By Vitali Shaposhnikov: I was wondering what the various boxing promoters think and would say about the TMT Promotions recently formed by 50 Cent and Floyd Mayweather Jr. We have seen many promoters and promotional companies come and go, and only know a few to be dominating in driving the sport of boxing. At some point in time, Don King was the biggest kid on the block in that respect, but those times are long gone, with Bob Arum’s Top Rank and Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions being the two of the controlling bodies in boxing.
Recently, in a RingTV article (http://ringtv.craveonline.com/blog/174137-lems-latest-), Bob Arum talked about TMT and his views on what the company may help achieve.
“I wish [50 Cent] and his company a lot of luck, because he has, in his business career, been able to energize the African American community and to reach out to them. If he does that as he expects to do in boxing, then that will help everybody in boxing,” stated Arum.
I agree, that despite the fact that 50 Cent has absolutely no experience at promoting fighters and dealing with the sport of boxing from a financial standpoint, he is a force and a powerful voice for a large community, thus may be able to effectively bring some fights to fruition.
For Arum this is good news, because Golden Boy and Top Rank do not like or respect each other much, thus have trouble signing some fights that many boxing fans salivate over. At least with TMT, Arum will have someone else to talk to and rake in the cash.
Of course claiming that 50 Cent will get a lot done in boxing is premature, because his role will likely be very limited, as Floyd Mayweather Jr. would be the man with the plan. In essence, it is Floyd Mayweather Jr. that Arum will end up dealing with anyway, even if its 50 Cent who shows up to the dinners and the negotiation table.
“I would think that if (50 Cent) promoted Floyd, then it would make a matchup between Pacquiao and Mayweather that much easier. You would have somebody that is a friend and a mentor that he can rely on and they would protect his interests in any kind of promotion, and I would be on the side of Pacquiao. I think that it would work wonderfully. In other words, I’m not looking to be the only promoter here because that might be very awkward. But certainly in a deal where Mayweather had his own promotional company and Pacquiao his own, being us, I think that it would work splendidly,” concluded Arum.
Again, I am glad to hear such things as Floyd Mayweather Jr, Manny Pacquiao, and work wonderfully, all in one paragraph, but Arum is missing the main piece of the puzzle; Mayweather Jr. will still be the one to make the decision and make demands.
On the other hand who knows, maybe TMT will actually lead the mega-fight between Mayweather Jr. and Pacquiao in the right direction.