Di Bella determined to fix ratings
Manhattanbased boxing promoter Lou Di Bella says he’s nobody’s “sham” and thinks Al Haymon’s efforts to bring boxing back to network television should be applauded and not the subject of mounting lawsuits.
Di Bella, head of Di Bella Entertainment, will serve as the lead promoter of an Aug. 1 boxing card at Barclays Center. It will be part of Haymon’s Premier Boxing Champions series, making its first primetime appearance on ESPN.
Two of Brooklyn’s finest— twotime world champion Paulie Malignaggi and middleweight champion Danny Jacobs — headline in separate bouts. Malignaggi takes on popular junior welterweight champion Danny Garcia of Philadelphia in his first outing as a 147pound welterweight. Jacobs defends his WBA belt against Sergio “The Latin Snake” Mora.
It’s another in the growing list of boxing offers by PBC that began in March and includes deals with CBS, Spike TV, FOX Sports and ESPN. Haymon, backed by $ 400 million from an asset management firm, has purchased time for the bouts, hoping to turn a profit when ratings begin to improve and demand grows. Not everyone is happy about the endeavor.
Top Rank Inc., headed by longtime promoter Bob Arum, filed an antitrust suit in federal court in California last week alleging Haymon of violating the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act. Among the charges: Haymon is acting in the role of manager and promoter. Haymon also is accused of blocking venues in South California fromother promoters. Golden Boy Promotions — headed by Oscar De La Hoya— filed a similar lawsuit against Haymon in May.
Di Bella is not a defendant, but takes issue with his portrayal as anything less than a traditional promoter and not a “sham” for Haymon.
“I know who I am,” Di Bella told The Post on Wednesday. “I know I’m not a sham. I’ve promoted my [ butt] off since I left HBO in 2000. I’ve been in the sport for over 25 years. I guess because I’m doing business with the PBC or because I’m doing business with Al Haymon, I’m a sham? Was everybody else a sham who was doing business with him previously?”
The Aug. 1 card at Barclays is an important step for PBC. Ratings haven’t been spectacular but remain promising as the PBC and the networks find a suitable balance between establishing a brand and oversaturation.
Arum and Haymon are longtime rivals, and De La Hoya lost favor with Haymon when the Golden Boy pushed out Richard Schaefer as CEO twoyears ago. That’s why you won’t see any PBC cards promoted by Top Rank or Golden Boy anytime soon. The lawsuits were inevitable in a sport where lawsuits are as common as ring card girls.
Should Top Rank’s suit ever go to trial, the testimony should offer a fascinating look into today’s unregulated world of bigtime boxing.