Menu
Download the app

SBJ subscribers – Enhance your experience with the revamped iOS app

Leagues and Governing Bodies

On The Ropes: Canelo, De La Hoya At Odds Ahead Of Kovalev Fight

Canelo Alvarez faces Sergey Kovalev in a light heavyweight title fight on Saturday, but he has been embroiled during the lead-up to the bout in a "power struggle with his promoter" -- Oscar De La Hoya and Golden Boy Promotions, according to Mike Coppinger of THE ATHLETIC. Alvarez recently talked about how his "rift with De La Hoya has grown from a simple spat to a genuine grudge match." He said De La Hoya has "no loyalty in him." Alvarez and De La Hoya about two years ago "quietly drifted apart" until this summer, when Alvarez' "frustration with Golden Boy Promotions boiled over." A split between the two sides is "being openly discussed in boxing circles, even though Alvarez is tied into a rights deal for his next nine fights" with DAZN. Alvarez signed with DAZN in October '18, and Gennady Golovkin "followed suit" six months later. De La Hoya and Golden Boy President Eric Gomez had promised DAZN Exec Chair John Skipper that Alvarez "would fight Golovkin on Sept. 14, 2019." However, Alvarez "wasn't in on the plan" and he had "no intention of fighting Golovkin" this year. Tensions "steadily rose" between De La Hoya and Alvarez, who was "always intent on Kovalev as his next opponent." Moving forward will be "more difficult if Alvarez refuses to fight Golovkin a third time." Language in Golden Boy's contract with DAZN "stipulates Alvarez must fight Golovkin, but Alvarez doesn't have any such language in his own DAZN contract." If Alvarez "does attempt to break free from his contract with Golden Boy, he still is obligated to fight on DAZN nine more times, beginning with the Kovalev bout" (THEATHLETIC.com, 10/30).

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? In N.Y., George Willis wrote Alvarez and De La Hoya at Wednesday's press conference to promote the Kovalev fight "hardly acknowledged each other as they sat side-by-side." DAZN will "live stream the main card" and Golden Boy is "serving as the lead promoter, which is why" De La Hoya and Alvarez were sitting next to each other. Their "long association seems to have soured amid De La Hoya's mounting personal issues." Just days after De La Hoya was accused of sexual assault by an unidentified woman, Alvarez "questioned his promoter's loyalty." Alvarez has to be "frustrated De La Hoya's personal issues are taking attention away from his fight with Kovalev" (N.Y. POST, 10/31). ESPN.com's Dan Rafael noted Alvarez "made it clear the days of a close, personal relationship were over." He said, "It's only a working relationship. These types of problems are part of a working relationship, and I take it that way. I came here to fight as a boxer and not to talk about legal situations" (ESPN.com, 10/30). YAHOO SPORTS' Kevin Iole wrote Golden Boy's existence is "tied directly to Alvarez." Without him, the promotion is "largely insignificant in the wider boxing landscape" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 10/30).

SBJ Morning Buzzcast: March 25, 2024

NFL meeting preview; MLB's opening week ad effort and remembering Peter Angelos.

Big Get Jay Wright, March Madness is upon us and ESPN locks up CFP

On this week’s pod, our Big Get is CBS Sports college basketball analyst Jay Wright. The NCAA Championship-winning coach shares his insight with SBJ’s Austin Karp on key hoops issues and why being well dressed is an important part of his success. Also on the show, Poynter Institute senior writer Tom Jones shares who he has up and who is down in sports media. Later, SBJ’s Ben Portnoy talks the latest on ESPN’s CFP extension and who CBS, TNT Sports and ESPN need to make deep runs in the men’s and women's NCAA basketball tournaments.

SBJ I Factor: Nana-Yaw Asamoah

SBJ I Factor features an interview with AMB Sports and Entertainment Chief Commercial Office Nana-Yaw Asamoah. Asamoah, who moved over to AMBSE last year after 14 years at the NFL, talks with SBJ’s Ben Fischer about how his role model parents and older sisters pushed him to shrive, how the power of lifelong learning fuels successful people, and why AMBSE was an opportunity he could not pass up. Asamoah is 2021 SBJ Forty Under 40 honoree. SBJ I Factor is a monthly podcast offering interviews with sports executives who have been recipients of one of the magazine’s awards.

Shareable URL copied to clipboard!

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2019/11/01/Leagues-and-Governing-Bodies/Canelo-De-La-Hoya.aspx

Sorry, something went wrong with the copy but here is the link for you.

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2019/11/01/Leagues-and-Governing-Bodies/Canelo-De-La-Hoya.aspx

CLOSE