Oscar de la Hoya and Golden Boy Promotions has been suspended from doing any promotional activity in the State of New York when very quietly last Friday afternoon a hearing determined GBP was in direct violation of the Muhammad Ali Act.
Later that evening, a fight card held here in Denver co-promoted by GBP and Frankie Sanchez Promotions went on as scheduled with no one in the audience aware of the New York suspension, or it’s associated violations, and quite honestly they probably wouldn’t have cared.
It is rather awkward to be suspended by a New York State Athletic Commission for violations against boxers and boxers rights considering they have been found to engage in some corrupt and underhanded activities themselves in the past.
But what really should irritate fight fans is the continued back-room dealings Oscar de la Hoya and his organization seemingly are involved in on a now regular basis.
Stealing fighters, briefcases full of money and the like, are exactly what the Golden Boy himself (Oscar de la Hoya) promised he would get rid of in the sport of professional boxing.
Oscar de la Hoya is no better than the alleged devil perpetrators (Don King of Don King Promotions and Bob Arum of Top Rank Promotions) he so easily condemned in the past.
The fight business, as are most entertainment businesses, is easily referred to as a “dirty business”.
Reading the opinionated article by George Kimball of The Sweet Science gives all fight fans more than a small amount of food for thought.
Apparently Oscar de la Hoya and Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer felt their underhanded activities would never be exposed in the often found corrupt State of New York.
Having been now put in the bright lights in a way they never hoped for, Golden Boy Promotions will undoubtedly find a way to quietly have this situation handled.
Look for the New York State Athletic Commission to reinstate and lift the suspension of Golden Boy Promotions sooner or later, with as little fanfare as when they were initially given the verdict.
The way they have done business lately, this may well put either Yankee Stadium or Madison Square Garden in the drivers seat for the mega-bout between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather as surely there will be offered some concession on the part of Golden Boy Promotions, won’t there?
All the talk of Las Vegas being the stage for the fight could easily be spinned to reflect “the final fight before retirement of Floyd Mayweather, Jr.” being held near his native Grand Rapids, Michigan in the mecca of professional sports, New York.
I’m just running with the ball Oscar de la Hoya and Golden Boy Promotions has had in their hands for the last several years.
This revelation by the New York State Athletic Commission may well be the tip of the iceberg for shady financial dealings by Golden Boy Promotions.
Rest assured that if the Internal Revenue Service gets involved, the “dirty little secret” Golden Boy Promotions has been able to quietly and in a back-room negotiations handle in the past will be aired publicly.
Doing businees everywhere but New York may seem viable for awhile, but sooner or later Golden Boy Promotions will need to settle the issue with the folks there.
Stranger things have happened in the sport of boxing and when Golden Boy Promotions is involved, the word strange can never be seperated from that conversation.
