Team Khan & De La Hoya hit back at Eddie Hearn

[johnswan1]

Amir Khan is up for an out-of-ring fight over Paul McCloskey pay-per-view shambles
By JEFF POWELL

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/others ... mbles.html

Amir Khan has hit back after the promoter of his challenger in Saturday's world title fight accused his family-based team of being a 'shambles' who he 'wouldn't even allow to sell the programmes at one of our shows.'

The pay-TV dispute which has over-shadowed the build up to Khan’s Homecoming at Manchester's MEN Arena turned even nastier as Eddie Hearn claimed that the chaos has left his unbeaten Ulsterman Paul McCloskey with a larger share of the purse than the world light-welterweight champion.

Khan, who had previously kept out of the bust-up with Sky which has driven this fight onto the fringe Primetime cable network, snapped: 'This isn't the only fact Eddie has got wrong. Paul is not making anything like as much money as me.'

Bolton's former Olympic silver medallist also rounded on Sky for failing to back him as he returns for a rare fight at prime television time in Britain, saying: ‘HBO in America are showing more belief in me than the leading sports broadcaster in my own country. Can that be right?

'I know I'm a pay-per-view boxer here. My fights are always exciting but Sky have decided to take me off Box Office after the most thrilling one of all. Yet HBO think it's worth coming over here to showcase this fight in America as part of their building me up to be a major pay-per-view fighter over there.'

Khan's December war in Las Vegas with Argentine puncher Marcos Maidana, in which his allegedly suspect chin survived a torrid tenth round, was voted America's Fight of the Year for 2010.

So there was also a veiled threat to Sky when Khan added: 'I am a young fighter with several more years ahead of me which will involve many huge fights.'

Sky, sensitive to the feeling that the public had been cheated by Audley Harrison's timid effort after buying Davide Haye's world heavyweight title defence, had cited the collapse of the undercard as a major factor for pulling this event off pay-TV.

Khan says: 'Some things could have been done better – that's always the case with promotions - but it wasn't my team's fault that Hasim Rahman pulled out of what would have been a big heavyweight fight with Tyson Fury and then Matthew Macklin walked off. And there's still a good under-card.'

Hearn, who takes care of boxing business for his father Barry's multi-sport Matchroom organisation, had set the vaulted marble of Manchester's historic Town Hall ringing when he told the main pre-fight press conference: 'Amir is a terrific young man as well as a fine boxer. He has all my respect and I feel sorry for him.

'It is unacceptable that his team have put him in a position where he is losing £1.5million. The shambles of the past week or so is a lesson to boxing that promoters should be left to do the promoting.

'These people are not capable. We've never seen anything like in boxing before. Not only have they cost Amir an awful lot of money but they have also lost him – and my lad Paul – the chance of showcasing himself in front of much bigger audience than usual.

'When Sky pulled the fight off pay-per-view and wanted to move it to Sky Sports 3 we were happy. This is a channel which has broadcast Premier League and Champions League football, the Cricket World Cup – and my own company's big darts tournament!

'Yet Amir's people have decided to put him in front of 5-6,000 viewers on Primetime instead of 500-600,000.
'Please, after Paul McCloskey wins this one, let us promote the re-match. The problems with this one didn't just start last week. We were unhappy about several things from the start, months ago. But as Oscar Wilde said revenge is a dish best served cold and Paul is getting all his money.'

Hearn's figures were at variance with the projections from Khan and Primetime. The WBA champion is expected to lose £1m of his initial £1.25m purse.

Primetime boss David McConachie says: 'We will have a lot more subscribers than Eddie is saying. We have done well with Carl Froch and Amir has been built into a bigger personality here.'

The highest audience for a Froch fight on Primetime is believed to in the region of 35,000. Khan also makes the point that the MEN Arena, with 15,000 tickets sold already, is expected to be packed to capacity.

He says: 'I am taking a drop in money but I’m happy because I brought this fight home to reward my loyal UK fans.
'Shouldn't it tell Sky something that on a Saturday when Manchester United and City fans are all going to Wembley for one FA Cup semi-final, and on a weekend when Bolton and Stoke supporters are leaving this area to be in London for the second semi-final, my fight in Manchester will be a sell-out?'

Hearn argued: 'I stand by my remarks that team Khan are committing commercial suicide. By breaking from our sports broadcaster they are killing Amir's credibility in the UK.'

Asif Vali, the head of Khan Promotions, replied: 'Eddie's getting himself in a pickle. Okay, we've had to come through some difficulties but we have made what we believe to be a bold decision which can be good for Amir's future.

'Yes, McCloskey is bringing a lot of support from Ireland but when Eddie says we couldn't sell 2,000 tickets in Belfast he forgets that Amir has already fought there and packed the King's Hall with 8,500 fans.

'And perhaps he's boosting Paul's purse by giving him his promoter's percentage, although knowing how fond he is of money I very much doubt it.'

Both the combatants insist they have stayed focussed through the broadcast and financial upheaval, with Khan expecting his hand speed to carry the night and McCloskey confident that his quick reflexes will be crucial.

The legendary Oscar De La Hoya, here to take care of the American end of business as president of Golden Boy Promotions, lightened the mood when he said: 'We're adding another big fight to the undercard at the last minute... Asif Vali versus Eddie Hearn.'

If Khan v McCloskey is as tough as Thursday's verbal battle, we are in for a helluva fight.

Khan v McCloskey will be live Saturday night on Sky channel 408 and streamed live at http://www.primetimelive.co.uk both at £14.95

DE LA HOYA: TV SWITCH IS RIGHT MOVE

http://www.sportinglife.com/boxing/news ... ml&BID=543

Promotional heavyweight Oscar De La Hoya has rejected accusations of "operational incompetence" against Amir Khan's team and insists television backing from the United States will help make up for a lack of support from British broadcasters.

Khan's WBA light-welterweight title defence against Paul McCloskey on Saturday is being overshadowed by an ongoing row about the lack of mainstream television exposure, with his team being accused of "commercial suicide" after snubbing Sky Sports to join forces with the low-profile Primetime TV.

The MEN Arena bill was due to be on Sky Box Office before being downgraded to Sky Sports 3 by the broadcasting giant, who decided to exert a degree of quality control.

It is understood that Khan's team then took umbrage with not being on Sky Sports 1 or 2 and therefore threw their lot in with the minor pay-per-view outfit Primetime.

McCloskey's promoter Eddie Hearn claims his fighter is now earning more from the fight than the champion and ridiculed Khan's advisers.

Khan's American promoter De La Hoya and the fighter himself rejected the criticism, claiming they will enjoy a significant pay-day from American TV giant HBO.

De La Hoya, whose Golden Boy Promotions outfit works with Khan in the States, said: "When Khan decided to go to Primetime, people are saying 'what are you doing, you're crazy!'

"Well, years from now we're going to see who is crazy.

"HBO didn't pick up this fight for free. If you think Amir Khan is not making money, you've got another thing coming."

Hearn, though, responded: "I respect you totally but I do not respect your knowledge of boxing in the UK and the television market. To say that it is about the fans and take it off the biggest platform in the UK and put it on a small channel with about 5,000 viewers is total commercial suicide.

"To cost your client £1.5million is unacceptable to any sportsman."

Hearn, of Matchroom Sport said: "If we keep doing things like this, we'll kill the game.

"Don't be stubborn and stupid and kill your relationship with Sky. It shows stubbornness and a lack of understanding of the TV market.

"There's not one person who thinks this was the right decision."

Hearn's man has not been affected financially, having negotiated a lump sum, but he will miss out on exposure by not being on normal subscription television.

"Revenge is a dish best served cold," Hearn said. "I don't think we've ever seen goings on like the last week before in British boxing.

"I have nothing but full respect for Amir Khan and I wonder how the loss of probably a million and a half pounds through the operational incompetence of his team will affect him on the night."

[whiskey]

"I am taking a drop in money but I’m happy because I brought this fight home to reward my loyal UK fans."

You rewarding us by shifting from Sky which many of us have, to £15.00 PPV ?

[stujones]

"I am taking a drop in money but I’m happy because I brought this fight home to reward my loyal UK fans."

You rewarding us by shifting from Sky which many of us have, to £15.00 PPV ?

Don't have to pay for flights to the states though. Sky were charging £15 also.

[johnswan1]

Hearn has obviously got some of his father's nous. He is absolutely correct, in my view, that Asif Vali et al are borderline useless BUT more importantly he is getting this fight some extra publicity by fanning the flames and initialising this 'war of words'. Perhaps they'll do 10,000+ buys as a result.

If they really did 35,000 for Froch I'd be surprised if they don't do at least that for Khan, despite only having a week to promote it. A lot more casual fans are aware of Khan-McCloskey than they were about any of the Froch fights. Everybody knows who Khan is, and the Irish will be out in numbers to support McCloskey as they always do for their own. Plus, as of yesterday on Ringside, Sky were still publicising the fight and had it as their main feature. The only thing they didn't do was say it was available on Primetime.

[Chambers2]

Sky are not showing a lack of belief in Khan, they're showing some quality control. If they'd put a decent undercard on for this show, there wouldn't have been an issue.

I'm a Khan fan, but I'm backing Skys decision to take it off PPV as the card is not worthy of £15

[Ketchel]

Hearn has obviously got some of his father's nous. He is absolutely correct, in my view, that Asif Vali et al are borderline useless BUT more importantly he is getting this fight some extra publicity by fanning the flames and initialising this 'war of words'. Perhaps they'll do 10,000+ buys as a result.

Agree totally. Hearn appears to have the right idea to make the best of a not ideal situation.

[Bricks]

what do we know about this asif valli? i dont know if its true but i heard he used to work in a kebab shop part time and drive a taxi? i honestly dont know if its true.
i know amirs khan has business nous he was a self made man running a scrapyard business years before amir came to the fore........

[doctorboxing]

"I know I'm a pay-per-view boxer here"

Khan can f*ck right off. It's the fight that makes a PPV event not the fighter involved.

Does Khan think Manny is a PPV fighter? Would he think Pacman-McCloskey would be worth £15 over and above all our normal subscriptions? I would have thought his money-grabbing family would have understood that we don't want to shell out £15 for a crap card anymore.

Khan may have been in a great fight last time and will be in big fights in the future that does not mean all his fights should be PPV. I also expect a decent undercard when shelling out £15 for a potential mismatch.

[Coco]

Hamed's family were very successful in generating the prince a lot of money, Khan's family have a lot to learn and are just hanging on ODLH's coat tails.

Khan could learn a lot from Hearn, there is no doubt this fight has been a shambles

[sweetscience]

what do we know about this asif valli? i dont know if its true but i heard he used to work in a kebab shop part time and drive a taxi? i honestly dont know if its true.
i know amirs khan has business nous he was a self made man running a scrapyard business years before amir came to the fore........

Vali owns a small taxi business in bolton....

[observer1]

"I am taking a drop in money but I’m happy because I brought this fight home to reward my loyal UK fans."

You rewarding us by shifting from Sky which many of us have, to £15.00 PPV ?

Worked for Hatton charging much much more for his "reward" bout against Lazcano...

[Matt W]

"I know I'm a pay-per-view boxer here"
Khan can f*ck right off. It's the fight that makes a PPV event not the fighter involved.

Does Khan think Manny is a PPV fighter? Would he think Pacman-McCloskey would be worth £15 over and above all our normal subscriptions? I would have thought his money-grabbing family would have understood that we don't want to shell out £15 for a crap card anymore.

Khan may have been in a great fight last time and will be in big fights in the future that does not mean all his fights should be PPV. I also expect a decent undercard when shelling out £15 for a potential mismatch.

I don't believe in the notion of PPV fighters, I believe in PPV worthy fights. And this isn't one of them so I'll be keeping my £15 in my pocket thank you very much.

[Monte Fisto]

Does the 15 quid include the Ortiz vs Berto fight? that would have been worth the money then. I know there would have been a gap in the screening, but could have been a good night of boxing.

[stujones]

Lets be honest, if Khan would have got this fight live on the BBC with no pay cut and a fanfare of promotion - Eddie Hearn would have slagged it off.... Hearn knows where his bread is buttered.

[leforge]

Lets be honest, if Khan would have got this fight live on the BBC with no pay cut and a fanfare of promotion - Eddie Hearn would have slagged it off.... Hearn knows where his bread is buttered.

True but he knows more than Team khan!

[Dioufy]

How fornicating tall is Hearn!

[crusader]

How effing tall is Hearn!

I'd say around 6'5-6'6". He has looked a tad taller than Audley when I have seen them together.