When HBO announced in March it would no longer be doing business with Golden Boy- one of the top promoters in boxing- it raised a lot of eyebrows. Why would HBO, the sport’s top rated network, limit itself by excluding Golden Boy and its cache of talented fighters? The answer has to do with boxing politics and the network’s apparent unwillingness to deal with the leadership at Golden Boy. The result is that all of Golden Boy’s fighters switched to Showtime, allowing the network to seize the spotlight and stage a series of fan-friendly bouts, punctuated with the glitzy announcement that Floyd Mayweather Jr. will take on the immensely popular Canelo Alvarez on Sept. 14 in Las Vegas on Showtime Pay-Per-View.
Once regarded as the “Heart and Soul of Boxing,” HBO has suddenly become the forgotten network, or just the less glamorous one, with many of its marquee fighters (Andre Ward, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and Manny Pacquiao) not yet fought this year. And while HBO still boasts impressive ratings, “the appearance is that they’re getting their [BUTTS]kicked,” said one boxing insider, who wished to remain anonymous for fear of offending HBO.
But HBO has a chance to shift public opinion on Saturday when the knockout artist Gennady Golovkin, possibly the most exciting fighter in the sport, faces Matthew Macklin (29-4, 20 knockouts) in a middleweight fight for Golovkin’s WBA and IBO titles at the MGM Grand Theater at Foxwoods in Mashantucket, Conn.
The accomplished Macklin represents the sternest test of Golovkin’s career, and the fight has the potential to be among the year’s best because of the aggressive styles of both fighters and Golovkin’s punching power, which would surely make HBO execs happy. (HBO declined to comment for this story.)
“HBO went out and made the best fight they could make with a guy who’s being hyped up as the next big thing in boxing and a guy who’s the best contender without a title,” Macklin said at the final press conference on Wednesday. “These are the fights they need to make- the best fighting the best. That’s what the viewers want to see.”
And with a void left at HBO with the departure of Mayweather to Showtime (coupled with Manny Pacquiao’s surprising loss last year), Golovkin (26-0, 23 knockouts) could emerge as the new face of the network if he keeps progressing, according to his promoter, Tom Loeffler, managing director of K2 Promotions. The main event is part of a triple header on HBO.
“Some of the fighters that have switched over to Showtime, whether it’s Adrien Broner or Mayweather- I think Gennady has just as much ability and talent if not more than those fighters,” Loeffler said. “And certainly many people have said he has a more exciting style because of his knockout percentage.”
Since Golden Boy fighters only compete on Showtime and Top Rank along with everyone else basically calls HBO home, the sport has essentially been split into two separate leagues. That’s created more opportunities for Golovkin at HBO, while also limiting potential fights for the knockout artist, such as a unification bout with WBO middleweight champ Peter Quillin, who is signed to Golden Boy. And in the end, a lack of compelling fights because of boxing politics only hurts fans.
“I personally think that, absent extreme extenuating circumstances, television networks should be open to the idea of doing business with all promoters,” said Thomas Hauser, an author and part-time consultant for HBO. “It doesn’t mean you have to do business with them but I think you should be open to the idea of doing business with all promoters. So if somebody comes along with a good fight at the right price that you think is a service to your subscribers- you televise it.”
