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

Last night here in the UK was a prime example of a fighting & management team that will be flying back home today feeling they could of done no more to win a world title.

Ricky Burns fought on bravely with physical & just as importantly mental strength to hear the final bell & be given a totally undeserved draw.He is having surgery titanium plate in his jaw clean break from the 2nd round as I type a brave,tough guy.Clearly beaten 'somehow' the UK judge called 114 each & the USA judge 115-112 Burns crazy scoring IMO the Belgium judge Beltran by 2 rounds was a minimum of the margin it should of been.

Beltran gave a great interview afterwards overseas viewers probably didn't get to see.
He talked of a man that had seen it all play out that way before to him & others firstly he spoke of 'boxing politics' & 'protection of investment' totally valid views & put across with honesty without bitterness.

We have here complained many times about hometown decisions from the USA but more so Germany & from a few years back Italy.But it happens the whole world over no comfort for Raymundo Beltran today a guy I hope can keep fighting & talking honestly as he always has done as a pro......but without the bitterness.......but as of last night it will be hard to digest.
Boxing a sport we all love really likes to dish out heartbreak in equal measures at times doesn't it?

 

Another big fight to look forward to at the weekend Bradley v JMM..........look down the card this observer is really keeping my eye out for the pro debut of Lomachenko.

I think the fight fans in the USA are in for some great nights ahead watching this guy perform.Fighting Jose Ramirez 25-3....for your pro debut....

UK fans spent the weekend watching,wondering,arguing about what Mr.Joshua may or may not do as a pro.....the arguments will go on for a good while as sacrifical lamb after another will be put in front of him for the next 18-24 months at least.How will he be moved....slowly our very own version of Mr.Wilder....No Leon Spinks story here folks..the road is long as the old song goes!....This observer certainly thinks with many a winding road!!

For those that have not seen much of Lomachenko a southpaw that will really excite we may be looking at a really exciting path to a title think how quick Rigo won a title after turning over.This guy will get a shot very,very quickly if the noises from Top Rank are to be believed.Maybe record time in the modern era if his debut goes to plan we could be talking a handful of fights here then possibly Gradovich...don't rule it out!

Another beast from the east on the horizon a mini GGG would be something wouldn't it!

 

Dempsey

If my fighter is offered to fight in another state, does a promoter usually pay for travel and hotel or is that all my responsibility?

 

Not Dempsey but the promoter should pay for travel, food and hotel. You negotiate a fair price for the travel/food/other expenses and he should provide the hotel room(s) for when you arrive -- at least the night before the fight (after the weigh-in) and the night of the fight.

 

Thanks for the info. I really do appreciate it.

 

Darn right!!! Boomer Sooner!!!! Keep me posted on how your fighter from this area is doing.

 

When you manage/promote a fighter all roads lead to you when things go wrong & even if they seem to go right you are in the firing line a recent tale to me of a promoter getting it badly,badly wrong.

Jamie McDonnell promoted by Dennis Hobson here in the UK 11th May beat big punching Julio Ceja to become IBF bantamweight champion in front of his 'hometown crowd' in Doncaster,England.Hobson with no tv deal in place for the fight was going head-to-head with our main boxing broadcaster SKY who were showing Burns v Gonzalez (matchroom promotions) on satellite tv a massive mistake it should of been moved back to the Friday night.To at least get more exposure & certainly a bigger crowd insane planning.It was a fight that made little impact here let alone anywhere else considering the way championship level fighters are backed in this country it has to go down as one of the worst decisions of recent history here.

The date 11th May compounded by the Fa Cup final football (soccer) being played early evening free to air tv & a traditional viewing much like the Superbowl is in the USA.The football finished & then many sports fans no doubt switched over to the boxing on SKY it must of hurt Hobson at the gate.The capacity for the title fight was 10,000 initial local interest in tickets were not followed up a marketing disaster.

Hobson cut a deal with Primetime very late a minor PPV channel here in the UK the buy rate was said to be less than a thousand even at less than £10 little wonder with what McDonnell was up against.

The promotion is said to of cost in his own words 'hundreds of thousands' & was very unhappy at no real interest from tv......the fighter unhappy at his lack of exposure has now left Hobson......you guessed it he has now allegedly signed for matchroom promotions citing among other issues the need for greater recognition.

Russian roulette call that backfired big time his fighter won but he personally lost big time.

 

Conclusion of this will be interesting.

 

He deserves the loss IMO for being so stupid and McDonnell deserved better.

 

Yes we have 4 title holders Froch,Barker,Burns & McDonnell the first three well covered in the media not just SKY tv.The newspapers & social media etc often have articles & news about them.

McDonnell the forgotten man of British boxing no wonder he wants out it seems.Hobson is quoted as saying he has a valid contract etc.etc but without tv a fighter is badly handicapped.

It was a bizarre date to pick for reasons I have explained without tv as well suicidal.If Hobson was inexperienced in the game I still wouldn't understand his decision let alone a man that has promoted & managed good fighters before like Clinton Woods & had dealings with Ricky Hatton,Roy Jones JR amongst others.

If you can't get a fighter of that level on tv you are fighting a losing battle if you have to bite the bullet & sign away some rights so be it otherwise what happens now is inevitable.Lose a lot of money & the fighter to a bigger attraction law of the jungle.

Will be interesting to see how it plays out if he couldn't/didn't want to deal with matchroom there was enough time for a change of date & a deal with boxnation surely?A strange story whatever your view.

 

Yep, I was disapointed SKY didnt show the fight as they had shown all his previous ones (I think) and there were some good fights in there the whole build up but then nothing when the title fight was announced.

I may have missed something (wont be the first time) what happened with the deal with SKY was it just since the move to matchroom? If it was like you said really should have bit the bullett ont that one and came to some deal with Matchroom, I personally wouldnt go to Boxnation as it's similar regarding exposure.