If you thought Megadeath harshed your MMA buzz last time wait until you have to sit through multiple boxing matches to see Fedor. MMA Weekly has the news:
Golden Boy Promotions – the boxing promotion company spearheaded by Oscar De La Hoya – and Affliction Entertainment on Saturday are set to announce a partnership between the two companies.
Golden Boy Promotions’ CEO Richard Schaefer and Affliction vice president Tom Atencio will make the announcement during the Ricky Hatton vs. Paulie Malignaggi press conference at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Golden Boy is one of the promoter’s of the boxing match set for Nov. 22 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena....
Though no word has been forthcoming from either promoter, it is expected that the partnership would include events that commingle boxing and MMA bouts on the same fight card. The move of Affliction’s event gives the two time to work out details and strategies to make such a hybrid fight card possible for the January event.
Now I'm actually kind of intrigued by experiments in mixing boxing and MMA on the same card. I think in the long run it could help with the growth of the sport. At the same time, I don't want my Fedor ppv watered down with crappy third rate boxing either and I doubt they'll be putting a showstopper on the card.
The key IMO will be whether or not Golden Boy can use its relationships with HBO to get Affliction some air time on the pay cable network. The last word from HBO executives wasn't favorable.
UPDATE by Chris Nelson
ESPN has the following info from Saturday's presser:
Golden Boy and Affliction will partner 50-50 on at least four pay-per-view shows next year that will include boxing matches and MMA fights on the same card. Smaller promoters have paired the two sports on cards, but never at the top level.
. . .
When the card was called off, Golden Boy attempted to have Arlovski-Barnett rescheduled as part of the Oct. 18 Pavlik-Hopkins HBO PPV card. However, co-promoter Top Rank and HBO rejected the overture.
"They presented us with the option and we respectfully declined," HBO PPV chief Mark Taffet told ESPN.com.
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