re: Older guys and boxing fans

Al Haymon is working on bringing boxing back to network and cable. He already struck a deal with NBC. Plus he has CBS, Spike TV and other rumored channels. Supposedly he wants to drive premium channels and PPV out of the sport. This is actually a time-buy: he's paying networks to show his fights. He has a bunch of investors behind him to kick off his new boxing series "Premier Boxing Champions".

Haymon is a very shady figure in the sport who stays hidden. He's smart as shite though. Even has a termination clause in his fighters contracts that says they can't say anything negative about him in public. I guess that's why they make sure they thank him in ever damn post fight interview. Haymon is the man who made Floyd the money man that he is today. And Floyd likes to claim he's the boss but always remember that it's Haymon that's really running shite.

It's pretty incredible how mysterious this man is. There are only a handful of photos of him, he's never seen at fights, refuses to talk to the media, refuses to talk business face to face, etc. But there is no doubt he's the most powerful man in the sport. What's also interesting is he's basically signing everyone now and the rumor is he wants to start his own league, create his own belts, etc. just like the UFC.

The strangest of all though is he's called an "advisor" by his clients. It's illegal to both manage and promote fighters. That's why the Ali Act was created. But everyone with common sense in the sport knows he's managing and promoting. He's just using DiBella entertainment right now the way he used to use Golden Boy Promotions. They put their logo on everything, charge a fee and let Haymon call all the shots.

Just a few notes on the man who's attempting to turn boxing into the UFC and put it all over television.