Does anybody see HBO eventually forcing Ken Hershman to retire?

[Drew101]

Originally Posted by Vysotsky

140 is GB's strongest division but even at that weight HBO can still make some really good fights.

Bradley
Rios
Alverado
Allakhverdiev
Provodnikov
Shafikov
Ajose

Just goes to show that they'll be fine without GB for a while.

Except that Khabib is locked into a mini tournament with Guzman, Presscott and Mosquera..and even if he wins (and I think he should), then he's still out of the match-making position till the end of the year. at the earliest.

Some other good fights can be made though, if HBO and the various sanctioning bodies are so inclined...

[Dunks]

Originally Posted by Montero

No.

I think Hershman is trying to get HBO more aligned to Showtime's old motto which was "great fights, no rights" - meaning he's not gonna tie himself to just one promoter who wants to spoonfeed their contenders against bums in undeserving paydays. This is a GOOD thing.

So they lost Mayweather, so what? They still got Doniare, Pacquiao, Martinez and even Wladimir Klitschko should they ever want him back (if he ever fights Arreola for the WBC, you can bet that'll be on HBO) and others. They're banking on Broner and other up and comers like Thurman and the like. Jim Lampley's show has done solid ratings. HBO Boxing is just fine.

"He's not going to beat Rigondeaux"-- Bob Arum

"Donaire isnt big business"-- Bob Arum

"Pac is where the REAL money is"--Bob Arum

"Donaire isnt a PPV fighter, we had him on PPV, he didnt do any buys, he hasnt connected with the Filipinos"--- Bob Arum

"Donaires wife is the reason filipinos dont like Donaire...facts are facts"---Bob Arum



YEP HBO still has Donaire....

[lester proctor]

Originally Posted by Beezy

As much as GBP has been ruining teh sport as of late, especially with teh Ring rankings that came out.. we tend to forget that Top Rank started this cold war between GBP.. and Arum is number 1 in destroying the sport... and that's who HBO wants to side with?

i dont think they're siding with TR, only against GBP. Other promoters should see more action on HBO. Guys like Shaw and Goossen used to do much business with SHO, but they've been cut out since Espinoza took over

[purephase]

Originally Posted by lester proctor

As you saw this weekend, sometimes it's about the fights and not the fighters. That's new to HBO, that used to be Showtime's thing, but looks like Hershman took that with him to HBO.

It's silly to use Saturday as an example of being about fights not fighters when the main event was pretty widely regarded simply as a get-busy fight for Bradley against an opponent who struggled with Herrera and Corley one division down. The mere fact that it ended up being entertaining can hardly be used as after the fact evidence for a successful philosophical change at the network.*Note also that by publicly cutting off ties with GB, HBO makes it more difficult to pressure Top Rank and other promoters as well to bring better fights to the table for desirable dates.

"Stars" will still be given preferential treatment and will in all likelihood continue to be the focus of the network, the fighters and promoters receiving that treatment will only slightly change.

[kirk]

Originally Posted by Kevin Willis

Since when has cutting off a monopoly at the knees been considered a bad thing?

Since it makes deep fractures within the industry that will keep certain fights and fighters from a broader audience. That's when.

[lester proctor]

Originally Posted by purephase

It's silly to use Saturday as an example of being about fights not fighters when the main event was pretty widely regarded simply as a get-busy fight for Bradley against an opponent who struggled with Herrera and Corley one division down. The mere fact that it ended up being entertaining can hardly be used as after the fact evidence for a successful philosophical change at the network.*Note also that by publicly cutting off ties with GB, HBO makes it more difficult to pressure Top Rank and other promoters as well to bring better fights to the table for desirable dates.

"Stars" will still be given preferential treatment and will in all likelihood continue to be the focus of the network, the fighters and promoters receiving that treatment will only slightly change.

Correct, however I fully believe HBO will be more of an open market for all promoters bar GBP to push their best fighters vs each other. Like SHO used to be under Hershman, but with a way bigger budget. We're yet to see it, but I think Hershman's reign starts now, the rest was housecleaning. Importantly, Haymon is out, even if it cost them Broner.

SHO is also turning into the HBO of old, just with a smaller budget and totally beholden to a single promoter with a big and expensive stable.

[Vysotsky]

Originally Posted by Drew101

Except that Khabib is locked into a mini tournament with Guzman, Presscott and Mosquera..and even if he wins (and I think he should), then he's still out of the match-making position till the end of the year. at the earliest.

Some other good fights can be made though, if HBO and the various sanctioning bodies are so inclined...

Allakhverdiev vs Prescott is on HBO in 2 weeks and that should be a entertaining fight and there is talk of Provodnikov fighting the Rios/Alverado winner. Point is even in the most GB dominated division they can still make quality fights that are very TV friendly without having to be held hostage by GB. Giving them all the dates they want, signing guys to contracts and paying big money for "appearance fights" against overmatched opponents like they did with Berto for a long time, etc

Taking the approach he used over at Showtime with placing an emphesis on quality and bringing it to HBO will be a good thing in the long run imo. Look at the quality and variety of coverage Boxnation gives and imagine that approach by HBO.

[purephase]

Originally Posted by lester proctor

Correct, however I fully believe HBO will be more of an open market for all promoters bar GBP to push their best fighters vs each other. Like SHO used to be under Hershman, but with a way bigger budget. We're yet to see it, but I think Hershman's reign starts now, the rest was housecleaning. Importantly, Haymon is out, even if it cost them Broner.

SHO is also turning into the HBO of old, just with a smaller budget and totally beholden to a single promoter with a big and expensive stable.

I see absolutely no reason to be that optimistic about HBO becoming this idealized open market, especially given my preceding point that there's now less leverage the network can use against the promoters of other stars. Rather than creating an upwards bidding war between Chavez and Broner for June 22nd, for instance, they'll now have to cater exclusively to Chavez and Top Rank's preferences with nary a threat of competition.

Also, one key difference between Hershman's tenure at Showtime and now is that he never told the second biggest promoter in the country as well as the biggest manager to buzz off. Something like that seems like a potential impediment to getting the best fights made IMO.

Further, we can hate on Showtime's perverse incentives and incestuous relationship with Golden Boy all we want, but I wouldn't exactly say they had a worse year than the big-budget HBO in terms of quality in 2012.

[Beezy]

Originally Posted by purephase

Further, we can hate on Showtime's perverse incentives and incestuous relationship with Golden Boy all we want, but I wouldn't exactly say they had a worse year than the big-budget HBO in terms of quality in 2012.

Yeah..last year it was pretty even.. and the year before that HBO tanked with the absolute worse fights in recent boxing years......

[Boxing Fanatic]

hes working for showtime now for floyd-guerrero built-up