A private research company recently designated St. Louis and Detroit, in that order, as the two most dangerous cities in America. Coincidently, the Cardinals and Tigers, Major League Baseball’s representatives from the two cities proved dangerous to the Fox network advertisers as they produced the worst World Series ratings in television history. To make matters worse, the Cards beat the Tigers in five games and the series, played with rain delays and postponements, was over on Friday. Yet rivals NBC, ABC, and CBS flooded the airwaves with repeats of their top rated shows, apparently in fear of the Fall Classic. Even NBC’s Sunday Night Football took the week off.
Boxing also avoided the airwaves last weekend and now boxing fans are faced with a choice between stellar main events on Showtime Championship Boxing and HBO PPV this weekend. Unlike the networks, however, boxing doesn’t need baseball to dictate their schedule, although I’m sure that the World Series was considered in selecting dates. With boxing, it’s almost as if they relish in the competition.
On back to back weeks, December 2 and December 9, HBO is taking it right to the competition, first on the 2nd with Winky Wright vs. Ike Quartey, along with Jeff Lacy on the undercard going head to head with Showtime’s Miguel Cotto – Carlos Quintana and Antonio Margarito – Joshua Clottey doubleheader. The following week, HBO has scheduled Jermain Taylor vs. Kassim Ouma in the main event, and just last week it was announced that HBO alum Roy Jones Jr. was coming back to fight former WBA super middleweight titlist Manny Siaca on a PPV event on the same date.
Obviously there are fewer TV dates than there are attractive matchups , which makes it all the more galling when HBO and Showtime, the cable giants with the big budgets, the biggest stars, and the best matchups pass on boxing one week, then go head to head on the next. Certainly boxing politics is a major factor, and call me a dreamer, but the goal should be to make the sport more fan friendly to a larger segment of the population for the good of all. Right?
Returning to the subject of PPV, consider this: In the next six weeks we’re going to have to make a decision on whether to purchase boxing entertainment or Christmas presents. No less than five PPV events are on the docket, starting this Saturday, November 4 with Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Carlos Baldomir, followed by Friday November 10, Evander Holyfield vs. Fres Oquendo, followed by Saturday, November 18, Manny Pacquiao vs. Erik Morales. The December 1 “Superfighter” heavyweight tournament featuring eight name fighters in a one day elimination tournament for a cool $5 million is being offered for $49.95. Throw in the aforementioned Roy Jones Jr.’s pay per view card on December 9, and you have five in a six week period.
PPV is a different animal. As my good friend, writer Nat Gottlieb explained it to me, HBO’s World Championship Boxing, for example, pays a license fee which the promoter uses for purses and expenses. The promoter keeps whatever is remaining plus the live gate. However, in a PPV fight the networks pay only for distribution and marketing. The promoter pays the purses and expenses, hoping to recoup from the PPV buys after the cable and satellite providers take their half off the top. 100,000 buys is the standard used to determine the break even point.
This math is pretty simple to understand when you’re dealing with a Mayweather – Baldomir or Pacquiao – Morales type of event. Those fights are guaranteed money makers. But how about a turkey like the recent “Mexican Glory,” Golden Boy’s showcase of their Mexican fighters? The answer is just that – it was a showcase. They lose money, they know they will, and they do it as an investment to get their fighters on the air and hope for the best in the future. In this case, Juan Marquez just signed and Daniel Ponce De Leon re-signed contracts with Golden Boy and I’m going to make an educated guess that the terms pay per view and guaranteed purse were in those documents. Hence, the inflated $34.95 price for a PPV card that should have been on Boxing After Dark.
Once upon a time, PPV shows featured only the most attractive matchups, with an excellent undercard to make it even more appealing. Now we’re lucky if we can buy PPV fights that have main events that are PPV-worthy. The undercards, even for the high profile matchups are now normally reserved as a showcase and payday for the promoter’s up and coming or second tier fighters.
A promoter once told me that he has offered PPV events at lower prices simply because it was the only way to get his fighters on the air. He was satisfied if he could break even by re-selling the taped replays to assorted Sports Nets.
That is not the case, however, with the Holyfield and Jones Jr. cards. Holyfield – Oquendo has a suggested retail price of $44.95, and the Jones Jr. event price, while not as yet announced, will probably be in the same neighborhood. The reason for the lofty prices in these cases is simply the star power of the two all-time greats, who while past their prime command a king’s ransom due to their name recognition. Neither fight is worth the investment, particularly when competing for your PPV dollar with the far more compelling Mayweather – Baldomir and Pacquiao – Morales cards.
As for “Superfighter,” which is supposed to have participants that include Chris Byrd, Oliver McCall, Jameel McCline, O‘Neil Bell and others competing for that $5 million, I wish them all the best. I just can’t afford to subsidize it for $49.95
Truthfully, I can understand a promoter’s logic to get on the air in any way they can. You have fighters in your stable and you need to get exposure for them. But as a wise man once said, “49.95 or $4.95, junk is junk.” They can put these events on PPV, but we don’t have to buy them. For those who succumb to temptation and buy all the upcoming PPV shows, prepare to spend some $250 in the next few weeks, in addition to the subscription charges for HBO and Showtime.
THIS WEEK’S PICKS
Liakhovich – Briggs
Normally a Sergei “White Wolf” Liakhovich – Shannon “The Cannon” Briggs matchup would trump most competition thrown at it from HBO. After all, it is for one quarter of the heavyweight championship, Liakhovich, 23-1 (14), being the WBO representative. Briggs, 47-4-1 (41), a deserving contender after being strung along for months by the Wladimir Klitschko team only to be passed over, is a two fisted banger who should have worked up an appetite while waiting for Klitschko, making him a very live underdog.
The Don King promotion to be held in Chase Field in Phoenix features Liakhovich, a Scottsdale resident by way of Belarus in his first defense of the crown that he took from Lamon Brewster, coming off the floor in the seventh to take a unanimous decision. In my mind, it was the fight of the year up to this point. The 30 year old Liakhovich may be the most well rounded of the heavyweight title holders, and looks like the winner on paper.
Born and still residing in Brooklyn, the 34 year old Briggs has won 11 straight and has been open about his game plan – a knockout victory. That would appear to be his best chance of winning. Brewster floored Liakhovich, but too close to the end of the round. Sergei’s only loss was a ninth round KO to the obscure Maurice Harris in 2002.
“I’ve never been touted as having great stamina,” Briggs said this week. “I am training hard, but I’m training for a knockout.”
Briggs’ attorney, Mike Borao, said, “He’s going to win the fight, whether it’s the first round or the 12th round. He’s going to knock him out.”
Scott Hirsh, Briggs’ manager agreed, saying, “A lot of people are going to be surprised on November 4. He’s not only going to win, he’s going to win easily. If this fight goes more than five rounds, I’m going to be shocked. I think it’s going to be an absolute blowout. You don’t have to believe it now, but you’ll believe it on November 5th.”
I think that talking to the Briggs team has converted me. I’m picking Briggs to stop Liakhovich by the ninth round.
Mayweather – Baldomir
The reason why Liakhovich – Briggs won’t slam dunk the competition this week is because HBO PPV is showing this endangered species – a $49.95 PPV show with a weak undercard that is actually worth the money. You absolutely cannot take this one just on surface value.
Baldomir, 43-9-6 (13), may have the nine losses but is unbeaten in seven years. Mayweather, 36-0 (24), is undefeated, but has had two fights at welterweight. Baldomir walks around at 180 pounds and has fought all of his 58 fights at welterweight.
Baldomir is the recognized welterweight champion, Mayweather is the pound for pound best in the business. Mayweather doesn’t seem to have the same power at 147 as he did at lightweight. Baldomir has 13 career KO’s, but is strong and can take what is dished out. Carlos has one career loss by KO, in 1994.
The key obviously is Mayweather’s foot and hand speed and his using it for 12 rounds. Baldomir cannot be allowed to lean, clinch, hold, bull, push, maul, or otherwise overpower “Pretty Boy” or he might steal a win.
I almost wish that I had the intestinal fortitude to pick Baldomir. I began the year by referring to him as a “tomato can.” He’s earned my respect, but I’m already out on a limb with Shannon Briggs, so I’m picking Floyd by an ugly 12 round decision.
In any event, crank up your Tivo or DVR. Both main events are worth watching this week.
