Boxing

HBO wants improved fight slate

By JOHN C. COTEY
Published December 11, 2005

UNCASVILLE, Conn. - HBO announced last week it was committing to a better slate of matchups in 2006, which is good news for Winky Wright.

Ross Greenburg, president of HBO Sports, told the Las Vegas Review-Journal HBO would be "stiff in our opponent approval in the coming years" and "these fighters have got to start thinking long-term."

After Jermain Taylor beat Bernard Hopkins last weekend, promoter Lou DiBella created a minor furor when he said he was looking at an easy fight for his man in his hometown of Little Rock, Ark., instead of against Wright.

Though Greenburg didn't mention any names, he said in a statement, "We don't put soft touches on HBO. If Jermain fights in a live HBO broadcast from Arkansas, he'll have a competitive opponent."

Greenburg and DiBella are scheduled to meet Monday to discuss Taylor's future.

MONEY FOR NOTHING?: Wright may have earned a nice payday Saturday night, but it cost him a hefty sanctioning fee paid to the WBC to make sure he kept his No. 1 standing in that organization.

Though it was a nontitle fight, the WBC still sanctioned it, meaning Wright had to pay 1.5 percent of what was roughly a $2-million purse. The fee ensured the winner of the fight became Taylor's mandatory challenger in the WBC, a position Wright held.

FATHER'S DAY: Puerto Rican boxing legend Carlos De Leon was in the corner of his son, Carlos De Leon Jr., Saturday night along with Clearwater trainer Ben Getty.

De Leon Jr. trains at the St. Pete Boxing Club and is managed by Wright. He fought Ted Muller of Illinois, his stiffest competition to date.

The elder De Leon, nicknamed Sugar, was the first cruiserweight to win the title twice, and from 1980-88 won the WBC title a record four times. He beat former heavyweight champion Leon Spinks, with his other notable fight being a loss to Evander Holyfield in 1988 for the cruiserweight title.

ATTENDANCE: Roughly 4,000 tickets were sold before the doors opened, and the announced crowd was 4,682.

FRIENDS: New York Yankees slugger and Tampa native Gary Sheffield was at the fight and made a locker room visit to Wright before his bout. Sheffield was roundly booed by the pro-Red Sox crowd. New England Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi, however, got a rousing ovation.

[Last modified December 11, 2005, 02:15:36]