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return false;"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651im_/http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.element/img/4.0/story/textsize_minus_d.gif" alt="Decrease font" title="Decrease font" class="cnnDecreaseFont"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651im_/http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.element/img/4.0/story/textsize_minus_l.gif" alt="Decrease font" title="Decrease font" class="cnnIncreaseFont"></div> <div id="cnnSCFontPlusBtn" onclick="setActiveStyleSheet2('LargeFont'); return false;"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651im_/http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.element/img/4.0/story/textsize_plus_d.gif" alt="Enlarge font" title="Enlarge font" class="cnnIncreaseFont"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651im_/http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.element/img/4.0/story/textsize_plus_l.gif" alt="Enlarge font" title="Enlarge font" class="cnnDecreaseFont"></div> </div> <div id="attachment_5148" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 610px"><img class="size-full wp-image-5148" alt="Floyd Mayweather (left) defeated Robert Guerrero via unanimous decision on Showtime PPV. (Robert Beck/SI)" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651im_/http://sicounterpunch.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/mayweather-vs-guerrer-ppv.jpg?w=600&h=400" width="600" height="400"/><p class="wp-caption-text">Floyd Mayweather (left) defeated Robert Guerrero via unanimous decision on Showtime PPV. (Robert Beck/SI)</p></div> <p>NEW YORK — The Showtime boxing pay-per-view show headlined by Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Robert Guerrero last Saturday will surpass 1 million buys, Showtime Executive Vice President of Sports and Event Programming Stephen Espinoza told SI.com. Espinoza declined to give an exact figure but said “we’re very comfortable saying that the pay-per-view buys for Mayweather-Guerrero will definitely exceed 1 million.”</p> <p>Twitter was abuzz this week with rumors that early Mayweather-Guerrero numbers indicated the show would finish under a million. Considering the investment Showtime made in Mayweather — signing him to a six-fight deal that could be worth in excess of $200 million — such a number would be disastrous. Espinoza declined to say how many buys over a million the event did, but declared it “a major win.”</p> <p>“What this does is [it] reconfirms Floyd’s status as the top pay-per-view draw in boxing,” Espinoza said. “Really in all of sports. To do this kind of number without the benefit of a well-known opponent speaks very strongly for his continued drawing power. We look at Robert, and he was very game, he has proven he was among the top of the division. But he is not well known to the general public. His awareness as far as the pay per view goes is still low. To do this number without a well-known opponent established is great.”</p> <p>One rumor circulating was that Showtime, because of the $32 million Mayweather was guaranteed, needed a big number just to break even, reportedly between 1.1 and 1.3 million. Espinoza called the reports “absolutely untrue.”</p> <p>“It’s inaccurate,” Espinoza said. “We have talked about it before internally and we agreed that we are not going to go into details of the deal. I can say generally though that there are a lot of mischaracterizations going around. Rumors of financial demise are greatly exaggerated.”</p> <p>Still, the success of Mayweather-Guerrero may not be a sign of things to come. It’s likely a large number of people bought the pay-per-view to see if Mayweather, at 36 and coming off a one-year layoff that included a two month stint in prison, had lost a step. Mayweather is among the most polarizing athletes in sports, with as many pay-per-view buyers watching to see him lose as there are to see him win. The ease with which Mayweather defeated Guerrero could turn many of those buyers away in the future.</p> <p>“It is a challenge,” Espinoza admitted. “There is a challenge here when you have someone as skilled as Floyd is, someone who is able to neutralize an opponent as much as he often does, it can become monotonous. There has always been a significant portion of the audience that wants to see him lose. More people will appreciate his skill level when he retires. I wish there was more appreciation for his skill level now while we have him.”</p> <p>Of course, the buy rate for Mayweather-Guerrero would be boosted by more cooperative fighters. There was no press conference to announce the fight, a shock when you consider that virtually all fights on that level would include a multi-city press tour. Guerrero was largely useless, effectively shutting down after being arrested for gun possession in March. Mayweather, uninterested in delving too deep into his time in jail and problems with the law, repeatedly declined extended interviews before the fight. And viewership for Showtime’s All-Access show struggled compared to HBO’s 24/7 series (box), which has the benefit of a larger subscriber base (29 million to 22 million for Showtime).</p> <p></p> <table class="cnnTMbox" width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td class="cnnIEBoxTitle">HBO vs. Showtime</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="cnnTMcontent"></p> <div class="cnnIEXL"> <table class="cnnTM" width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td class="cnnIEColTxtL">24/7 MAYWEATHER/COTTO (HBO)</td> <td class="cnnIEColTxtR" style="border-right:0;">ALL ACCESS: MAYWEATHER/GUERRERO (Showtime)</td> </tr> <tr class="cnnIERowAltBG"> <td class="cnnIEColTxtL">April 2012</td> <td class="cnnIEColTxtR" style="border-right:0;">April 2013</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="cnnIEColTxtL">#1 473,000 viewers</td> <td class="cnnIEColTxtR" style="border-right:0;">#1 105,000 viewers</td> </tr> <tr class="cnnIERowAltBG"> <td class="cnnIEColTxtL">#2 493,000 viewers</td> <td class="cnnIEColTxtR" style="border-right:0;">#2 64,000 viewers</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="cnnIEColTxtL">#3 505,000 viewers</td> <td class="cnnIEColTxtR" style="border-right:0;">#3 93,000 viewers</td> </tr> <tr class="cnnIERowAltBG"> <td class="cnnIEColTxtL">#4 310,000 viewers</td> <td class="cnnIEColTxtR" style="border-right:0;">#4 58,000 viewers</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> <p></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p></p> <p>“The argument made was because there was a large guarantee, Floyd wasn’t as motivated [to promote the fight] and that assumed something that wasn’t established,” Espinoza said. “That was attributing motives to Floyd that may or may not be there. I think Floyd put forth a tremendous effort, particularly in social media and other non-traditional stuff that we did. He flew across country to do a couple of days of publicity at the Final Four. Some writers out there were upset at not getting the access that they desired. Floyd took this camp very seriously. His priority was being in camp. Some of the media access might have been sacrificed.”</p> <p>Of course, one way to guarantee financial success in the future is the opponent. Junior middleweight titleholder Saul “Canelo” Alvarez is considered one of the biggest stars in boxing after Mayweather, and certainly one of its most popular. His last fight, against Austin Trout in San Antonio, drew 40,000 fans. Mayweather has yet to say who he will face in September but it’s clear Canelo would generate the most revenue.</p> <p>“We are actively involved in those discussions,” Espinoza said. “It’s my understanding that everybody involved from Mayweather, to Canelo, to Golden Boy, to Showtime, wants that fight to happen. It’s still a deal that has to get done. The talks are underway and the most positive thing I can say about the prospects of that happening is that everybody wants that fight. It’s not about convincing one side to take the fight. We are past that point. I am cautiously optimistic that it will happen.”</p> <p style="text-align:right;"><em><strong>– Chris Mannix</strong></em></p> <div id="jp-post-flair" class="sharedaddy sd-like-enabled sd-sharing-enabled"></div> <br/> </div> </div> <div class="post-bottom"> <li>Published On <span>May 10, 2013</span></li> <li id="right"><span><div><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651/http://mma-boxing.si.com/2013/05/10/mayweather-vs-guerrero-ppv-buys-showtime/#comments" title="Comment on Showtime rejects worrying rumors, calls Mayweather vs. Guerrero a ‘major win’"><span data-lf-article-id="5144" data-lf-site-id="308691" class="livefyre-commentcount">0</span></a></div></span></li> </div> </div> <div class="post-wrap"> <div class="post-top"></div> <div class="post" id="post-4775"> <h1><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651/http://mma-boxing.si.com/2013/03/22/ross-greenburg-floyd-mayweather-showtime/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link to Ex-HBO exec. Ross Greenburg following Floyd Mayweather to Showtime">Ex-HBO exec. Ross Greenburg following Floyd Mayweather to Showtime</a></h1> <div class="category"> <a href="/web/20130531190651/http://mma-boxing.si.com/category/boxing/">Boxing</a> | <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651/http://mma-boxing.si.com/2013/03/22/ross-greenburg-floyd-mayweather-showtime/#comment"><span class="js-kit-comments-count" exclude-sources="Twitter" include-sources="Comments" uniq="/2013/03/22/ross-greenburg-floyd-mayweather-showtime/"></span> Comments </a> </div> <div class="entry"> <div id="cnnSCFontButtons"> <div id="cnnSCFontLabel"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651im_/http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.element/img/4.0/story/textsize.gif"/></div> <div id="cnnSCFontMinusBtn" onclick="setActiveStyleSheet2('default'); return false;"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651im_/http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.element/img/4.0/story/textsize_minus_d.gif" alt="Decrease font" title="Decrease font" class="cnnDecreaseFont"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651im_/http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.element/img/4.0/story/textsize_minus_l.gif" alt="Decrease font" title="Decrease font" class="cnnIncreaseFont"></div> <div id="cnnSCFontPlusBtn" onclick="setActiveStyleSheet2('LargeFont'); return false;"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651im_/http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.element/img/4.0/story/textsize_plus_d.gif" alt="Enlarge font" title="Enlarge font" class="cnnIncreaseFont"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651im_/http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.element/img/4.0/story/textsize_plus_l.gif" alt="Enlarge font" title="Enlarge font" class="cnnDecreaseFont"></div> </div> <div id="attachment_4779" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 610px"><img class="size-full wp-image-4779 " alt="Ross Greenburg speaks with Bill Russell at SI's 2010 Sportsman of the Year party. (Jemal Countess/Getty Images)" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651im_/http://sicounterpunch.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/ross-greenburg.jpg?w=600&h=400" width="600" height="400"/><p class="wp-caption-text">Ross Greenburg speaks with Bill Russell at SI’s 2010 Sportsman of the Year party. (Jemal Countess/Getty Images)</p></div> <p>If you are familiar with the boxing industry, the following sentence will sound strange: Ross Greenburg is working for Showtime.</p> <p>Greenburg, of course, was the President of HBO Sports from 2000 to 2011 — and an executive producer at the network for nearly two decades before that — before being forced out in the summer of 2011. With Showtime, Greenburg will produce a one-hour documentary that will air on CBS chronicling the last year in the life of Floyd Mayweather, including his time in prison. In addition, Greenburg will work on Showtime’s <i>All Access</i> reality show, a carbon copy of the the <i>24/7</i> series Greenburg created at HBO in 2007, that will air in the weeks leading up to Mayweather’s fight against Robert Guerrero on May 4th.</p> <p>“This has always been in my blood,” Greenburg told SI.com. “I have always been a producer at heart. I love telling stories. It’s refreshing. There are not a lot of headaches. I didn’t have to put out too many fires. I really enjoyed the people I work with.”</p> <p>Since leaving HBO, Greenburg has worked closely with NBC, producing documentaries on Earl Campbell (which was nominated for a Sports Emmy), the 1972 Summit Series between Canada and the Soviet Union, the 1952 U.S. Open and the 1991 Ryder Cup. Greenburg also worked on <i>Costas Tonight</i> on NBC Sports Network — including Mayweather’s appearance on the show last year — and consulted for the NHL, Discovery Channel and Under Armour.</p> <p>Now, Greenburg is back in boxing, working with the archrival of the network that he had a big hand in turning into a powerhouse.</p> <p>“I guess I feel like [Kevin] Youkilis and [Johnny] Damon going into the [Yankees] locker room,” Greenburg said. “I’m just interested in helping [Showtime Executive Vice President] Stephen [Espinoza] as much as I can. It’s been very easy for me. They have welcomed me like family. It’s like Jeter putting arm around Youkilis. I’m back doing what I want to do. I have to take care of my family. I’ll always remember and cherish the glorious past. I had a wonderful 33 years [at HBO].”</p> <p>It’s been comfortable for Greenburg to work with Mayweather, who he maintained a close relationship with during his time with HBO. And despite the fact that since Mayweather became a star on <i>24/7</i> in 2007 his story has been told repeatedly, Greenburg believes the events of the last year have left a rich tale to tell.</p> <p>“There is the evolving relationship between Floyd, Roger [Mayweather] and Floyd Sr.,” Greenburg said. “Floyd himself spent 62 days in solitary. It changed his whole point of view on life. We spent the last three or four days with Floyd in the gym. Floyd and Roger are both there. Floyd Sr. is very involved. It’s an interesting evolution of that relationship. Floyd and his father are very close. The time he spent in prison did change him.”</p> <p>Greenburg wouldn’t say if his relationship with Showtime could last beyond this fight (“We’ll see,” Greenburg said) but said he had no regrets about his time at HBO.</p> <p>“No, not at all,” Greenburg said. “I did my job. The HBO sports department is something I will always remember. I think we built a hell of a franchise and a brand. The boxing program when I left it was as strong as it ever was. I have no regrets whatsoever. I took a lot of criticism, most of it unwarranted, but that is OK. I’m a big boy. I’ll pick myself back up. I have so many great memories. All fond memories.”</p> <p>Well, almost all. Greenburg admits he still wishes he could have made the mega fight between Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao.</p> <p>“It’s funny, there weren’t that many times that I couldn’t make a fight,” Greenburg said. “I tried twice and got very close. To this day, I’m not going to put the blame on anyone because I couldn’t figure out why it didn’t happen. But I think boxing can recover. It didn’t happen, and it was not meant to be. It’s unfortunate because it probably would have been an epic buildup, even though I’m not sure it would have been a good fight. I know Floyd has moved on. He continues to be asked about Pacquiao and his attitude is much like mine, that if it was meant to be, fine. He believes his third act, over the next couple of years, is going to be special.”</p> <p style="text-align:right;"><em><strong>– Chris Mannix</strong></em></p> <div id="jp-post-flair" class="sharedaddy sd-like-enabled sd-sharing-enabled"></div> <br/> </div> </div> <div class="post-bottom"> <li>Published On <span>Mar 22, 2013</span></li> <li id="right"><span><div><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651/http://mma-boxing.si.com/2013/03/22/ross-greenburg-floyd-mayweather-showtime/#comments" title="Comment on Ex-HBO exec. Ross Greenburg following Floyd Mayweather to Showtime"><span data-lf-article-id="4775" data-lf-site-id="308691" class="livefyre-commentcount">0</span></a></div></span></li> </div> </div> <div class="post-wrap"> <div class="post-top"></div> <div class="post" id="post-4725"> <h1><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651/http://mma-boxing.si.com/2013/03/18/golden-boy-promotions-hbo-officially-sever-ties/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link to HBO announces it won’t televise Golden Boy Promotions’ fights">HBO announces it won’t televise Golden Boy Promotions’ fights</a></h1> <div class="category"> <a href="/web/20130531190651/http://mma-boxing.si.com/category/boxing/">Boxing</a> | <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651/http://mma-boxing.si.com/2013/03/18/golden-boy-promotions-hbo-officially-sever-ties/#comment"><span class="js-kit-comments-count" exclude-sources="Twitter" include-sources="Comments" uniq="/2013/03/18/golden-boy-promotions-hbo-officially-sever-ties/"></span> Comments </a> </div> <div class="entry"> <div id="cnnSCFontButtons"> <div id="cnnSCFontLabel"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651im_/http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.element/img/4.0/story/textsize.gif"/></div> <div id="cnnSCFontMinusBtn" onclick="setActiveStyleSheet2('default'); return false;"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651im_/http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.element/img/4.0/story/textsize_minus_d.gif" alt="Decrease font" title="Decrease font" class="cnnDecreaseFont"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651im_/http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.element/img/4.0/story/textsize_minus_l.gif" alt="Decrease font" title="Decrease font" class="cnnIncreaseFont"></div> <div id="cnnSCFontPlusBtn" onclick="setActiveStyleSheet2('LargeFont'); return false;"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651im_/http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.element/img/4.0/story/textsize_plus_d.gif" alt="Enlarge font" title="Enlarge font" class="cnnIncreaseFont"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651im_/http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.element/img/4.0/story/textsize_plus_l.gif" alt="Enlarge font" title="Enlarge font" class="cnnDecreaseFont"></div> </div> <div id="attachment_4739" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 610px"><img class="size-full wp-image-4739" alt="Rising star Adrien Broner, right, will no longer be featured on HBO after Monday's announcement." src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651im_/http://sicounterpunch.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/adrien-broner-blog1.jpg?w=600&h=375" width="600" height="375"/><p class="wp-caption-text">Rising star Adrien Broner, right, will no longer be featured on HBO after Monday’s announcement. [Richard Vogel/AP]</p></div> <p>For the last year, HBO has watched as Golden Boy Promotions has moved many of its top fighters from HBO to Showtime. On Monday, HBO struck back: The network announced that it would no longer buy any fights from Golden Boy Promotions.</p> <p>“In order to achieve our goal of the best fighters in the most compelling matchups we’ve decided to focus our efforts and resources on those strategic relationships where we better share common goals and business philosophies,” HBO Sports President Ken Hershman said in a statement.</p> <p>The decision is a decisive move from HBO to strike back at Golden Boy. Since Stephen Espinoza — a former Golden Boy attorney — took over as the head of the sports department at Showtime, Golden Boy has pulled several of its top fighters including Danny Garcia, Amir Khan, Canelo Alavarez and Andre Berto off of HBO and onto Showtime. Last month, Floyd Mayweather — who works closely with Golden Boy —announced he was leaving HBO, his broadcast partner for virtually his entire career, to sign a lucrative deal with Showtime.</p> <p>Among the casualties of HBO’s decision is Adrien Broner, a rising star who has been a staple on HBO. HBO sources made it clear that it was nothing against Broner, but they will not put him on the network as long as Golden Boy represents him. Likewise for Bernard Hopkins, a longtime HBO fighter who last week became the oldest man to win a major title when he defeated Tavoris Cloud on HBO.</p> <p>The decision to stop doing business with Golden Boy is being called indefinite.</p> <p>Golden Boy CEO called the decision “retaliation” and “ill advised.”</p> <p>I’m not really surprised,” Schaefer told SI.com. “I have not had a conversation with Ken Hershman since last November or December. They are upset at me, I’m sure they are upset at Al Haymon. But the ones getting hurt are the subscribers. Whether you like Golden Boy or you don’t, our stable is second to none. I wished them well. (HBO Vice President) Kery Davis, (VP) Mart Taffet, (CEO) Richard Plepler, I consider them friends. But there are people making decisions in the HBO sports department that don’t know the difference between Floyd Mayweather and Jessie Vargas.”</p> <p style="text-align:right;"><em><strong>— Chris Mannix</strong></em></p> <div id="jp-post-flair" class="sharedaddy sd-like-enabled sd-sharing-enabled"></div> <br/> </div> </div> <div class="post-bottom"> <li>Published On <span>Mar 18, 2013</span></li> <li id="right"><span><div><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651/http://mma-boxing.si.com/2013/03/18/golden-boy-promotions-hbo-officially-sever-ties/#comments" title="Comment on HBO announces it won’t televise Golden Boy Promotions’ fights"><span data-lf-article-id="4725" data-lf-site-id="308691" class="livefyre-commentcount">0</span></a></div></span></li> </div> </div> <div class="post-wrap"> <div class="post-top"></div> <div class="post" id="post-3945"> <h1><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651/http://mma-boxing.si.com/2012/11/30/experts-predictions-for-austin-trout-miguel-cotto/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link to Experts’ predictions for Austin Trout-Miguel Cotto">Experts’ predictions for Austin Trout-Miguel Cotto</a></h1> <div class="category"> <a href="/web/20130531190651/http://mma-boxing.si.com/category/boxing/">Boxing</a> | <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651/http://mma-boxing.si.com/2012/11/30/experts-predictions-for-austin-trout-miguel-cotto/#comment"><span class="js-kit-comments-count" exclude-sources="Twitter" include-sources="Comments" uniq="/2012/11/30/experts-predictions-for-austin-trout-miguel-cotto/"></span> Comments </a> </div> <div class="entry"> <div id="cnnSCFontButtons"> <div id="cnnSCFontLabel"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651im_/http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.element/img/4.0/story/textsize.gif"/></div> <div id="cnnSCFontMinusBtn" onclick="setActiveStyleSheet2('default'); return false;"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651im_/http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.element/img/4.0/story/textsize_minus_d.gif" alt="Decrease font" title="Decrease font" class="cnnDecreaseFont"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651im_/http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.element/img/4.0/story/textsize_minus_l.gif" alt="Decrease font" title="Decrease font" class="cnnIncreaseFont"></div> <div id="cnnSCFontPlusBtn" onclick="setActiveStyleSheet2('LargeFont'); return false;"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651im_/http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.element/img/4.0/story/textsize_plus_d.gif" alt="Enlarge font" title="Enlarge font" class="cnnIncreaseFont"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651im_/http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.element/img/4.0/story/textsize_plus_l.gif" alt="Enlarge font" title="Enlarge font" class="cnnDecreaseFont"></div> </div> <div id="attachment_3951" class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 310px"><img class="size-large wp-image-3951" alt="Austin Trout (right) defends his super welterweight title belt Saturday against the favored Miguel Cotto at Madison Square Garden. (AP)" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651im_/http://sicounterpunch.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/miguel-cotto-austin-trout.jpg?w=300&h=429" height="429" width="300"/><p class="wp-caption-text">The undefeated but unknown Austin Trout (right) defends his super welterweight title belt Saturday against the favored Miguel Cotto at Madison Square Garden. (AP)</p></div> <p><em>SI.com’s boxing experts predict Saturday’s super welterweight title fight between Austin Trout and Miguel Cotto at Madison Square Garden (9 p.m. ET/PT, Showtime). Share your prediction in the comments below.</em></p> <p><strong>CHRIS MANNIX</strong></p> <p>When Ricky Hatton chose Vyacheslav Senchenko — a former welterweight champion with one loss on his resume — for a supposed tune-up fight last week, I was surprised. I’m equally surprised Cotto, with a multi-million dollar fight against Saul Alvarez waiting in the spring, elected to fight Trout, a slick, undefeated champion with a size advantage (5-foot-10) and a strong amateur background.</p> <p>Trout has not fought the level of competition Cotto has, not even close. But he is young (27) and hungry, and while his win over Delvin Rodriguez last June was a snoozer, Trout did wipe the floor with Rodriguez, a tough customer. Sure, I’m worried that Trout will be overwhelmed by the moment; until you step into the ring surrounded by thousands of fans that are against you, you can’t know how you will respond. But if Trout keeps his cool — and I’m betting he will — he has the skills to beat Cotto, who has admittedly lost a little off his fastball. And, like it was with Hatton, it will be just enough to make him stumble. <strong>Trout by split decision.</strong></p> <p><strong>RICHARD O’BRIEN</strong></p> <p>This is a fight that sort of snuck up on everybody. Trout himself has said he was shocked to learn that Cotto had agreed to fight him, given his relatively nonexistent Q rating, as well as his difficult defensive style, southpaw stance, relative youth and size. But despite his surprise, Trout is unlikely to be caught unprepared for the occasion. He knows he’ll be in hostile territory, facing Cotto in Madison Square Garden, where the Puerto Rican hero is 7-0 in his career and always at his best. But Trout has proved he can thrive in such situations: In 2009 he outpointed Nilson Julio Tapia in Tapia’s home country of Panama and last year he beat Rigoberto Alvarez in Guadalajara, Mexico, for the vacant WBA 154-pound title, then went back to Mexico to make his first defense, against Nogales’s David Lopez.</p> <p>To win against Cotto in the Garden, Trout will have to take more chances than he is used to — and that may make him a better fighter. Or it may make him more vulnerable. Trout — along with a lot of observers — believes he’s catching Cotto at just the right time. But Cotto has the kind of toughness and ring smarts that only come from a long career against first-rate opposition. Trout, as quick and slick as he is, may give Cotto fits for several rounds, but he’s unlikely to hurt him and that will allow Cotto to keep the pressure on and slow the younger fighter down just enough to score big down the stretch. Trout has a bright future, but it won’t be as an undefeated champ. <strong>Cotto by unanimous decision.</strong></p> <p><strong>BRYAN ARMEN GRAHAM</strong></p> <p>The oddsmakers list Trout as a 2-to-1 underdog, yet the buzz among insiders suggests a 50/50 fight — an all too rare context for a big-ticket promotion. There will be no confusing the house fighter on Saturday night — the electrified atmosphere the Puerto Rican icon engenders makes Cotto’s fights at the Garden bucket-list-worthy — but Trout is younger, taller, probably slicker and unburdened by expectation. He may be hungrier, too: Trout came up the hard way, without the aegis of a major promoter, and is determined to make the most of an opportunity he feels may only come once; by contrast, Cotto mentioned thoughts of retirement during Showtime’s <em>All-Access</em> docuseries.</p> <p>Fact is, Cotto is a fighter with more ring wear than an ennobling defeat to Mayweather revealed, and Trout is the biggest opponent of the Puerto Rican’s career at 154 pounds. The Las Cruces, N.M., native is a tricky southpaw with an excellent jab who can succeed by keeping Cotto on the outside and boxing. Still, it’s a major step up for Trout, who’s never faced a boxer-puncher of Cotto’s caliber. Expect a horse race of a match through the opening two acts, with Cotto’s compact punching and big-fight experience making the razor-thin difference in the championship rounds. <strong>Cotto by split decision.</strong></p> <div id="jp-post-flair" class="sharedaddy sd-like-enabled sd-sharing-enabled"></div> <br/> </div> </div> <div class="post-bottom"> <li>Published On <span>Nov 30, 2012</span></li> <li id="right"><span><div><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651/http://mma-boxing.si.com/2012/11/30/experts-predictions-for-austin-trout-miguel-cotto/#comments" title="Comment on Experts’ predictions for Austin Trout-Miguel Cotto"><span data-lf-article-id="3945" data-lf-site-id="308691" class="livefyre-commentcount">0</span></a></div></span></li> </div> </div> <div class="post-wrap"> <div class="post-top"></div> <div class="post" id="post-3878"> <h1><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651/http://mma-boxing.si.com/2012/11/21/vyacheslav-senchenko-says-18000-ricky-hatton-fans-wont-matter/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link to Vyacheslav Senchenko says 18,000 Ricky Hatton fans won’t matter">Vyacheslav Senchenko says 18,000 Ricky Hatton fans won’t matter</a></h1> <div class="category"> <a href="/web/20130531190651/http://mma-boxing.si.com/category/boxing/">Boxing</a> | <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651/http://mma-boxing.si.com/2012/11/21/vyacheslav-senchenko-says-18000-ricky-hatton-fans-wont-matter/#comment"><span class="js-kit-comments-count" exclude-sources="Twitter" include-sources="Comments" uniq="/2012/11/21/vyacheslav-senchenko-says-18000-ricky-hatton-fans-wont-matter/"></span> Comments </a> </div> <div class="entry"> <div id="cnnSCFontButtons"> <div id="cnnSCFontLabel"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651im_/http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.element/img/4.0/story/textsize.gif"/></div> <div id="cnnSCFontMinusBtn" onclick="setActiveStyleSheet2('default'); return false;"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651im_/http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.element/img/4.0/story/textsize_minus_d.gif" alt="Decrease font" title="Decrease font" class="cnnDecreaseFont"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651im_/http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.element/img/4.0/story/textsize_minus_l.gif" alt="Decrease font" title="Decrease font" class="cnnIncreaseFont"></div> <div id="cnnSCFontPlusBtn" onclick="setActiveStyleSheet2('LargeFont'); return false;"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651im_/http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.element/img/4.0/story/textsize_plus_d.gif" alt="Enlarge font" title="Enlarge font" class="cnnIncreaseFont"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651im_/http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.element/img/4.0/story/textsize_plus_l.gif" alt="Enlarge font" title="Enlarge font" class="cnnDecreaseFont"></div> </div> <div id="attachment_3881" class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 310px"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651/http://sicounterpunch.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/vyacheslav-senchenko.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-3881" title="vyacheslav-senchenko" alt="" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651im_/http://sicounterpunch.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/vyacheslav-senchenko.jpg?w=300&h=280" height="280" width="300"/></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Vyacheslav Senchenko (right) looks to spoil Ricky Hatton’s first fight in three years Saturday when the two meet at Manchester’s MEN Arena. (AP)</p></div> <p><em>Senchenko faces Ricky Hatton on Saturday at Manchester’s MEN Arena (5 p.m. ET/PT, Showtime).</em></p> <p><strong>Hatton is coming off a three-and-a-half year layoff. Do you think you’re catching him at the right time?</strong></p> <p>“When I made the decision to fight Ricky I did it expecting the best Ricky Hatton. We know Ricky wouldn’t have come back if he wasn’t at his best — that’s just how boxing is. Ricky wouldn’t have taken the risk if he didn’t think he was 100 percent. So we’re expecting a very hard fight. We’re expecting the best Ricky Hatton, a prime Ricky Hatton.</p> <p><strong>This is just your third fight outside your native Ukraine. How do you prepare for a fight in front of 18,000 hostile fans?</strong></p> <p>“I’m very excited that I’m going to Manchester to fight in front of a huge crowd. I had a great camp and prepared the way I always do. It’s an opportunity to shine and show the British my skills. Sure, there will 18,000 Ricky Hatton fans, but once I’m in the ring it’s just me and Ricky. The fans aren’t in there with him.”</p> <p><strong>Hatton beat Malignaggi, and Malignaggi defeated you. Why will you upset Hatton?</strong></p> <p>“When I fought Paulie everything went well in the beginning and then I got injured and I couldn’t apply the plan we had scheduled in training. I couldn’t do what I wanted to do. It was a one-time thing because of the injury. I had a good training camp and was able to prepare well, but I got injured. Those things happen in boxing. I thought I fought well but I just couldn’t see anything because the eye was completely closed. Of course, Paul was an odd boxer to fight. Ricky’s fighting style suits me better. I believe it will be a better fight for me. I’ve had a great camp and I’m ready to get back into the limelight with a win.”</p> <p><strong>What were the main reasons you accepted the fight against Hatton in England?</strong></p> <p>“This is the way to come back in the limelight — to beat one of the most popular boxers in the world. It would bring me back in the top position, worldwide. If I beat Ricky then I can get another shot at a title. Once you’re in the ring it’s just you and the opponent. The challenge is to show the 18,000 that I’m the best boxer in the ring. And the fact that the fight is televised in the U.S. on Showtime makes it even better. The stakes are higher now.”</p> <p><strong>Can you tell us the keys to victory?</strong></p> <p>“We need a good jab, a good jab when the opponent comes in — and good legs and sharp punching. I’m an old-school, classical boxer so I need to be able to control the fight. I like boxers that come in rather than run away. If I can dictate the pace and not allow Ricky to get into a rhythm, I should be able to execute my strategy and do what I prepared for in camp.”</p> <p><strong>Do you think you’ll need to knock him out to win a decision in England?</strong></p> <p>“I’ve got to fight my own game plan. I’m not looking for a knockout; I’m looking for a good, technical fight. A good, distance fight. If I can stop the fight early on that would be good, but I’ll take the points. As long as I don’t get injured I should be fine. There’s no problem with the eye, it was a one-time thing with Paulie. I’ve never had another problem since.”</p> <p style="text-align:right;"><em><strong>– Courtesy of Showtime</strong></em></p> <div id="jp-post-flair" class="sharedaddy sd-like-enabled sd-sharing-enabled"></div> <br/> </div> </div> <div class="post-bottom"> <li>Published On <span>Nov 21, 2012</span></li> <li id="right"><span><div><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651/http://mma-boxing.si.com/2012/11/21/vyacheslav-senchenko-says-18000-ricky-hatton-fans-wont-matter/#respond" title="Comment on Vyacheslav Senchenko says 18,000 Ricky Hatton fans won’t matter"><span data-lf-article-id="3878" data-lf-site-id="308691" class="livefyre-commentcount">0</span></a></div></span></li> </div> </div> <div class="post-wrap"> <div class="post-top"></div> <div class="post" id="post-3870"> <h1><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651/http://mma-boxing.si.com/2012/11/20/quick-jabs-gennady-golovkins-next-move-seth-mitchell-experiment-probably-over-and-more/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link to Quick Jabs: Gennady Golovkin’s next move, Seth Mitchell experiment probably over and more">Quick Jabs: Gennady Golovkin’s next move, Seth Mitchell experiment probably over and more</a></h1> <div class="category"> <a href="/web/20130531190651/http://mma-boxing.si.com/category/boxing/">Boxing</a> | <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651/http://mma-boxing.si.com/2012/11/20/quick-jabs-gennady-golovkins-next-move-seth-mitchell-experiment-probably-over-and-more/#comment"><span class="js-kit-comments-count" exclude-sources="Twitter" include-sources="Comments" uniq="/2012/11/20/quick-jabs-gennady-golovkins-next-move-seth-mitchell-experiment-probably-over-and-more/"></span> Comments </a> </div> <div class="entry"> <div id="cnnSCFontButtons"> <div id="cnnSCFontLabel"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651im_/http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.element/img/4.0/story/textsize.gif"/></div> <div id="cnnSCFontMinusBtn" onclick="setActiveStyleSheet2('default'); return false;"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651im_/http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.element/img/4.0/story/textsize_minus_d.gif" alt="Decrease font" title="Decrease font" class="cnnDecreaseFont"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651im_/http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.element/img/4.0/story/textsize_minus_l.gif" alt="Decrease font" title="Decrease font" class="cnnIncreaseFont"></div> <div id="cnnSCFontPlusBtn" onclick="setActiveStyleSheet2('LargeFont'); return false;"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651im_/http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.element/img/4.0/story/textsize_plus_d.gif" alt="Enlarge font" title="Enlarge font" class="cnnIncreaseFont"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651im_/http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.element/img/4.0/story/textsize_plus_l.gif" alt="Enlarge font" title="Enlarge font" class="cnnDecreaseFont"></div> </div> <div id="attachment_3874" class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 310px"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651/http://sicounterpunch.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/gennady-golovkin.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-3874" title="gennady-golovkin" alt="" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651im_/http://sicounterpunch.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/gennady-golovkin.jpg?w=300&h=396" height="396" width="300"/></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Gennady Golovkin (above) will defend his middleweight title against an opponent to be determined on Jan. 19 in New York at the Theater at Madison Square Garden. (AP)</p></div> <p>Some quick jabs …</p> <p>• I’m told HBO is now considering two possible opponents for Gennady Golovkin’s Jan. 19 middleweight title defense: Fernando Guerrero, a one-time prospect who is represented by Al Haymon, and Gabriel Rosado, a rising junior middleweight who is currently the IBF’s mandatory challenger for Cornelius “K9″ Bundrage’s title. To me, the decision is an easy one: Guerrero — who beat Rosado in a controversial eight-round middleweight fight in 2009 — has done nothing recently to warrant this kind of opportunity. Rosado, meanwhile, beat three quality opponents in 2012, all on NBC Sports Network, all by knockout. Rosado is the definition of a television-friendly fighter. A matchup with Golovkin would be a war.</p> <p>• Super featherweight Teon Kennedy’s injury forced Main Events to find a new opponent for undefeated prospect Jerry Belmontes in the co-feature of the Dec. 8 card on NBC Sports Network. On Monday they announced that Eric Hunter (16-2) would step in. Hunter has been on the shelf for most of the last two years, fighting once (last July) since December of 2010.</p> <p>• Kudos to Seth Mitchell for accomplishing a lot in boxing despite not picking up the gloves until he was 24. But this experiment is probably over. You can’t teach a chin and in his last two fights Mitchell has been buzzed by Chazz Witherspoon and knocked out in two rounds by Johnathan Banks. There are things Mitchell can do to improve — he still has no idea how to hold when he gets hurt — but if light hitters like Witherspoon and Banks can wobble him, he’s a sitting duck for one of the Klitschko brothers.</p> <p>• Speaking of Banks: I’d like to see him face one more quality opponent before looking for a fight with Wladimir or Vitali Klitschko. A matchup with Tyson Fury, David Price or his preferred choice, Alexander Povetkin, next year could make Banks some money and, if he wins, give him some momentum heading into a major title fight.</p> <p>• I’m looking forward to Miguel Cotto-Austin Trout on Dec. 1 at Madison Square Garden, but that undercard is horrendous. Jayson Velez and Danny Jacobs — questionable choices for a televised undercard to begin with — will fight separately on Showtime’s broadcast in fights that do nothing for me. Velez (19-0) will face Salvador Sanchez II (30-4-3), nephew of Mexican legend Salvador Sanchez, while Jacobs (23-1), the former prospect and cancer survivor who will fight for the second time in three months, gets Chris Fitzpatrick (15-2).</p> <p>• I don’t know what has gotten into Carl Froch, but after another impressive knockout — this one over handpicked challenger Yusaf Mack — I just don’t know how Lucian Bute can beat him. Froch is just too strong.</p> <p>• Bring on Adrien Broner-Ricky Burns.</p> <p>• Thank you, Fred Sternburg, for sending out 400 emails letting everyone know that Manny Pacquiao gave away free turkeys last week. My overflowing inbox extends its regards.</p> <p>• Hey British promoter Frank Maloney: Your comment that Wladimir Klitschko would be happy not to have to pay Emanuel Steward his 10 percent after a one-sided win over Mariusz Wach last week was disgusting and classless. Steward, a longtime mentor and trainer for Klitschko, lost a battle with cancer last month. Maloney should be ashamed.</p> <p style="text-align:right;"><em style="text-align:right;"><strong>– Chris Mannix</strong></em></p> <div id="jp-post-flair" class="sharedaddy sd-like-enabled sd-sharing-enabled"></div> <br/> </div> </div> <div class="post-bottom"> <li>Published On <span>Nov 20, 2012</span></li> <li id="right"><span><div><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651/http://mma-boxing.si.com/2012/11/20/quick-jabs-gennady-golovkins-next-move-seth-mitchell-experiment-probably-over-and-more/#comments" title="Comment on Quick Jabs: Gennady Golovkin’s next move, Seth Mitchell experiment probably over and more"><span data-lf-article-id="3870" data-lf-site-id="308691" class="livefyre-commentcount">0</span></a></div></span></li> </div> </div> <div class="post-wrap"> <div class="post-top"></div> <div class="post" id="post-3692"> <h1><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651/http://mma-boxing.si.com/2012/11/07/abner-mares-popularity-undermined-by-golden-boy-top-rank-feud/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link to Abner Mares’ popularity undermined by Golden Boy-Top Rank feud">Abner Mares’ popularity undermined by Golden Boy-Top Rank feud</a></h1> <div class="category"> <a href="/web/20130531190651/http://mma-boxing.si.com/category/boxing/">Boxing</a> | <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651/http://mma-boxing.si.com/2012/11/07/abner-mares-popularity-undermined-by-golden-boy-top-rank-feud/#comment"><span class="js-kit-comments-count" exclude-sources="Twitter" include-sources="Comments" uniq="/2012/11/07/abner-mares-popularity-undermined-by-golden-boy-top-rank-feud/"></span> Comments </a> </div> <div class="entry"> <div id="cnnSCFontButtons"> <div id="cnnSCFontLabel"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651im_/http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.element/img/4.0/story/textsize.gif"/></div> <div id="cnnSCFontMinusBtn" onclick="setActiveStyleSheet2('default'); return false;"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651im_/http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.element/img/4.0/story/textsize_minus_d.gif" alt="Decrease font" title="Decrease font" class="cnnDecreaseFont"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651im_/http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.element/img/4.0/story/textsize_minus_l.gif" alt="Decrease font" title="Decrease font" class="cnnIncreaseFont"></div> <div id="cnnSCFontPlusBtn" onclick="setActiveStyleSheet2('LargeFont'); return false;"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651im_/http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.element/img/4.0/story/textsize_plus_d.gif" alt="Enlarge font" title="Enlarge font" class="cnnIncreaseFont"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651im_/http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.element/img/4.0/story/textsize_plus_l.gif" alt="Enlarge font" title="Enlarge font" class="cnnDecreaseFont"></div> </div> <div id="attachment_3693" class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 310px"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651/http://sicounterpunch.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/abner-mares.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-3693" title="abner-mares" alt="" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651im_/http://sicounterpunch.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/abner-mares.jpg?w=300&h=294" height="294" width="300"/></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Bantamweight titleholder Abner Mares, who is No. 13 on SI.com’s pound-for-pound list, returns to action Saturday on Showtime against Anselmo Moreno. (AP)</p></div> <p>The ongoing feud between Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions and Bob Arum’s Top Rank has stood in the way of countless potential fights. Prime examples include junior welterweights Lucas Matthysse and Brandon Rios, middleweights Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and Saul Alvarez and, most recently, super bantamweights Abner Mares and Nonito Donaire.</p> <p>On Saturday, Mares (24-0-1) will defend his WBC title against Anselmo Moreno (33-1-1) at the Staples Center in Los Angeles (10 p.m. ET, Showtime). And let’s be honest: Very few people care. It’s hard enough to get average fans interested in the 122-pound division, even harder when they know it’s not even the best fight they could be seeing.</p> <p>The best fight is Mares-Donaire, which would feature the two unquestioned top dogs in the super bantamweight division. Mares is slick and skilled, the winner of Showtime’s bantamweight tournament who has been picking off top opponents for the last two years. Donaire, who dominated Japan’s Toshiaki Nishioka last month, blends power and speed better than anyone in the division.</p> <p>On a recent conference call, Mares expressed interest in making a Donaire fight.</p> <p>“All I can say is Nonito, he’s a great fighter,” Mares said. “He’s really, really explosive, a really great fighter. His last performance against Nishioka, I mean the fight was a little bit, you could say boring at the beginning but being that Nishioka wasn’t throwing that much, he wasn’t giving that much. Nonito found a way and took his time and got that knockout. He looked good.</p> <p>“If I were to fight him, obviously I’d fight him different and it would be a great fight. I know and I’ve seen that people want that fight. They’ve been asking for that fight and they know that I could give them a hell of a fight and definitely beat him as well. But again, that’s in the future, first things first.”</p> <p>There are no reasonable excuses for not making Mares-Donaire. Both fighters are experienced champions who are ready for the best fight out there. Both are marketable to networks — Mares to Showtime, Donaire to HBO — and both have developed a following over the last two years.</p> <p>The only excuse is that representatives from Golden Boy and Top Rank don’t want to be in the same room together. And that’s not good enough. Because only the diehards will watch Mares-Moreno, just like only the diehards watched Donaire-Nishioka.</p> <p>You want to build an audience, give them something worth watching.</p> <p style="text-align:right;"><em><strong>– Chris Mannix</strong></em></p> <div id="jp-post-flair" class="sharedaddy sd-like-enabled sd-sharing-enabled"></div> <br/> </div> </div> <div class="post-bottom"> <li>Published On <span>Nov 07, 2012</span></li> <li id="right"><span><div><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651/http://mma-boxing.si.com/2012/11/07/abner-mares-popularity-undermined-by-golden-boy-top-rank-feud/#comments" title="Comment on Abner Mares’ popularity undermined by Golden Boy-Top Rank feud"><span data-lf-article-id="3692" data-lf-site-id="308691" class="livefyre-commentcount">0</span></a></div></span></li> </div> </div> <div class="post-wrap"> <div class="post-top"></div> <div class="post" id="post-3501"> <h1><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651/http://mma-boxing.si.com/2012/10/12/strike-two-against-strikeforce-nov-3-event-is-second-straight-to-be-canceled/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link to Strike two against Strikeforce: Nov. 3 event is second straight to be canceled">Strike two against Strikeforce: Nov. 3 event is second straight to be canceled</a></h1> <div class="category"> <a href="/web/20130531190651/http://mma-boxing.si.com/category/mma/">MMA</a> | <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651/http://mma-boxing.si.com/2012/10/12/strike-two-against-strikeforce-nov-3-event-is-second-straight-to-be-canceled/#comment"><span class="js-kit-comments-count" exclude-sources="Twitter" include-sources="Comments" uniq="/2012/10/12/strike-two-against-strikeforce-nov-3-event-is-second-straight-to-be-canceled/"></span> Comments </a> </div> <div class="entry"> <div id="cnnSCFontButtons"> <div id="cnnSCFontLabel"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651im_/http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.element/img/4.0/story/textsize.gif"/></div> <div id="cnnSCFontMinusBtn" onclick="setActiveStyleSheet2('default'); return false;"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651im_/http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.element/img/4.0/story/textsize_minus_d.gif" alt="Decrease font" title="Decrease font" class="cnnDecreaseFont"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651im_/http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.element/img/4.0/story/textsize_minus_l.gif" alt="Decrease font" title="Decrease font" class="cnnIncreaseFont"></div> <div id="cnnSCFontPlusBtn" onclick="setActiveStyleSheet2('LargeFont'); return false;"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651im_/http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.element/img/4.0/story/textsize_plus_d.gif" alt="Enlarge font" title="Enlarge font" class="cnnIncreaseFont"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651im_/http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.element/img/4.0/story/textsize_plus_l.gif" alt="Enlarge font" title="Enlarge font" class="cnnDecreaseFont"></div> </div> <div id="attachment_3505" class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 308px"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651/http://sicounterpunch.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/cormier.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-3505" title="cormier" alt="" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651im_/http://sicounterpunch.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/cormier.jpg?w=298&h=400" height="400" width="298"/></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Daniel Cormier maintained his optimism after Strikeforce’s second straight cancellation. (US PRESSWIRE)</p></div> <p>Two strikes and you’re . . . still alive?</p> <p>Strikeforce canceled its scheduled Nov. 3 event on Friday afternoon, making the Oklahoma City card the fight promotion’s second in a row to implode.</p> <p>That part of the announcement, made in a terse press release issued by both Strikeforce and television partner Showtime, was not a surprise. The unexpected part was the accompanying announcement that Showtime will air a Strikeforce event in January.</p> <p>That Strikeforce will live to fight another day — or at least is still publicly expressing its intention to do so — might flabbergast some who follow mixed martial arts. The promotion’s Sept. 29 event in Sacramento was canceled after Gilbert Melendez, scheduled to defend his lightweight championship, was injured in training and Showtime declined to televise the evening of fights without its main event. Then, after Frank Mir pulled out of the Nov. 3 event with an injury, and Strikeforce dragged its feet on announcing a replacement opponent for Daniel Cormier in the Heavyweight Grand Prix winner’s final bout before moving to the UFC, it looked like the end might be near for a promotion that parent company Zuffa already had stripped of many of its best fighters — Nick Diaz, Dan Henderson, Alistair Overeem — and sent them over to its corporate cousin, the UFC.</p> <p>Earlier this week, the AXS TV show <i>Inside MMA</i> reported that “the Nov. 3 event is in serious jeopardy” and, citing multiple sources it did not name, that “the relationship between Strikeforce and Showtime may be coming to an end.” The report was vaguely worded — “strong possibility,” “could very possibly signify” and such — and no other media outlet was able to confirm the demise of the fight promotion. Still, both Strikeforce and Showtime officials were quick to tout the January event to quell the rumors.</p> <p>“Due to a series of injuries, we were forced to cancel the upcoming card on Nov. 3, but are already working to put together a stacked card in January,” CEO Scott Coker said in the Strikeforce statement, alluding to not just the Mir injury but also the event’s loss of a Luke Rockhold title defense after the middleweight champ was injured.</p> <p>About that “stacked card” Coker mentioned …</p> <p>“While we’re disappointed with the cancellation, we are looking forward to an even bigger Strikeforce event on Showtime early next year,” said Stephen Espinoza, executive vice president & general manager, Showtime Sports.</p> <p>The enthusiasm was lost on Tim Kennedy, who was scheduled to face Trevor Smith in one of the few announced bouts on the Oklahoma City card. The middleweight took to Twitter with his frustration, writing, “Thank you @Strikeforce for letting me read about my fight being canceled on the Internet. I was 9 weeks into my fight camp. Awesome!”</p> <p>The cancellation is an especially bitter pill to swallow for Cormier, who before becoming an Olympic wrestler was an NCAA Division I runner-up at Oklahoma State. Excited for a homecoming fight, he’d been patiently waiting for an opponent to be placed in front of him, even if it meant a shortened preparation time. “I’ll fight now, no matter what,” he told SI.com last month. “I’m not bowing out. I’m not doing that to my Okies.”</p> <p>After Friday’s announcement, Cormier remained surprisingly upbeat. “Very sad about not fighting,” he wrote on Twitter, “but at the end of the day something positive will come from it. More time to train. I am with a good company. Things will be OK. Very sad and upset, but it’ll work out. @UFC, @Strikeforce and @ShoSports are all top-fight organizations. Will be fine.”</p> <p>Considering his positive outlook amid a doom-and-gloom backdrop of two straight cancelled events, Strikeforce might want to enlist Cormier to run the show from now on. Either that or turn to Tony Gwynn for guidance. In his time, the Baseball Hall of Famer built as reputation as his sport’s greatest two-strike hitter.</p> <p style="text-align:right;"><b style="text-align:right;"><i>—Jeff Wagenheim</i></b></p> <div id="jp-post-flair" class="sharedaddy sd-like-enabled sd-sharing-enabled"></div> <br/> </div> </div> <div class="post-bottom"> <li>Published On <span>Oct 12, 2012</span></li> <li id="right"><span><div><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651/http://mma-boxing.si.com/2012/10/12/strike-two-against-strikeforce-nov-3-event-is-second-straight-to-be-canceled/#respond" title="Comment on Strike two against Strikeforce: Nov. 3 event is second straight to be canceled"><span data-lf-article-id="3501" data-lf-site-id="308691" class="livefyre-commentcount">0</span></a></div></span></li> </div> </div> <div class="post-wrap"> <div class="post-top"></div> <div class="post" id="post-3344"> <h1><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651/http://mma-boxing.si.com/2012/09/24/deja-vu-for-zuffa-with-melendez-hurt-strikeforce-cancels-saturdays-fights/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link to Déjà vu for Zuffa: With Melendez hurt, Strikeforce cancels Saturday’s fights">Déjà vu for Zuffa: With Melendez hurt, Strikeforce cancels Saturday’s fights</a></h1> <div class="category"> <a href="/web/20130531190651/http://mma-boxing.si.com/category/mma/">MMA</a> | <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651/http://mma-boxing.si.com/2012/09/24/deja-vu-for-zuffa-with-melendez-hurt-strikeforce-cancels-saturdays-fights/#comment"><span class="js-kit-comments-count" exclude-sources="Twitter" include-sources="Comments" uniq="/2012/09/24/deja-vu-for-zuffa-with-melendez-hurt-strikeforce-cancels-saturdays-fights/"></span> Comments </a> </div> <div class="entry"> <div id="cnnSCFontButtons"> <div id="cnnSCFontLabel"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651im_/http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.element/img/4.0/story/textsize.gif"/></div> <div id="cnnSCFontMinusBtn" onclick="setActiveStyleSheet2('default'); return false;"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651im_/http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.element/img/4.0/story/textsize_minus_d.gif" alt="Decrease font" title="Decrease font" class="cnnDecreaseFont"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651im_/http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.element/img/4.0/story/textsize_minus_l.gif" alt="Decrease font" title="Decrease font" class="cnnIncreaseFont"></div> <div id="cnnSCFontPlusBtn" onclick="setActiveStyleSheet2('LargeFont'); return false;"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651im_/http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.element/img/4.0/story/textsize_plus_d.gif" alt="Enlarge font" title="Enlarge font" class="cnnIncreaseFont"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651im_/http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.element/img/4.0/story/textsize_plus_l.gif" alt="Enlarge font" title="Enlarge font" class="cnnDecreaseFont"></div> </div> <div id="attachment_3351" class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 308px"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651/http://sicounterpunch.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/melendez1.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-3351" title="melendez" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651im_/http://sicounterpunch.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/melendez1.jpg?w=298&h=400" alt="Gilbert Melendez" width="298" height="400"/></a><p class="wp-caption-text">With headliner Gilbert Melendez suffering an injury in training, Showtime elected not to air Saturday’s Strikeforce card. (Mike Roach/Getty Images)</p></div> <p>The first 11 years of Zuffa’s involvement in the mixed martial arts business: zero fight card cancellations. The last four weeks: two events nixed.</p> <p>Strikeforce has called off this Saturday’s event scheduled for Sacramento, Calif., after headliner Gilbert Melendez, who was to defend his lightweight championship against Pat Healy, was injured in training last week. The announcement came with the UFC still feeling the aftershocks of its first cancellation in over a decade under Zuffa, which purchased Strikeforce a year and a half ago.</p> <p>Whereas UFC 151 fell apart last month after light heavyweight challenger Dan Henderson pulled out with an injury and champion Jon Jones declined to face a replacement opponent on nine days’ notice, Strikeforce had no such fallback possibility for salvaging its title fight, with the champ being the one injured.</p> <p>The event was to be televised on Showtime, but according to Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker, when the cable outlet learned that the star of the show was off the marquee, it opted not to air the evening of fights. “Without a television partner,” Coker said in a statement issued late Sunday night, “we simply could not move forward with this event.”</p> <p>Showtime Sports issued a statement Monday evening: “On Friday night Strikeforce informed us that lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez had sustained an injury and would not be able to compete in their Saturday, Sept. 29, card. Without our headline fighter and main event or a marquee undercard, we reluctantly informed Strikeforce that we could not continue with plans for the telecast.”</p> <p>On its face, Showtime’s decision signals nothing other than dissatisfaction with one event’s diminished ratings potential. But the cable executives’ disenchantment could very well run deeper. Since buying Strikeforce, Zuffa has stripped the fight promotion of most of its best fighters, moving Nick Diaz, Dan Henderson and Alistair Overeem to the UFC. Other than Melendez, who is among the top 155-pounders in the world, and a women’s division featuring the star power of Ronda Rousey, the only premium cable-worthy attraction left might be Daniel Cormier, winner of the recent Heavyweight Grand Prix. But he, too, will move to the UFC after one more Strikeforce appearance.</p> <p>Curiously, the two-time Olympic wrestler’s scheduled Nov. 3 fight is nowhere to be seen on the Showtime Sports website, which touts boxing matches slated as far forward as December. Of course, it’s a bit awkward to promote a fight between Daniel Cormier and Mr. TBA. Frank Mir was to come over from the UFC for the fight, but the two-time heavyweight champ was injured last week, and a replacement has yet to be named. The fight is less than six weeks away, and Strikeforce and Showtime need a plan. The same could be said for the two organizations’ big-picture partnership.</p> <p style="text-align:right;"> <strong>–Jeff Wagenheim</strong></p> <div id="jp-post-flair" class="sharedaddy sd-like-enabled sd-sharing-enabled"></div> <br/> </div> </div> <div class="post-bottom"> <li>Published On <span>Sep 24, 2012</span></li> <li id="right"><span><div><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651/http://mma-boxing.si.com/2012/09/24/deja-vu-for-zuffa-with-melendez-hurt-strikeforce-cancels-saturdays-fights/#comments" title="Comment on Déjà vu for Zuffa: With Melendez hurt, Strikeforce cancels Saturday’s fights"><span data-lf-article-id="3344" data-lf-site-id="308691" class="livefyre-commentcount">0</span></a></div></span></li> </div> </div> <div class="post-wrap"> <div class="post-top"></div> <div class="post" id="post-604"> <h1><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651/http://mma-boxing.si.com/2011/10/13/hershman-to-be-named-hbo-sports-president/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link to Hershman to be named HBO Sports president">Hershman to be named HBO Sports president</a></h1> <div class="category"> <a href="/web/20130531190651/http://mma-boxing.si.com/category/boxing/">Boxing</a> | <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651/http://mma-boxing.si.com/2011/10/13/hershman-to-be-named-hbo-sports-president/#comment"><span class="js-kit-comments-count" exclude-sources="Twitter" include-sources="Comments" uniq="/2011/10/13/hershman-to-be-named-hbo-sports-president/"></span> Comments </a> </div> <div class="entry"> <div id="cnnSCFontButtons"> <div id="cnnSCFontLabel"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651im_/http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.element/img/4.0/story/textsize.gif"/></div> <div id="cnnSCFontMinusBtn" onclick="setActiveStyleSheet2('default'); return false;"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651im_/http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.element/img/4.0/story/textsize_minus_d.gif" alt="Decrease font" title="Decrease font" class="cnnDecreaseFont"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651im_/http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.element/img/4.0/story/textsize_minus_l.gif" alt="Decrease font" title="Decrease font" class="cnnIncreaseFont"></div> <div id="cnnSCFontPlusBtn" onclick="setActiveStyleSheet2('LargeFont'); return false;"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651im_/http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.element/img/4.0/story/textsize_plus_d.gif" alt="Enlarge font" title="Enlarge font" class="cnnIncreaseFont"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651im_/http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.element/img/4.0/story/textsize_plus_l.gif" alt="Enlarge font" title="Enlarge font" class="cnnDecreaseFont"></div> </div> <div id="attachment_607" class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 310px"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651/http://sicounterpunch.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/ken-hershman.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-607 " title="ken-hershman" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651im_/http://sicounterpunch.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/ken-hershman.jpg?w=300&h=284" alt="" width="300" height="284"/></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Ken Hershman (above) oversaw a period of impressive growth while in charge of Showtime's sports department. (Ed Mulholland/US Presswire)</p></div> <p>NEW YORK — HBO is set to name Showtime’s Ken Hershman as President of HBO Sports, sources told SI.com. Hershman will replace Ross Greenburg, who resigned in July.</p> <p>In a statement, Showtime confirmed Hershman has left the company.</p> <p>Hershman has been with Showtime since 1992, rising from an attorney with the network to the head of the sports department in 2003.</p> <p>Since 2005, Hershman has taken Showtime from a boxing-heavy programming to include mixed martial arts and successful programs <em>Inside the NFL</em> and <em>Inside NASCAR</em>, as well as several feature documentaries.</p> <p>Among the candidates who could replace Hershman is Lou DiBella, the former head of HBO Sports, who currently runs his own boxing promotional company.</p> <p style="text-align:right;"><em><strong>– Chris Mannix</strong></em></p> <div id="jp-post-flair" class="sharedaddy sd-like-enabled sd-sharing-enabled"></div> <br/> </div> </div> <div class="post-bottom"> <li>Published On <span>Oct 13, 2011</span></li> <li id="right"><span><div><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651/http://mma-boxing.si.com/2011/10/13/hershman-to-be-named-hbo-sports-president/#comments" title="Comment on Hershman to be named HBO Sports president"><span data-lf-article-id="604" data-lf-site-id="308691" class="livefyre-commentcount">0</span></a></div></span></li> </div> </div> <div class="navigation"> <div class="alignleft"></div> <div class="alignright"></div> </div> </div> <div class="sidebar test"> <div id="ad300x250" class="rightbox"> <script language="JavaScript"> siAds.render('mma_boxing/rgt.300x250', 300, 250); </script> </div> <div class="rightbox"><div class="list"> <h2>Recent Posts</h2> <ul> <li> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130531190651/http://mma-boxing.si.com/2013/05/30/marco-huck-ola-afolabi-ready-to-battle-for-cruiserweight-belt/" title="Marco Huck, Ola Afolabi ready to battle for cruiserweight belt">Marco Huck, Ola Afolabi ready to battle for cruiserweight belt</a> </li> <li> <a 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