"THE MORE THINGS CHANGE,THE MORE THEY REMAIN THE SAME"
BY STEPHEN S. JOHNSON
(IB-February 2, 2010) "A fight against Juan Manuel Marquez is a breakthrough as he is one of the best and Mexico's most active fighter. Once he wins against Marquez, there is the possibility of a fight against Zab Judah and then a super fight against Floyd Mayweather, Jr."...Richard Schaefer, CEO Golden Boy Promotions.
This statement is in regards to the newly signed latest "cash cow" of the Golden Boy Entertainment empire, Amir Khan. It would not seem such a weird statement coming from your promoter if it were not for the fact that CEO Schaefer and Golden Boy Promotions also promote Khan's opponent, Juan Manuel Marquez.
I'm sure there will soon be Oscar de la hoya himself saying something to the effect of "We already have talks being initiated for fights after Juan Marquez defeats Amir Khan"...
How would this sit with you if Golden Boy Productions represented both you AND your opponent?
Juan Manuel Marquez (50-5-1, 37 KO's) will probably be considered an underdog against the soft-chinned star from the United Kingdom, Amir Khan (22-1, 16 KO's). Most feel the Marquez' fight against Floyd Mayweather, Jr. was a sign that Marquez had seen his better days.
I'm not sure that was the case.
Floyd Mayweather, Jr. has always been adept at jumping on a fighter who had just come off of a grueling bout, whether he had won or lost. Such was the case in getting Marquez, who had finished another close fight with Manny Pacquiao. Marquez gave Pacquiao all he could handle for a second time in as many defeats. Mayweather totally dominated the much smaller and late fading Marquez in what was remembered as a rather easy fight for Mayweather.
Closer examination reminds me that Marquez was paid some $600,000 dollars after Mayweather, Jr. could not make weight. Who really knows how much Floyd Mayweather, Jr. weighed the night of the fight? 150...160 pounds?
There can be no doubt that Oscar de la hoya and Golden Boy Productions is attempting to control the sport of boxing. The GBP supporters will make them seem like the older fighters they get fights for are like street corner pan-handlers...glad to get anything thrown their way. I beg to differ.
Imagine your company CEO announcing the hiring of a new employee that is there to take YOUR place. This new employee is considered the next superstar in your line of work and will not only be more successful than you (according to your own CEO) but has already been given approval to next go after YOUR bosses job.
It probably wouldn't be very long before you would be contacting your boss and maybe even the company CEO for an explanation. There would be little they could say that would soothe the ache from a shot to the gut like that. At this point, either you would decide to start pursuing other employment or show this little newly hired punk that you've got plenty of skills left, and prepare to defend your position.
I'm probably in the minority in feeling that Juan Manuel Marquez has been placed in such a position and will destroy the younger and obviously inexperienced Amir Khan.
The real issue here is why would GBP, and Oscar de la hoya specifically, do such a thing to EITHER of these fighters?
Signing every client on the planet to a promotional contract would ordinarily attract major attention in any other line of work. Apparently boxing is exempt from such attention and we here at insideboxing.com are struggling to find the answer to the question "Why is GBP being allowed to monopolize boxing".
Erik Morales (48-6, 34 KO's) just came out of retirement and says he soon will be "ready to go" in the welterweight division. Morales will maintain his promoting company of Box Latino. This loyalty may cost Morales the fights he wants (and maybe deserves) down the road.
If you're not affiliated, signed, sealed and in bed with Golden Boy Productions, you may be out.
This is the harsh reality of where we currently stand in the sport of boxing.
The once respected Oscar de la hoya formed a company that promised to rid the sport of all the unsavory characters and greed mongers that were sucking the life from the sport. Instead, Oscar de la hoya and Golden Boy Productions have quickly become the freight train that has lost its' brakes.
And with no way of stopping or anything in the way of stopping it, there may be nothing ahead but disaster.
