The aftermath of Showtime’s split with management company PBC has drawn the attention of everyone in boxing, particularly Oscar De La Hoya―Golden Boy’s founder & CEO, and Hall of Fame boxer―who was recently interviewed about Paramount shelving its boxing programs for the foreseeable future, forcing the PBC to look for a new broadcaster.
Through a unique business model that absolves Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) of most repercussions pertaining to a promoter, while at the same time getting all of the same benefits, the ‘management company’ has incorporated multiple smaller promotions under its banner and is more described as an advisory and television platform. Though it often acts as a promotion, and PBC fighters have referred to it as such, the PBC is not officially regarded as a boxing promotion, yet it has managed to produce some of the biggest fights in boxing.
Floyd Mayweather Jr., in particular, was a catalyst in the profits that PBC managed to generate since its inception, having been involved in at least two fights that grossed over $600 million in revenue, in particular his record-breaking fights against Manny Pacquiao and Conor McGregor.
However, despite PBC’s prevalence in the boxing industry, certain practices they were already known for were highlighted by Golden Boy promoter Oscar De La Hoya, whose own promotion is currently tied to DAZN in an exclusive broadcasting deal. In particular, De La Hoya did not shy away from mentioning Al Haymon specifically, the founder and owner of the PBC.
“Have you taken a look at what Al Haymon has done in the sport?” De La Hoya asked AccordingToBoxing.
“He ruined the relationship with NBC, he ruined the relationship with FOX, he spent Showtime’s money… so every network he goes to, he just ruins it, because it has to be his way, or no way.“
The PBC has worked with all aforementioned broadcasters (NBC, FOX Sports, and Showtime)―and a couple of others―since 2015, but has seen the most out of its partnership with Showtime, which has delivered countless notable PPV fights, particularly this year.
Eventually, PBC exclusively showcased their fights on Showtime, which became their main broadcaster around 2020 or 2021. It was not reported why PBC’s relationship with NBC and FOX broke down, but the fact it did seems to be the foundation on which De La Hoya’s argument has been built.
“So I don’t know how DAZN will even entertain anything like that,” De La Hoya stated, referring to the rumors that PBC was in talks with DAZN and Amazon Prime.
“I mean, I’m open to it and willing to work with anybody, but I just want to make sure people understand what has been going on with networks and why it’s been happening.
“Somebody just told me because everything that Haymon touches turns to bronze.“
Oscar De La Hoya is likely speaking from experience through his own dealings with PBC and owner Al Haymon, having filed a lawsuit towards PBC in 2015, with parts of the grievances revolving around Haymon illegally serving as a promoter alongside his position as a boxing manager.
De La Hoya coincidentally made no mention of his own promotion’s failed fallouts with networks, having previously had broadcasting deals with HBO, ESPN, and also FOX, before those collapsed, and Golden Boy entered into a multi-year partnership with DAZN.
As it stands, it is quite par for the course for promotions to drift around from network to network, and not necessarily a reflection of a decline in the boxing industry of any kind, though Al Haymon himself has been linked to corruption several times, though this has never been proven as fact.
