I am a boxing manager: if you have questions about the boxing biz, ask!

He gets the 50k cos he has a big upside, he puts butts in seats, he is charismatic, and cos this is business, cos he's white, and he has a nationally shown commercial for a fast food chain. He is being paid not cos he's a great prospect, and has any great skills but cos he's good for the boxing, everytime he fights he brings big numbers. In his pro debut he sold over a 100,000 worth of tickets.
Now before you think how racist it might be that he is being paid that much cos he is white, fergitboutit, it's bout the green.
We all know Lee is a very limited fighter, and wont get much better but cos its the pro's, green dictates.

 

Tyson was an exception, he had smart boxing guys who bought fights for Mike and were willing to to spend money pushing him into the limelight. He fought anywhere and everywhere coming up, for whatever his management team were working on a plan, and it worked but then two of the team's guidng forces died(Cus D'amto and Jimmy Jacobs, leaving Mike rudderless for the rest of his career.
Today that would be harder and more expensive to have that many bodies lined up. All of Mike's opponents at that time were hand picked to add to the perception that he was a giant killer. Mike, fought big, slow guys, 6'4", 6'5", 6'6", guys that were taller and bigger. In boxing $ dictates, remember at first Tyson didn't have a high profile promoter.

 

Check out this article on the UFC cutting 16 fighters loose. Boxing contracts all have a clause that says a promoter can drop you if you loose.
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-c...rs-sends-chilling-message-012306694--mma.html

 

T in the article it mentioned "Fitch fought and lost to Georges St-Pierre at UFC 87, he is 1-2-1 in his last four fights and has a reputation for putting on grinding, slower-paced fights. Jacob Volkmann and Mike Russow have the same reputation.", are the guys being let go cos they are boring? In boxing that one loss and you can be dropped clause comes in handy for the promoters if they want to flush the toilet to get rid of dead weight. If you are an exciting fighter and are popular it really doesn't matter if you lose, Arturo Gatti was an example is that the same for MMA guys?

 

The boxing biz, check out this article 'Floyd Mayweather inks new PPV deal', by Dan Rafael
http://espn.go.com/boxing/story/_/i...iew-deal-showtime-cbs-fight-robert-guerrero-4

This war btw SHOWTIME and HBO, could mean that there will be great opportunities for other fighters on HBO. HBO will be looking to "make" future stars and they will be shopping.

 

Lee, didn't do much as an amateur, he fought in Ivy league College bouts. Usually promoters want a guy who done very well as a amateur the more titles the better. Being "white", only does so much, cos there are many white fighters fighting. What makes Lee attractive to a promoter like Top Rank, is his looks, charisma, the school he went to, his story, and abililty to put asses in seats not his ability as a fighter, cos let's face it he is learning on the job.

 

People ck this out: http://youtu.be/oHwr4_UghGs

 

Notre Dame, is the Ivy league school

 

M you are right, all you have to look at is the careers of Julio Cesar Chavez jr and Canelo, not the most talented of guys but put butts in seats. Think about this if Oscar D. looked like Juan Manuel Lopez or Jose Luis Castillo we wouldn't be talking bout Goldenboy. Look at who is the boxoffice hero's in Hollywood mostly good looking, charismatic guys who may not be the most talented of actors, this is the world we live in folks. Marketability counts as much or more than ability. I have two young fighters, both have promotional contracts, they werent the most decorated amateurs, they never won a major tournament. The promoter who signed them is one of the biggest promoters in the US. I got them a deal based on their marketability, both were Mexican's, both were decent looking, both have charisma, a fan friendly style and both have power.
They would have been passed over based on their amateur credentials, so the approach was different. Marketability is key, look no further then the Cubans, very talented, p4p guys, future greats, blah, blah, blah, they have zero marketability.
Thats why you always see Cubans are forever calling out somebody, cos nobody cares.