Some Heavy Help Needed At HBO
By G. Leon
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Yesterday's report on HBO's farcical PPV thoroughly pointed out how boxing fans were paying $49.95 for garbage last Saturday night. The story, which has generated a tremendous response from the boxing world, touched on all of the fights mentioned, save for one, the main event. Vitali Klitschko-Danny Williams for the WBC heavyweight title, not THE heavyweight championship of the world, as some would like for you to believe.
First of all, after watching Klitschko's last three fights with Kirk Johnson, Corrie Sanders and Danny Williams one must wonder, does HBO, K2, Shelly Finkel, or Klitschko's attorney see to it that a clause is placed in Klitschko's contract, demanding that his opponents train by running to the nearest McDonald's or Wendy's?
It made me sick to my stomach to hear HBO's Jim Lampley rant on about "none of the heavyweights in November" making such a statement.
Give me a break. If they're going to come with these opinions they need to be like the politcians around election time and have the suits, Kerry Davis or Ross Greenburg would do, come on at the end of a telecast to say, "Hi, I'm so an so from HBO and I endorse this message."
Lampley's absurd remarks appear to have been shot from his surgically repaired hip, because he neglected to mention that the other heavyweight champions who fought in November, Byrd and Ruiz, rose from the canvas to win their fights. When Klitschko gets decked and comes back to win a fight maybe we could say he has as much heart as Byrd and Ruiz do.
Most importantly, Byrd and Ruiz had LEGIT challengers in front of them on November 13, both of whom threw more than ten punches in the fight.
Williams, like virtually every other fighter on the show, was only seen by the American Public on Showtime when he stopped Mike Tyson in four rounds.
I for one loved how they advertised the "punch heard round the world."
Perhaps HBO has selective hearing loss because it's obvious the punches that bested Ramirez, and twice bested Navarro and Bailey on Showtime, weren't heard at all.
And am I the only person who thinks the only shape HBO seems to be concerned with regarding Klitschko's opponents is round?
Since HBO seems to be in dire need of assistance regarding it's heavyweight matchmaking, we'll help them out.
Keep it simple and set up a heavyweight tournament. All it would take is two HBO World Championship Boxing dates to get the ball rolling.
IF HBO truly WANTS a REAL heavyweight champion, if they truly want to spark some interest in heavyweight boxing, particularly some real interest behind their beloved Klitschko they have the dates to do it, all they have to do now is make nicey with Don King, who has much of the heavyweight market cornered.
To me, a heavyweight tournament should look like something like this, HBO DATE 1:Chris Byrd-James Toney (IBF), John Ruiz-Jameel McCline (WBA) HBO DATE 2: Vitali Klitschko-Hasim Rahman (WBC), Lamon Brewster-Andrew Golota (WBO).
Winners fight winners until there's one left, one heavyweight champion of the world.
It's a capitalist game, this boxing, and HBO is the eight hundred pound gorilla that seems to be thinking more like a chimpanzee these days.
By G. Leon
---------------
Yesterday's report on HBO's farcical PPV thoroughly pointed out how boxing fans were paying $49.95 for garbage last Saturday night. The story, which has generated a tremendous response from the boxing world, touched on all of the fights mentioned, save for one, the main event. Vitali Klitschko-Danny Williams for the WBC heavyweight title, not THE heavyweight championship of the world, as some would like for you to believe.
First of all, after watching Klitschko's last three fights with Kirk Johnson, Corrie Sanders and Danny Williams one must wonder, does HBO, K2, Shelly Finkel, or Klitschko's attorney see to it that a clause is placed in Klitschko's contract, demanding that his opponents train by running to the nearest McDonald's or Wendy's?
It made me sick to my stomach to hear HBO's Jim Lampley rant on about "none of the heavyweights in November" making such a statement.
Give me a break. If they're going to come with these opinions they need to be like the politcians around election time and have the suits, Kerry Davis or Ross Greenburg would do, come on at the end of a telecast to say, "Hi, I'm so an so from HBO and I endorse this message."
Lampley's absurd remarks appear to have been shot from his surgically repaired hip, because he neglected to mention that the other heavyweight champions who fought in November, Byrd and Ruiz, rose from the canvas to win their fights. When Klitschko gets decked and comes back to win a fight maybe we could say he has as much heart as Byrd and Ruiz do.
Most importantly, Byrd and Ruiz had LEGIT challengers in front of them on November 13, both of whom threw more than ten punches in the fight.
Williams, like virtually every other fighter on the show, was only seen by the American Public on Showtime when he stopped Mike Tyson in four rounds.
I for one loved how they advertised the "punch heard round the world."
Perhaps HBO has selective hearing loss because it's obvious the punches that bested Ramirez, and twice bested Navarro and Bailey on Showtime, weren't heard at all.
And am I the only person who thinks the only shape HBO seems to be concerned with regarding Klitschko's opponents is round?
Since HBO seems to be in dire need of assistance regarding it's heavyweight matchmaking, we'll help them out.
Keep it simple and set up a heavyweight tournament. All it would take is two HBO World Championship Boxing dates to get the ball rolling.
IF HBO truly WANTS a REAL heavyweight champion, if they truly want to spark some interest in heavyweight boxing, particularly some real interest behind their beloved Klitschko they have the dates to do it, all they have to do now is make nicey with Don King, who has much of the heavyweight market cornered.
To me, a heavyweight tournament should look like something like this, HBO DATE 1:Chris Byrd-James Toney (IBF), John Ruiz-Jameel McCline (WBA) HBO DATE 2: Vitali Klitschko-Hasim Rahman (WBC), Lamon Brewster-Andrew Golota (WBO).
Winners fight winners until there's one left, one heavyweight champion of the world.
It's a capitalist game, this boxing, and HBO is the eight hundred pound gorilla that seems to be thinking more like a chimpanzee these days.
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