A Look At “The Official Fight Promoter Playbook”

Whether you are a casual Boxing fan or enthusiast there has probably been a time where you have questioned certain things related to “The Business of Boxing” whether it be why a fight between two marquee fighters cannot seem to be made, the cost of media coverage, or the cost of a pay-per-view event, or what is the process of putting together a Boxing card.  Recently I had an opportunity to read “The Official Fight Promoter Playbook” written by Tony Shultz.

This book, which is part of a five book series focusing on the business of fight promotion, offers a resource on how to run a successful Boxing or Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) event.  Shultz, a fight promotions expert offers great insight of the intricate necessities that a promoter needs in order to promote an event.  

Covering a variety of topics including venue contracts, marketing strategies, sponsorship agreements, budgeting, and TV broadcast agreements, just to name a few, the book offers a step-by-step blueprint that covers the essentials of Boxing promotion and the necessary aspects that are needed to be successful.  The book offers advice, strategies, and samples on how to get a Boxing or MMA promotional entity off the ground in an insightful way. 

 

As a Boxing journalist it was not so far in the past that I attended a Boxing event that quite frankly was a train wreck. Fortunately, the Boxing card and those who fought on it put on a great show. Surrounding the ring from the time you entered the venue putting it mildly was disorganized. As a template this book may have provided guidance for an overall successful event.  

“The Official Fight Promoter Playbook” offers a template for anyone that has an interest in promotion. As one who has written columns regarding “The Business” of Boxing this book offers an excellent resource and clarification of many questions that arise. 

As someone who grew up as an avid Boxing fan and has written about and covered the sport for many years I was impressed with how well the book was put together and thoroughly enjoyed looking into a different aspect of the sport.  Whether you are an aspiring promoter, journalist, or enthusiast of the sweet science who wants to learn more about the promotional side of the sport this book is a “MUST READ”.  

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

“The Official Fight Promoter Playbook” is available on Amazon Kindle and can be purchased at http://www.amazon.com/Official-Fight-Promoter-Playbook-ebook/dp/B009KWDBZA/ref=sr_1_2/189-5815560-9523429?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1401211340&sr=1-2 

For more information about Tony Shultz and “The Fight Promoter Series” please visit: www.Fighttown.net and www.howtopromotefights.com

 

The Boxing Truth® is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved. 

Follow Beau Denison on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Beau_Denison

Stevenson’s Body Attack Leads To Successful Title Defense

One of the more interesting weight classes in the sport of Boxing in the last couple of years has been the Light-Heavyweight division. In recent times much of the discussion with regard to the division has centered around three men. Adonis Stevenson, Sergey Kovalev, and Bernard Hopkins.

A scenario of two emerging stars in Stevenson and Kovalev sharing the top of the division with a future first ballot Hall of Famer in Bernard Hopkins is certainly an intriguing storyline. Stevenson, who became the WBC world champion in the Light-Heavyweight division in 2013, is regarded by many as the top fighter in the division. Following four knockout victories last year, Stevenson entered the ring for the first time in 2014 on May 24th to make the third defense of his world title against top contender Andrzej Fonfara at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Canada.

Although Fonfara was rated number three in the world by the World Boxing Council (WBC) and number one in the world by the World Boxing Organization (WBO) there were some who considered him an underdog, despite victories over former Light-Heavyweight world champions Glen Johnson and Gabriel Campillo during his career. An obvious question that will be asked of any fighter who faces a fighter with devastating knockout power is not only can they avoid the power, but also can they extend the fight into the later rounds.

The story of this fight in my eyes for the first seven rounds was Stevenson’s ability to use his lateral movement and combination punching to control the tempo. Stevenson scored a knockdown of Fonfara in round one with a straight left hand to the head and dropped the challenger for a second time with a brutal straight left hand to the body in round five. Stevenson dominated the first half of the fight with a well-balanced attack to the body and head of Fonfara.

Fonfara consistently came forward and was willing to engage with Stevenson and did have periodic moments, particularly when he was able to land his left hand on the champion. Fonfara however, had trouble letting his hands go in the first part of the fight and did not throw combinations. This could likely be attributed to both a respect for Stevenson’s punching power as well as Stevenson’s elusiveness and ability to control distance.

Despite suffering two knockdowns Fonfara was very “Game” and continued coming forward looking to turn the fight in his favor. The tempo of the fight seemed to shift slightly in round eight as Fonfara began to let his hands go more and was able to land a couple combinations. Although still in control of the fight, Stevenson appeared to show signs of fatigue.

Fonfara was able to build on what he was able to do in the eighth round as he dropped the champion with a straight right hand in round nine. A question that fighters who are labeled knockout punchers eventually have to answer is can they deal with adversity. Fonfara’s knockdown of Stevenson, the second of Stevenson’s career would pose that question to the champion.

The champion responded in round ten by resuming his attack to Fonfara’s body that put him back in control. Stevenson’s lateral movement was less visible in the later rounds due to fatigue and that allowed for good exchanges between the two fighters on the inside with Stevenson appearing to get the better of most of those exchanges. Stevenson would go on to win a convincing twelve round unanimous decision.

Although some might choose to criticize Stevenson who had scored ten straight knockouts coming into this fight for not being able to stop Fonfara, this observer will not be one of them. An interesting conundrum for knockout punchers that can at times be difficult is to look impressive in fights that go the distance when fans have become accustomed to seeing fights end quickly.

Many boxers who were known as devastating punchers have faced similar circumstances as Stevenson faced in this fight. Sometimes no matter how devastating a fighter’s punching power might be, an opponent’s will and determination can force a knockout puncher to go the distance. Andrzej Fonfara earned a lot of respect in this fight with the heart and will he showed. There is no doubt in my mind that Fonfara will remain very much in the mix as a top contender going forward.

Despite not being able to score a knockout in this fight Stevenson was still impressive and did answer the question of whether he could deal with adversity by getting up and fighting harder after being knocked down. Now with three successful title defenses behind him, the question is what is next for Adonis Stevenson?

Stevenson stated after the fight that he is open to facing either Bernard Hopkins or Sergey Kovalev in his next fight. Both Kovalev and Hopkins have each successfully defended their respective world titles in the last two months. Kovalev scoring a seventh round knockout over Cedric Agnew on March 29th in defense of his WBO world title and Hopkins successfully unifying his IBF world title against WBA champion Beibut Shumenov on April 19th.

If a unification bout is next for Stevenson, both fights would draw attention. An argument can be made however, that a fight between Stevenson and Hopkins would draw the most attention due to Hopkins being the marquee draw of the division.

Although there is always the possibility of a champion’s mandatory obligations potentially playing a role in whether a unification bout takes place, it does not appear as though there is much that would stand in the way of a fight to further unify the World Light-Heavyweight championship. Hopkins would appear to have no mandatory defenses as mandated by either the International Boxing Federation (IBF) or the World Boxing Association (WBA). Stevenson meanwhile could be mandated to face current WBC number one contender and former champion Jean Pascal at some point in the near future. 

What also makes this interesting by Stevenson defeating Fonfara, is it theoretically leaves an opening in the number one ranking in the WBO Light-Heavyweight ratings. It will be interesting to see if a scenario presents itself where either Stevenson, Hopkins, or Kovalev will face-off in their next fight and whether the politics of the sport will allow the winner of that fight to face the third champion of the division to determine an undisputed champion.

Assuming the sport’s respective governing bodies allow such a scenario to play out, it will be interesting to see just who emerges as the undisputed champion of the Light-Heavyweight division. An intriguing storyline that surely will continue to be a topic of discussion throughout the Boxing world.

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

The Boxing Truth® is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved.

Follow Beau Denison on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Beau_Denison 

Marquez Dominates Alvarado, Fifth Fight With Manny Pacquiao Possible

There is no doubt that Juan Manuel Marquez is destined to enter any Hall of Fame associated with the sport of Boxing when his illustrious career reaches it’s conclusion. Marquez has been an elite pound for pound fighter for many years. 

Although a highly skilled boxer, Marquez has been more than willing to mix it up and go toe to toe with his opponents throughout his career. Marquez’ willingness to engage in some of the sport’s more memorable battles has rightfully earned him recognition as one of the most exciting fighters in the sport. Coming off of a narrow decision loss in his last fight to then WBO Welterweight world champion Timothy Bradley last October, Marquez returned to the ring to face former WBO Jr. Welterweight world champion Mike Alvarado on May 17th at The Forum in Inglewood, California.

In the lead up to this fight I stated that Marquez-Alvarado had the ingredients to be exciting on paper. This fight could be described as both a demonstration of one fighter’s vast skills as well as a tactical Boxing match that developed into a toe to toe battle.  

Marquez established the pace of the fight taking the lead and being the busier fighter. As the fight progressed, Marquez began mixing in combinations to the body and head of Alvarado while using his lateral movement to avoid much of Alvarado’s offense and being an elusive target. Although Alvarado had periodic moments throughout landing punches sporadically, he seemed to give Marquez too much respect in allowing Marquez to dictate exactly how the fight would be fought. Marquez’ command of the fight was highlighted in the final seconds of round eight when he knocked Alvarado down with a overhand right that nearly knocked Alvarado out of the ring. Alvarado made it to his feet and survived the round.

At this point in the fight there really wasn’t much to say other than simply one fighter besting another. Sometimes however, even the most lopsided of fights can produce drama. Alvarado, clearly behind on the scorecards after eight rounds responded to the knockdown by scoring a knockdown of his own in round nine when he dropped Marquez with a right hand early in the round.

What had been a tactical Boxing match for eight rounds with Marquez showcasing his high Boxing IQ quickly developed into a fight as Marquez responded to being knocked down with fierce determination as he attacked Alvarado and the two proceeded to engage in toe to toe combat. Although Alvarado seemed intent on making Marquez take the initiative instead of bringing the fight to him for much of this fight, it should not be overlooked that Alvarado took significant punishment throughout this fight and walked through several punches that probably would have dropped most Jr. Welterweights or Welterweights and kept coming forward.

 In terms of the knockdown that Alvarado was able to score on Marquez, there is probably a difference of opinion as to how one would choose to score that round. In most instances when a fighter is knocked down during a round, judges will typically score the round 10-8 in favor of the fighter scoring a knockdown. There are cases however, when rounds like round nine of Marquez-Alvarado where judges might score a round 10-9.

When rounds are scored under those circumstances, there could be certain factors that would make an otherwise 10-8 round a 10-9. Factors such as how much time is remaining in a round and whether or not the fighter who was knocked down can win the remainder of the round either by Boxing effectively or scoring a knockdown of their own. In this circumstance, I scored the ninth round unofficially for Alvarado 10-9 based on how effective Marquez was able to fight back after getting up from the knockdown.

In any case, whether one’s discretion to score the round 10-8 or 10-9 in favor of Alvarado, it did provide an element of the unknown in a fight that Marquez was winning clearly. Alvarado would nearly score another knockdown of Marquez in round eleven when a right hand staggered Marquez and it appeared that his glove may have touched the canvas. Referee Pat Russell correctly ruled that Marquez had not been knocked down, which could have played a factor in the scoring of this fight.

Although the outcome of this fight appeared academic at the conclusion of the twelve round Welterweight bout, the fight was entertaining and showed one fighter’s arsenal of skills and one fighter’s grit and determination. The unanimous decision in favor of Marquez was not surprising and was appropriate, but all credit should be given to Mike Alvarado for the warrior’s heart he showed in this fight.

With the win, Marquez now becomes the mandatory challenger for WBO Welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao. Although all signs appear as though the stage has been set for a fifth installment of the epic series of fights between Pacquiao and Marquez, it would not surprise me if both were to take a fight against different opposition before resuming their rivalry.

Even though the best option in my eyes out there quite frankly for both Marquez and Pacquiao would be a fifth fight between the two, we will have to wait and see what the future holds. For now, Marquez has shown that his loss to Timothy Bradley last year was not an indication that at forty years old he was on the decline. Juan Manuel Marquez is still one of the best fighters pound for pound in the world and will give anyone in either the Jr. Welterweight or Welterweight divisions all they can handle.

As for what the future holds for Mike Alvarado, I believe that it could be possible that Alvarado will opt to return to the Jr. Welterweight division. It is quite possible Alvarado will look to face the winner of the upcoming WBO Jr. Welterweight title fight between Ruslan Provodnikov and Chris Algieri, which will take place on June 14th in Brooklyn, New York.

Both Juan Manuel Marquez and Mike Alvarado treated Boxing fans to a memorable night. The fight, which signaled the return of Boxing to the legendary Forum in Inglewood, California site of many memorable fights over the years drew over 12,000 spectators and did not disappoint. For a venue that has played host to great fights over the years, it is my hope that it’s revival as a major Boxing venue continues.

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

The Boxing Truth® is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved.

Follow Beau Denison on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Beau_Denison

Marquez vs. Alvarado: Should The Winner Face Pacquiao?

When Juan Manuel Marquez entered the ring last October to challenge Timothy Bradley for the WBO world Welterweight championship he was clearly at a career-high having scored a thrilling one punch knockout over his archrival Manny Pacquiao in their epic fourth encounter. Bradley however, would earn a hard-fought split decision over Marquez to retain his title in a fight where a legitimate argument could be made for either fighter being the victor.

In many ways Marquez’ loss to Bradley was not all that unlike some of Marquez’ previous setbacks, most notably against Manny Pacquiao in three of their four fights. Closely fought battles where neither fighter is able to stand out clearly from the other. It is certainly understandable how losing close decisions can leave a bad taste in the mouth of a fighter.

Readers will recall that I scored the Bradley-Marquez fight a draw. I did however, state after the fight that Marquez was clearly not disgraced in the fight with Bradley and that the loss would not seem to hurt Marquez in terms of marquee value or the ability to secure big money fights. Marquez has had an illustrious career and one loss does not diminish his standing in the sport.

Marquez, now looking to rebound from his loss to Bradley will take on former WBO Jr. Welterweight world champion Mike Alvarado on Saturday night at the Forum in Inglewood, California. Much like Marquez, Alvarado is looking to bounce back from defeat. In his last fight, Alvarado was stopped by top Jr. Welterweight contender Ruslan Provodnikov in ten rounds, losing his WBO title.

This fight has the ingredients to be exciting on paper. Both fighters have Boxing skills, but both have also shown a willingness throughout their careers to go toe to toe with their opponents. Although the thirty-three year old Alvarado is the younger man by seven years in this fight, questions regarding whether he has recovered from the loss to Provodnikov might be valid.

It is important to remember that Alvarado is not just coming back from a loss in his last fight, but his previous three fights. His bout with Provodnikov and his two bouts with Brandon Rios were all grueling battles. One does have to wonder what those fights took out of Alvarado. He  has however, always shown a warrior’s heart and I have no doubt that Alvarado will give everything he has in this fight.

Juan Manuel Marquez also is no stranger to grueling battles. Although Marquez may appear to have an advantage in this fight in the eyes of some, it is also important to remember that Marquez is forty years old and even though he might appear to have an advantage, one does have to wonder when the accumulative effect of all those battles that Marquez has had over the years will begin to take a visible toll.

This fight could go several different ways. It is logical to assume that Marquez a precision counter puncher will look to allow Alvarado to bring the fight to him and look to set traps and capitalize on any mistakes that Alvarado might make. Marquez however, must also be careful. In his last fight, although seeming to match Timothy Bradley punch for punch, Bradley was the busier of the two and some might say that Bradley’s busier activity was enough to win some very close rounds that eventually resulted in him winning the fight. It will be interesting to see if Marquez is more active in this fight while playing the role of counter puncher.

It is also logical to assume that Mike Alvarado will look to bring the fight to Marquez from the outset and look to impose his will on him. Although both fighters can box, it would not surprise me to see this fight turn into a war at some point. The question that I have coming into this fight is whether or not Alvarado’s previous three battles have had any effect on him.

If Alvarado shows no ill effects from those three encounters and can nullify Marquez’ offensive output, this fight might end up in his favor. If Alvarado however, cannot avoid Marquez’ counter punches and cannot limit Marquez offense, Marquez could have the advantage.

Although Alvarado is the naturally bigger man in this fight, it will be interesting to see whether he is the stronger of the two fighters and whether or not that could play a role in the outcome. Whether or not this fight turns into a toe to toe battle or a tactical Boxing match remains to be seen.

The fight, which has been billed as a WBO eliminator in it’s Welterweight ratings would indicate that the winner of this fight would be next in line to challenge WBO champion Manny Pacquiao, who recently regained his title in April. Some readers might remember that I stated last October prior to Marquez’ fight with Timothy Bradley that, that fight might have been the start of an unofficial round robin tournament of sorts involving Marquez, Bradley, Alvarado, Brandon Rios, Ruslan Provodnikov, and Manny Pacquiao.

So far, this unofficial round robin concept has begun to play out with Alvarado facing Provodnikov and Pacquiao facing both Rios and Bradley in his last two fights. Marquez and Alvarado will now face each other in a continuation of this unofficial scenario. Should the winner of this fight be next for Pacquiao? I am sure that Boxing fans and experts alike would welcome a fifth encounter between Pacquiao and Marquez and would also welcome the potential of Alvarado facing Pacquiao.

Before either can face Pacquiao however, they must face each other. The end result could be a great fight.

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

The Boxing Truth® is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved.

Follow Beau Denison on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Beau_Denison