Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) is one of the best-known boxing-affiliated companies in the United States yet it has demonstrated plenty of flaws that continues to damage boxing. Though the role of PBC has been expanded upon in previous articles, the company has managed to avoid any repercussions or criticism for operating essentially as a promotional despite being regarded as a management company in one instance, and a television broadcaster in another.
To fully understand the implications of what the PBC is doing, it is first important to understand the distinction between a promoter and manager according to the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act that was formally implemented by the United States Congress in 2000.
PBC has managed to operate in a manner akin to being a promoter, having been responsible since its inception for arranging and promoting fights as well as profiting off them. However, officially, PBC is regarded as a “television series” that falls under PBC founder Al Haymon’s own management company; Haymon Sports. Due to the nature of Haymon Sports as a management company, PBC is also often seen as an extension of Haymon Sports and therefore often regarded as a management company itself.
The notion that PBC is a television show therefore seems highly exaggerated given what is known about the company. Boxing insider Rick Glaser himself has recently spoken on this topic, remarking on the likelihood of PBC actually being an unofficial promoter based on how it acts.
“PBC is an unlicensed promotional company that uses licensed front promoters.” Glaser posted yesterday on Twitter/X in response to another user. “Stick the it’s a “television program” up your a**, as PBC acquires the revenues, decides who’s fighting, & where the fight is held, so that makes PBC the Promoter!“
The recent court case between American boxing trainer Derrick James and former unified welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr specified on the influence of Al Haymon in boxing as official statements pointed out that Haymon was “advising” Spence; a different role than with Haymon Sports where he supposedly acts as a “boxing manager”. However, as the Ali Act illustrates, this perceived role as manager conflicts with the promotional duties PBC has been said to undertake.
The PBC’s promotional activities are most blatant when observing every show organized by PBC where it displays its brand in every event yet officially uses other promoters to create a distinction; as in the case with TGB Promotions to whom most PBC-affiliated fighters are signed with. By allegedly using TGB as a proxy promotional company, PBC manages to blur the lines between manager and promoter all while being officially regarded as neither as it is most often referred to as an “adviser” or “television show”―two roles that are conveniently not fully defined within the Muhammad Ali Act.
As there are no records officially confirming Haymon to be the head of PBC, the only actual connection Haymon has to the company is being considered as its founder. However, statements made by PBC-connected fighters seem to hint at him being much more involved, particularly Jermall Charlo (33-0, 22 KO’s) who spoke earlier this year on not having “spoken to” Al Haymon in regards to fighting Canelo Alvarez (61-2-2, 39 KO’s), suggesting Haymon was basically acting as a promoter―as they are responsible for arranging boxing matches.
A large portion of the mystery surrounding Al Haymon, a former music promoter, is due to the unknown official nature of his association with the aforementioned companies while at the same time being predominantly mentioned when it came to PBC. Last year, for example, current WBC lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson alleged Haymon had sent Edwin De Los Santos, a PBC-affiliated fighter, to fight him for the then-vacant WBC title, seeing an opportunity to claim the belt for PBC.
Last year, Alvarez also spoke about Al Haymon and PBC, referring to PBC as a promotion several times and mentioning Al Haymon to be a “great businessman” while also confirming his involvement in signing with PBC―which again is not officially recognized as a promotion.
New York Times writer Greg Bishop has also noted Al Haymon’s connection to PBC and highlighted his dual unofficial role as promoter and manager, confirming that Haymon had been licensed as a manager while other interviews Bishop held with insiders suggested Haymon was additionally acting as a promoter.
Over the years, PBC has operated in a manner that suggests it occupies multiple roles in boxing including as a promotion and management company, though legally it does not appear to carry the same risks as any other promoter or manager. By bending the rules to this extent, it seems clear that PBC, and therefore Al Haymon, has profited off of boxing all while exerting its influence on the sport. Point in case with TGB Promotions who on paper is regarded as a promoter, but does not seem to actually be pulling the strings.
The only actual responsibilities of TGB seem to fall on its chairman, Tom Brown, making appearances at every PBC event to represent himself as a promoter, yet it is PBC that is mentioned whenever a fight is announced.
That shadowy role PBC possesses in the boxing industry can further be garnered when observing the World Boxing Council (WBC) whose decisions have predominantly favored PBC-affiliated fighters. Despite there having been plenty of cases where PBC appears to be involved with another sanctioning body’s decision-making process, the Muhammad Ali Act does not have actual set rules for entities regarded as “advisers” or “television programs”, allowing PBC to move unhindered within the sport.
