Let me make one thing very clear? this is a great double-header taking place on HBO. The fact that both Rocky Juarez and Juan Diaz will be fighting in their hometown of Houston, Texas is truly a beautiful thing. No long plane ride, no expensive hotel, and no exorbitant ticket prices will make sure that the Toyota Center will be packed to the brim with 20,000 boxing fans.
This is exactly how you create stars here within the states.
In a perfect boxing world, everything taking place that weekend is just? perfect.
Two hometown heroes on the comeback trail matched up against exciting brawlers off HBO Pay-Per-View? It just doesn?t get any better than that.
This is why it brings me to ask the question? what exactly constitutes as Pay-Per-View worthy these days?
Not to be completely redundant but in years past, Pay-Per-View was an outlet solely utilized for events deemed as too big for regular television. Boxing fans wouldn?t be subjected to more than three or four of these Pay-Per-View events per year and in some cases, they?d be completely stacked with intriguing match-ups.
Who can forget May 7, 1994 when Don King presented? ?Revenge: The Rematches? featuring rematches between Jesse James Leija vs. Azumah Nelson, Gerald McClellan vs. Julian Jackson, Simon Brown vs. Terry Norris, and Julio Cesar Chavez vs. Frankie Randall?
Today?s equivalent might pit the likes of Oscar De la Hoya vs. Miguel Cotto, Shane Mosley vs. Andre Berto, James Kirkland vs. Sergio Mora, and Mikkel Kessler vs. Jeff Lacy all on the same card. It sounds absurd but there was a point in time when it wasn?t all that absurd.
In the week following the Houston double-header, Juan Manuel Marquez will be fighting Joel Casamayor at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. In a fight labeled as only for the aficionados of the sport, I?m not quite sure as to how many of them will be ready and willing to shell-out the dollars in order to purchase this event. I?m racking my brain as to whom or what fights might take place on the undercard in order to spur any sort of anticipation for this HBO Pay-Per-View.
In fact, the prior week?s bout might even be more Pay-Per-View worthy although it?s actually taking place on regular HBO. I?m not quite sure how it all works out.
I understand that certain fighters have egos that need to be fed by making them main event attractions and what not but slapping the Pay-Per-View label on them should be something that is only warranted if the match-up makes sense.
Since there?s so much action taking place at the lightweight division in or around that time, a better Pay-Per-View card would have looked something like this?
Marquez-Casamayor
Diaz-Katsidis
Campbell-Guzman
Barrios-Juarez
Here you?d be creating some sort of consolidation process that would involve four quality match-ups. Yes? I know, different promoters etc. etc. Sometimes the last thing you want to think about is what fighter is tied to what promoter that will limit his potential to be showcased with other fighters who are linked with rival firms. It?s a maddening process and a complete waste of time to do so.
I guess I?m just wondering as to whether certain fights that take place on HBO Pay-Per-View based on the fact that the ?Heart and Soul of Boxing? has limited television slots should find a home at another network such as Versus, Telefutura, or ESPN. Yes, I understand that fighters need their minimums and what not but the powers that be must realize that many lack luster Pay-Per-View bouts don?t actually occur to the average consumer. Most refuse to purchase these events which in turn has a long term effect on the ratings and general interest for the sport as a whole. There?s no exposure for the main event combatants let alone the undercard prospects.
Someday boxing might learn that there is a tight correlation between unnecessary Pay-Per-View bouts and the nose-dive ratings for what?s considered the highest level of boxing on HBO.
Regardless of that fact (yes it is a fact), the double-header taking place on September 6 is a great one. If only Marquez-Casamayor could find a way to make it a triple-header on that same HBO slot, it?d be one of the best of 2008.
