margaret thatcher wrote: ↑01 Nov 2024, 14:45
he massively misrepresented his business achievements prior to getting any deals with sky. he was basically a student night promoter with a bunch of companies that turned 0 profit and were barely active. looks a bit like a younger hearn-esque figure, sky maybe fell for the act
fake it till you make it
he made it and got handed the keys of a high power vehicle, but now that he has to deliver it's painfully clear he's out of his depth. the lack of boxing knowledge is so obvious and he can hardly do an interview without asking for something to be removed
Yup but how can a huge global company with extensive sports and boxing experience put that trust in a charlatan?
margaret thatcher wrote: ↑01 Nov 2024, 14:45
he massively misrepresented his business achievements prior to getting any deals with sky. he was basically a student night promoter with a bunch of companies that turned 0 profit and were barely active. looks a bit like a younger hearn-esque figure, sky maybe fell for the act
fake it till you make it
he made it and got handed the keys of a high power vehicle, but now that he has to deliver it's painfully clear he's out of his depth. the lack of boxing knowledge is so obvious and he can hardly do an interview without asking for something to be removed
Yup but how can a huge global company with extensive sports and boxing experience put that trust in a charlatan?
I agree, but it happened, goes to show TV execs know nothing about boxing or dealing with barrow type boys.
Maybe they were fee up with their pants being pulled down in the past, saw posh boy Shalom as one of their own, felt they could control him and Shalom talked like he could pull it off.
Frostieballs wrote: ↑01 Nov 2024, 05:43
Sky shouldn’t need to fund PPV’s at all.
These are the rare, golden egg events that actually make a definable, standalone profit.
"fund them" as in put up the extra purse money requires to make the bout possible, then taking profits from the subsequent ppv.
Standard practice.
What is standard practice, that they pay the fighters their full purses before the PPV money comes in?
Things may have changed since my days, but Pre-Saudi bills, I was only aware of broadcasters guaranteeing a purse, not paying it in full, in advance before all the funds are in.
Even if they did, it’s only a matter of cash flow. How many PPV’s have made a loss for a major broadcaster?
Underwriting it yes, not paying it in advance.
Re: Ben Shalom
Posted: 01 Nov 2024, 17:21
by johninmanchester
JamesPhilips wrote: ↑01 Nov 2024, 14:40No idea why or how he got gifted his position from doing a couple of crap prizefighter type shows that no one cares about. Friends in high places?
There was a whole thing on twitter at the time claiming he got it as MD of Sky + Adam Smith are also Jewish, but that just seems like some mad conspiracy theory.
At the time Hearn left, all the UK boxing promoters were tied up or had very public ties with kinahan. Shalom was maybe just in the right place at the right time and maybe seemed controllable.
At the same time, he had a total of five events to his name when Sky Sports gave him a four year exclusive deal to be their promoter. Very, very strange.
Re: Ben Shalom
Posted: 01 Nov 2024, 17:53
by maverick23
mickey1975 wrote: ↑01 Nov 2024, 15:35
The thing that I can never get over is signing Okolie and putting him on at the Manchester Arena. It's almost as if he was trying his hardest to fail.
margaret thatcher wrote: ↑01 Nov 2024, 14:45
he massively misrepresented his business achievements prior to getting any deals with sky. he was basically a student night promoter with a bunch of companies that turned 0 profit and were barely active. looks a bit like a younger hearn-esque figure, sky maybe fell for the act
fake it till you make it
he made it and got handed the keys of a high power vehicle, but now that he has to deliver it's painfully clear he's out of his depth. the lack of boxing knowledge is so obvious and he can hardly do an interview without asking for something to be removed
Yup but how can a huge global company with extensive sports and boxing experience put that trust in a charlatan?
He was working very closely with Adam Smith who knows the boxing game well and the kind of things that will attract an audience and who’d help with quality control.
I think we’ve seen a drop in the volume and quality of U.K. shows since Adam left Sky.
JamesPhilips wrote: ↑01 Nov 2024, 14:40No idea why or how he got gifted his position from doing a couple of crap prizefighter type shows that no one cares about. Friends in high places?
There was a whole thing on twitter at the time claiming he got it as MD of Sky + Adam Smith are also Jewish, but that just seems like some mad conspiracy theory.
At the time Hearn left, all the UK boxing promoters were tied up or had very public ties with kinahan. Shalom was maybe just in the right place at the right time and maybe seemed controllable.
At the same time, he had a total of five events to his name when Sky Sports gave him a four year exclusive deal to be their promoter. Very, very strange.
They’d have thought he’s very green but could be helped along by Smith.
Re: Ben Shalom
Posted: 01 Nov 2024, 19:28
by johninmanchester
maverick23 wrote: ↑01 Nov 2024, 18:04
They’d have thought he’s very green but could be helped along by Smith.
Still absolutely crazy.
Chelsea would never take a guy who had managed four games for a League 2 team and go "yeah he's green but our people can help him learn on the job. Here's a four year management contract."
Sky Sports, the #1 UK sports broadcaster, plucking a kid from absolute obscurity with four or five shows to his name. It's absolutely mental.
margaret thatcher wrote: ↑01 Nov 2024, 14:45
he massively misrepresented his business achievements prior to getting any deals with sky. he was basically a student night promoter with a bunch of companies that turned 0 profit and were barely active. looks a bit like a younger hearn-esque figure, sky maybe fell for the act
fake it till you make it
he made it and got handed the keys of a high power vehicle, but now that he has to deliver it's painfully clear he's out of his depth. the lack of boxing knowledge is so obvious and he can hardly do an interview without asking for something to be removed
Yup but how can a huge global company with extensive sports and boxing experience put that trust in a charlatan?
He was working very closely with Adam Smith who knows the boxing game well and the kind of things that will attract an audience and who’d help with quality control.
I think we’ve seen a drop in the volume and quality of U.K. shows since Adam left Sky.
maverick23 wrote: ↑01 Nov 2024, 18:04
They’d have thought he’s very green but could be helped along by Smith.
Still absolutely crazy.
Chelsea would never take a guy who had managed four games for a League 2 team and go "yeah he's green but our people can help him learn on the job. Here's a four year management contract."
Sky Sports, the #1 UK sports broadcaster, plucking a kid from absolute obscurity with four or five shows to his name. It's absolutely mental.
maverick23 wrote: ↑01 Nov 2024, 18:04
They’d have thought he’s very green but could be helped along by Smith.
Still absolutely crazy.
Chelsea would never take a guy who had managed four games for a League 2 team and go "yeah he's green but our people can help him learn on the job. Here's a four year management contract."
Sky Sports, the #1 UK sports broadcaster, plucking a kid from absolute obscurity with four or five shows to his name. It's absolutely mental.
I guess there's an argument that there weren't really many alternatives and they were gambling on a novice hoping that they might turn into something.
maverick23 wrote: ↑01 Nov 2024, 18:04
They’d have thought he’s very green but could be helped along by Smith.
Still absolutely crazy.
Chelsea would never take a guy who had managed four games for a League 2 team and go "yeah he's green but our people can help him learn on the job. Here's a four year management contract."
Sky Sports, the #1 UK sports broadcaster, plucking a kid from absolute obscurity with four or five shows to his name. It's absolutely mental.
Brighton would! We got a 31 year old prodigy!!!
Re: Ben Shalom
Posted: 02 Nov 2024, 07:30
by Coco
Both B Hearn and FW got dumped by SKY and came back stronger, let's see what Shalom is made of.
I can't imagine that he win get another contract
Re: Ben Shalom
Posted: 02 Nov 2024, 09:19
by johninmanchester
Coco wrote: ↑02 Nov 2024, 07:30
I can't imagine that he will get another contract
Neither can I
But it was very weird that he got one in the first place.
So maybe those same weird forces get him another one, despite all logic /evidence to the contrary.
Re: Ben Shalom
Posted: 16 Nov 2025, 14:01
by Ruthless-RKO
What a bunch of bullies
Re: Ben Shalom
Posted: 16 Nov 2025, 14:10
by Ruthless-RKO
.
Re: Ben Shalom
Posted: 16 Nov 2025, 14:13
by Taansend
Ben did my mate a solid last night. Top bloke.
Re: Ben Shalom
Posted: 16 Nov 2025, 15:51
by samwbr
Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑16 Nov 2025, 14:01
What a bunch of bullies
“I don’t get it. Why are you the only guy in here and the other guys are not here?” said Chisora to IFL TV interviewer Kugas Cassius. “I’m just asking in the bubble. What kind of deal do you have with Eddie [Hearn]?
“Why does he like you more than the other [interviewers from other outlets]? I’m just asking because most journalists aren’t here and you’re here. You’re a media, so why are the other media not here?
“Would you swap your slot one day for another media guy to come in as a good suggester as a good journalist to say, ‘I’ve done some more, how about we let another rival to go?’ Yes,” Chisora said when asked if he would swap his position in fighting Usyk on Saturday to let one of his friends face him instead.
“Tell me who? Give me an idea. Don’t turn it [the camera] off. I’m just saying who? I’m saying, you give up your position for one of the shows coming up like Katie Taylor’s, and you give it to like, who is your rival?
“Let’s say we give it to Boxing News or Boxing.com or whatever it’s called, the blogger’s name or whatever. Would you? It’s a simple answer, Kugan. Yes or no, for f*** sake. Just f**** answer the question. No, no, no.
“We’re not talking about this fight. You’re here for this fight for the big fight, fine, but Katie Taylor’s fight. Would you give it to somebody else? Because what you’re doing is not fair,” said Chisora.
------------------------- Dereck says Kugan eating the whole pie
“You know why? Because you’re eating the whole pie by yourself. You’re not sharing the pie. To share the pie, ‘You know, Eddie, I’m going to do these shows, but I think I’m going to pass on the buck to another guy coming up.
“Is that all right? No, Eddie. That’s fine, that’s good. Share the f**** pie,” said Chisora.
Kugan: “I question whether someone would do that for me.”
Chisora: “You’re missing the point,” said Dereck to Kugan on the subject of sharing the media access that he has with Matchroom. “Share the pie. You’re here. though.
“You’ve done Dillian’s fight; You’ve done the whole fight camp, and you’re doing this. Other guys haven’t gotten a taste of doing it and being in the bubble,” said Chisora.
Kugan: “That’s not my fault, is it? Is that my fault?”
Chisora: “It’s not your fault. This is what I say. ‘Eddie, I’ve done all these fights, do you mind if I let someone else come in from another blogger for these fights so he can get some viewers?’ That’s what I’m saying. Share the f**** pie.”
Kugan: “They have the option to do that.”
Chisora: “And they say, ‘no?’”
Kugan: “Last time, Boxing Social has been in the Fight Camp, SecondsOut has been in the Fight Camp, alongside IFL. That’s Matchroom’s choice, not my choice.”
Chisora: “But you can tell Eddie that these guys need to eat as well.”
Kugan: “That’s down to them [Matchroom]. It’s like.”
Chisora: “What I’m saying is get your other colleagues to get paid as well by coming into the bubble for you not taking all the f**** space.”
Kugan: “You think I have the power to do this?”
Chisora: “Yes, you do. Yes, you have the power.”
Kugan: “I think you’re giving me too much credit now.”
Chisora: “Yes, you’ve got the power.”
Kugan: “No, I don’t believe I do.”
Chisora: “Every man has got power. Like I said, I’ve got power in this show.”
Kugan: “You own this show.”
Chisora: “I don’t own this show.”
Kugan: “You’re the main event on the show. That carries weight. I own the camera, that’s it.”
Chisora boots Kugan from room
Chisora: “You’re such a liar.”
Kugan: “I own the camera. I have absolutely no influence in telling Matchroom media who they can bring into the bubble or who not.
“All I know is in the Fight Camp, Boxing Social and Secondsout have been in there. Why they’re not in there, I don’t know.”
Chisora: “Listen, you’ve got the power. You’re just being an a***** anyway.”
Kugan: “Thanks, mate.”
Chisora: “You’re being an ******. Happy anniversary of ten years.”
Kugan: “Lovely thing to say, Dereck.”
Kugan: “Alright, I’ll turn the camera off.”
Chisora: “Turn the s*** off and get the f*** out.”
Kugan: “Alright, no problem, mate. No problem.”
Chisora: “Happy anniversary for being an a******. I don’t believe you’ll make it five years after this interview. You f**** a****.Get the f*** out of my room now.”
Kugan: “I wish you the best of luck tomorrow night.”
Chisora: “Kiss my black a**. Get the f*** out of my room. Turn your s*** off and leave.”
Re: Ben Shalom
Posted: 16 Nov 2025, 17:14
by Taansend
Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑16 Nov 2025, 17:10
Most of British boxing fans love him for some reason.
Because of his in the ring performances.
We love a good loser. As long as you have a go, the public will be behind you.
That's the reason.
Re: Ben Shalom
Posted: 16 Nov 2025, 17:20
by Ruthless-RKO
5 years later, Kugan still here with IFL.
Maybe not as big as they used to be haha but still here.
Re: Ben Shalom
Posted: 16 Nov 2025, 22:57
by rio
Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑16 Nov 2025, 17:20
5 years later, Kugan still here with IFL.
Maybe not as big as they used to be haha but still here.
Always wanted to know what happened with ifl co founder james helder
Re: Ben Shalom
Posted: 17 Nov 2025, 02:31
by johnmanchester
Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑16 Nov 2025, 14:01
What a bunch of bullies
It's not bullying someone if they run away before you've even got near them
I'm actually shocked by that video.. I've never seen anything like that.