’s name to those who think they’re initiated with all that he is, and you might see a face contorted as if someone just farted in the elevator.
“First of all I want to thank Al Haymon.”
“I gotta thank Al Haymon for giving me this opportunity.”
“Al Haymon made it possible for me to be here tonight.”
You’ve heard it all before. So much so that perhaps even you have considered thanking Al Haymon just f*cking because. You hear it so much it seems like a cool thing to do. But in reality- perhaps you should. Boxing is enjoying a renaissance because of PBC, aka Premiere Boxing Champions, and it has everything to do with what this man has done to put boxing back into mainstream relevance.
Despite a lackluster 2014, boxing and its next generation wave of fighters have invaded your living room and forced you to put popcorn bags in the microwave. During its initial unveiling with Keith Thurman vs. Robert Guerrero, almost every commercial featured the fighters of today and tomorrow that we need to see and know about the most.
Using his extensive background in the entertainment sector to maximum effect while emulating much of what made the WWE and UFC so successful, Haymon presents a modern “concert”-like atmosphere and the use of technology to provide enhanced insight into bouts. The fighters are directly in front of you in gaudy fashion, along with a supersized likeness behind them with stats as they take the stage.
The viewer at home simultaneously experiences the future and a flatscreen version of the past at the same time.
Much of the public got a glimpse of rising welterweight star Errol Spence Jr. and delighted to witness Adrien Broner getting his ass kicked by a Shawn Porter they may not have known. Adonis “Superman” Stevenson was showcased bludgeoning Sakio Bika. Peter Quillin and Andy Lee fought to a thrilling draw, and of course, this weekends spectacle featuring a more popular Thurman vs. Luis Collazo. With hot bouts on the horizon on featuring Danny Garcia vs. Paulie Malignaggi (Aug. 1st), Antonio Tarver vs. Steve Cunningham (Aug. 14th) and Leo Santa Cruz vs. Abner Mares (Aug. 29th), one would be hard-pressed to complain when none of those bouts involve the annoying decision to press “BUY” for something you thought you should be getting for free.
Your ass could be watching baseball all summer while dying for football again.
Not that there haven’t been a few slips. Marv Albert hadn’t called boxing in nearly 30 years and sounded like it. He couldn’t keep up with anything and was absolutely terrible. Laila Ali, though remaining a thing of beauty, looked very uncomfortable on air and flat. Sugar Ray Leonard sounded like an 80’s rapper would on today’s music scene- he was awful. The intro’s for the fighters amid Hans Zimmer’s theme and soundtrack was corny.
But compare all of that to the absolutely spectacular production witnessed on ESPN in Tampa at the USF Sun Dome- the results are night and day. In a setting befitting of a major film production with a similar result, fans were able to watch Willie Nelson’s right hand croon massive favorite Tony Harrison to sleep with a dramatic come-from-behind KO.
From a business standpoint things are a work in progress- but it should be. Thurman/Collazo did roughly 800,000 views on ESPN the other night, far away from the 3.4 million Thurman/Guerrero did in the PBC debut. On the surface, what Thurman vs. Collazo did was fine if compared to HBO or Showtime numbers.
But the model Haymon is trying to use is in conjunction with what the NFL, NBA, MLB and the NHL does to some extent with advertisers and sponsors. He’s selling it across the board to please corporate boardroom players, while enticing fighters he wants to position for major showdowns with high purses (he’s quietly putting together a welterweight “super six” tournament before our eyes). A risky proposition, but one that should pay off given the stakes raised with each airing.
Look at it like this… Al Haymon and his Premiere Boxing Champions brand has been in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Tampa (to name a few cities) while he’s served Golden Boy legal papers, dealt with Bob Arum’s, and a sorry ass event that took place on May 2nd of this year while still getting you to debate all over social media about boxing. Yeah… PBC is the sh*t.
“And I’d like to thank Al Haymon….”
