Matchroom

[gobbles]

Sky were not close to abandoning boxing. That was a rumour put around by a certain promoter in order to try and embarrass them into giving him deal he wanted.
Barney Francis hated dealing with boxing promoters. He effectively passed on the job to Matchroom, saying any promoter has to deal through them.

[twenty six]

Sorry mate I don't buy that.
Who is the "certain promotor" ?

[gobbles]

Sorry mate I don't buy that.
Who is the "certain promotor" ?

He is no longer with them, but then, only one is.

It might have been scare tactics from Sky, but it was never serious.

Matchroom are exclusive promoters on Sky for darts, poker, fishing, snooker, pool, ten-pin bowling. Worked out easy to add another sport.

[mickey1975]

I understand people's fears, having suffered numerous mis-match joke fights over the years on sky at the hands of others.

But matchroom have served up the cream for their stable so far in barker vs Martinez, Froch vs Bute.

Especially when you see the turd poor Clev has dined on in recent times.

Dropping the others is not good in any shape or form, 100% agree with that - but that's at the hands of sky.

I wouldnt call the Barker fight "the cream" anymore than i would Murray-Rios, Lockett-Pavlik or Jennings-Cotto. Great payday, in which saint Eddie never took his cut, but he never stood a chance. Barker is strictly British level.

[whiskey]

It was a headline fight on HBO, with the payday and exposure that comes with that.

Barker was unbeaten, former British, Commonwealth and European champion - he earned his shot.

And you seem to forget he was right in it until the final rounds, despite nobody giving him a cat in hell's chance.

[earsjohn]

Boxing figures for european and sub-european level have been poor on Sky for a while. As much as the hardcore boxing fans would fall over themselves to watch Vassell v Colomban or McDonnell v Jamoye, they simply don't appeal to the casual viewer resulting in weak numbers in what Sky Sports would consider close to prime time viewing (saturday nights).

The David Price situation does seem baffling as one more year of building him up with the UK and Euro titles he will surely be close to challenging for world honours and the huge interest that comes with that. The Hatton situation, however, I can see Sky's point (as much as I would prefer not to). Hatton has a camp of decent UK level fighters, but the numbers simply don't stack up.

Maybe Sky should leave a set number of dates (10-12) open for all promoters to bid. You could then get a situation where Maloney offers Price v Dimitrenko and Hatton offers Quigg v Munroe II for a set date. Sky would then have the freedom to choose which fight suits them from an economic and entertainment point of view. This would surely result in an increased quality of match ups as mismatches and weak undercards would be overlooked for superior cards. I struggle to believe that Sky would not be interested in Price fighting at a higher level or Scott Quigg in a world title fight.

[danfoster]

I wouldn't blame Sky at all.

Even I, as a massive boxing fan, thought that a large percentage of the fights on SKy over the last two years were unwatchable mismatches with cautious promoters feeding stiffs to their kids. I think that the craze of shipping over 'teak tough' Africans to get hammered for the Commonwealth title was probably the most depressing period in the history of boxing as i can remember it.

And then the farces of Haye v Harrison and Haye v Kilt were the final nails in the coffin.

Smith warned when he started the job that the promoters would have to consistently work together to make the best fights on a regular basis. It didn't happen and now they've got round the problem by giving the whole job lot to the only team they feel they can trust to deliver.

If it means better quality fights and - therefore - a better stream of genuine talent (not over hyped, over protected ordinariness) then i'm all for it.

A monopoly situation is far from ideal but the other guys had chance after chance after chance and can have no complaints (with possible exception of Hattons who were new to it and i seemed prepared to match their kids a little bit tougher).

There's a potential new beginning for boxing on Sky now - a commitment to use a reliable provider that the suits at the top can trust implicitly;Khan, Brook and Froch as world class guys leading the way and a whole stream of Olympians (hopefully with Joshua as Gold medallist) starting their pro careers with serious public interest.

I suspect Price will find his way back onto Sky as well, somehow.

[fizzjambo]

My concern with Sky's move is not so much with Matchroom but with the situation it creates. Too me there is a great chance of the UK boxing market falling prey to what has happened in Germany. Headline fighters who get star billing, on huge deep cards that come about once every 4/6 weeks and then nothing else at all. There is almost no development route for young German fighters at all unless they are viewed as a 'chosen one' from the very start and plonked on huge undercards. In Germany now unless you are a Sauerland fighter your screwed. Universum are reduced too one show every 3/4 months with all of what is left of their names on it, they'll be as good as gone in 18 months. K2 is just an engine for the Klit's to print money, their undercards are shocking and they put NOTHING back in to German boxing. When they retire K2 will either cease or move all opperations to the Ukraine.

I'm not advocating miss-matches but we are in danger of cutting off the talent pool if Sky pull out of the usual Friday/Saturday night fare of Munro, Cox, Hatton jnr, etc type fare. I'm not saying the allegedly domestic fights are great, they're not and too many fights are 95/5 rather than an acceptable 75/25, 70/30 (50/50 fights are, if we are honest are very rare and unrealistic for development) but these type of cards are needed. Froch had some terrible missmatches early on and in Commonwealth, etc defences but he needed to be built to where he could mix it in good level 50/50 scraps later on

[mickey1975]

It was a headline fight on HBO, with the payday and exposure that comes with that.

Barker was unbeaten, former British, Commonwealth and European champion - he earned his shot.

And you seem to forget he was right in it until the final rounds, despite nobody giving him a cat in hell's chance.

I remember the fight well and he never looked like winning. Macklin put up a far better effort.

[Yes We Can]

For Matchroom we may aswell read "SKY promotions" . By slimming down to 1 promoter effectively SKY hold all the power, if gthey want matches made they will have to be made or they will simply handpick another promoter to do there bidding.

Maybe we will see a cutback on shows, but i would guess that anything that is broadcast is of a better quality than previous times. With Matchrooms ownership of darts,snooker etc. they have prime oppurtunities to get there boxers out there and known to a wider audience, hopefully namedropping them as much as possible!

[Deano s]

Sky See matchroom as a safe pair of hands and i don't blame them look what they have done for all the other sports they promote lets hope this rubs off in boxing

[addi]

Matchroom sign in every top am up have all the date for sky were and how will the like s of hatton and co survive now it's a sad way how they been sacked from sky

Either Channel 5 or do a deal with the devil FW and allegedly.

I'm amazed Sky have let Price go.

looks like channel 5 or eurosport for hatton. thats what i've heard anyway.

[tear up]

I think sky r all wrong in just havin match room on board there s great talent out there now were do those guy s go they will all wanna get away from there bosses and could be on the side line for some time can't see sky changing there mind any time soon though

[TheGoods]

Competition in all industry is healthy. Monopolies are not. Most of the top lads after the Games n some pro's running down their contracts will head to Matchroom. But such a big stable n so few dates can only lead to problems.

[tear up]

And Iv spoken to people and they say boxing s on the up my arse it is

[Jeff Thomas]

I wouldn't blame Sky at all.

Even I, as a massive boxing fan, thought that a large percentage of the fights on SKy over the last two years were unwatchable mismatches with cautious promoters feeding stiffs to their kids. I think that the craze of shipping over 'teak tough' Africans to get hammered for the Commonwealth title was probably the most depressing period in the history of boxing as i can remember it.

And then the farces of Haye v Harrison and Haye v Kilt were the final nails in the coffin.

Smith warned when he started the job that the promoters would have to consistently work together to make the best fights on a regular basis. It didn't happen and now they've got round the problem by giving the whole job lot to the only team they feel they can trust to deliver.

If it means better quality fights and - therefore - a better stream of genuine talent (not over hyped, over protected ordinariness) then i'm all for it.

A monopoly situation is far from ideal but the other guys had chance after chance after chance and can have no complaints (with possible exception of Hattons who were new to it and i seemed prepared to match their kids a little bit tougher).

There's a potential new beginning for boxing on Sky now - a commitment to use a reliable provider that the suits at the top can trust implicitly;Khan, Brook and Froch as world class guys leading the way and a whole stream of Olympians (hopefully with Joshua as Gold medallist) starting their pro careers with serious public interest.

I suspect Price will find his way back onto Sky as well, somehow.

totally agree, there is a chance this could be a good thing. In reality matchroom have succeeded by just being polite, promoting fighters, paying them, not suing anybody, engaging with fans, making fairly decent fights.

It's hardly innovation is it? It's just matchroom doing what a promotional outfit should do. They aren't without fault, I'm a bit out of the loop with team Maree at the moment but for example kenny anderson should be in action this weekend, and they could do with mentioning him more frequently but there a great bunch of people to deal with.

[Darcy Delaney]

In what sense? I mean how do they differ to the other promotional outfits?

When i turned up to the Hotel we had 2 rooms one for me and the other for the my trainer, they gave me Money for expansive, train taxi's etc. Got Money for food which was more then enough for 2 nights. When the Show had Finished they came and found me to give me my Money.. All this without me having to ask for it.... This don't happen in Pro Boxing i was Shocked but everyone that i had spoke to and told them that had worked with Matchroom said this is how they work all the Time......

i've known eddie and barry for years now and they are so easy to work with, everything they say they will do they do it they are the sort of people that if there was a £5 left over on a show they would put it in the fighters pocket instead of there own, top class men

[TheCobra]

In what sense? I mean how do they differ to the other promotional outfits?

When i turned up to the Hotel we had 2 rooms one for me and the other for the my trainer, they gave me Money for expansive, train taxi's etc. Got Money for food which was more then enough for 2 nights. When the Show had Finished they came and found me to give me my Money.. All this without me having to ask for it.... This don't happen in Pro Boxing i was Shocked but everyone that i had spoke to and told them that had worked with Matchroom said this is how they work all the Time......

This is great really, when you hear the stuff that comes out from other shows and other promoters.

Basically I would say boxing in this country over the last whatever number of years has been run by a ragbag group of cockney semi-gangster-wannabes who are at their root shady dealers, people with a basic lack of morals at times.

It's actually nice to see a professional outfit, who treat people fairly, doing well.

[lefty]

In what sense? I mean how do they differ to the other promotional outfits?

When i turned up to the Hotel we had 2 rooms one for me and the other for the my trainer, they gave me Money for expansive, train taxi's etc. Got Money for food which was more then enough for 2 nights. When the Show had Finished they came and found me to give me my Money.. All this without me having to ask for it.... This don't happen in Pro Boxing i was Shocked but everyone that i had spoke to and told them that had worked with Matchroom said this is how they work all the Time......

This is great really, when you hear the stuff that comes out from other shows and other promoters.
I agree mate! Going on what londonirish has said they seem a classy outfit and treat boxers well which is good to hear
Basically I would say boxing in this country over the last whatever number of years has been run by a ragbag group of cockney semi-gangster-wannabes who are at their root shady dealers, people with a basic lack of morals at times.

It's actually nice to see a professional outfit, who treat people fairly, doing well.

[leforge]

In what sense? I mean how do they differ to the other promotional outfits?

When i turned up to the Hotel we had 2 rooms one for me and the other for the my trainer, they gave me Money for expansive, train taxi's etc. Got Money for food which was more then enough for 2 nights. When the Show had Finished they came and found me to give me my Money.. All this without me having to ask for it.... This don't happen in Pro Boxing i was Shocked but everyone that i had spoke to and told them that had worked with Matchroom said this is how they work all the Time......

This is great really, when you hear the stuff that comes out from other shows and other promoters.

Basically I would say boxing in this country over the last whatever number of years has been run by a ragbag group of cockney semi-gangster-wannabes who are at their root shady dealers, people with a basic lack of morals at times.

It's actually nice to see a professional outfit, who treat people fairly, doing well.

IMO all promotors should be like them. Do the board not check who become a promotor? All they like football where Risdale keeps running clubs

[tear up]

In what sense? I mean how do they differ to the other promotional outfits?

When i turned up to the Hotel we had 2 rooms one for me and the other for the my trainer, they gave me Money for expansive, train taxi's etc. Got Money for food which was more then enough for 2 nights. When the Show had Finished they came and found me to give me my Money.. All this without me having to ask for it.... This don't happen in Pro Boxing i was Shocked but everyone that i had spoke to and told them that had worked with Matchroom said this is how they work all the Time......

This is great really, when you hear the stuff that comes out from other shows and other promoters.

Basically I would say boxing in this country over the last whatever number of years has been run by a ragbag group of cockney semi-gangster-wannabes who are at their root shady dealers, people with a basic lack of morals at times.

It's actually nice to see a professional outfit, who treat people fairly, doing well.

I never classe my self as any special person but john wish use to phone and ask me when I wanted to be out got this date and that date as I always needed plenty of time to make weight as I never really lived like a fighter out of training weight wise so they yes did treat ne nice best people any talented boxer could get with its match room

[lefty]

When i turned up to the Hotel we had 2 rooms one for me and the other for the my trainer, they gave me Money for expansive, train taxi's etc. Got Money for food which was more then enough for 2 nights. When the Show had Finished they came and found me to give me my Money.. All this without me having to ask for it.... This don't happen in Pro Boxing i was Shocked but everyone that i had spoke to and told them that had worked with Matchroom said this is how they work all the Time......[/quote]

This is great really, when you hear the stuff that comes out from other shows and other promoters.

Basically I would say boxing in this country over the last whatever number of years has been run by a ragbag group of cockney semi-gangster-wannabes who are at their root shady dealers, people with a basic lack of morals at times.

It's actually nice to see a professional outfit, who treat people fairly, doing well.[/quote]
I never classe my self as any special person but john wish use to phone and ask me when I wanted to be out got this date and that date as I always needed plenty of time to make weight as I never really lived like a fighter out of training weight wise so they yes did treat ne nice best people any talented boxer could get with its match room[/quote]You gorging on too many pies outside of training then mate? ;;-)

[Coco]

Speaking as being an opponent on Matchroom shows I can only agree with what has been said. Barry Hearn had a real personal touch, treated me like he knew me and was a friend, went out of his way to do the little things and most importantly was a good payer and you never had to chase him for it.

[tear up]

My old sparrin partner lefty ha yes put it this why my hobby was sit and talk shit all day watchin some big screen mate but still trained like a machine what I said about match room they prob the best at the game and good luck too them with sky john wish has done a great job for years by the way guys what a top man

[lefty]

My old sparrin partner lefty ha yes put it this why my hobby was sit and talk shit all day watchin some big screen mate but still trained like a machine what I said about match room they prob the best at the game and good luck too them with sky john wish has done a great job for years by the way guys what a top man

you know im only kidding this time mate