According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, a shakeup in the boxing industry as HBO has cut ties with Golden Boy Promotions.
“I’m hardly surprised. I cannot be surprised, and I am not surprised,” said Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer told ESPN.com. “The president of HBO Sports did not have any conversations with me since last November or December about anything. It is clear that in the aftermath of the biggest names in the sport, Floyd Mayweather and Canelo Alvarez, leaving HBO for Showtime that HBO is obviously upset at [Mayweather adviser] Al Haymon and me, and this is their way of getting back at us.
“I think it’s an ill-advised strategy because the only ones that are getting hurt are the HBO subscribers, which were used to seeing the best fighters on HBO. That will obviously no longer be the case. Having said that, I wish HBO well. They’re a terrific company, and life goes on. For us, it’s business as usual.”
“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,” said head of HBO Sports Ken Hershman said in a statement given to ESPN.com.
“I see [HBO is] drinking the Top Rank Kool-Aid, and the only thing I can say is, ‘Beware, you’re drinking at your own risk,'” Schaefer said.
“HBO decided they want to go in a different direction, and I respect their decision and I wish them well,” he said, “but I saw this coming last September with the Canelo situation.”
