“The money wasn’t tight, but it wasn’t right”
If you have never heard that quote, it’s from a commercial about college, yet the reason may be different with Gamboa it certainly is fitting surrounding wanting to make sure what deal is right for HIM.
“Boxing is a business” this is the same tired saying fighters have been using for a while now and eventhough it may be tired it also is true. While many on the outside may argue that Gamboa does not deserve more money or he needs to honor his contract with Top Rank and face Rios either fail to care or realize that Gamboa has the right to decided and choose what is right for him.
Top Rank has made millions off of their fighters and while they have also made fighters millions of dollars it has been obvious over the last couple of years that Top Rank fighters rarely fight other non Top Rank fighters in high profile bouts.
Why does that matter? It matters because Top Rank is getting a piece of the pie from each of their fighters who face one another. It’s a win –win for Top Rank.
From a business stand point it’s not a bad idea, Top Rank has essentially created their own internal league of sorts. Keep all fighters and money in-house , it also does not hurt to have some of the best fighters in your stable to call at will, why would any company let a competitor get a payday?
On the downside this also means that at times the best fights are not made. If they are a Golden boy promoted fighter chances are slim that they will face a Top Rank fighter. Once and a while the two companies will let fighters face each other but not often.
Gamboa understands this all too well.
A couple years ago fans were asking for Gamboa vs Juan Manuel Lopez, the hard hitting Puerto Rican champion who annihilated Daniel Ponce DeLeon in 2008 and looked to be on a collision course with Gamboa in 2011 until Top Rank head Bob Arum basically stated that he was not going to put them in together; that the fight deserved to be pushed out to a later time and that he owed it to the fighters to get the most money for them.
Well, Juanma was stopped by the rugged Orlando Salido and with it came the loud crash of what could have been. Juanma looks to regain his belt in his rematch with Salido this weekend but the hype of a Gamboa-Juanma is all but a distant memory.
However fast forward to 2012 and while Gamboa-Juanma was about money, Gamboa-Rios is not?
Gamboa and Juanma were in the same weight class when they were looked at being matched up, yet Rios is two weight classes above Gamboa. Gambo has not fought above 130lbs since 2009, but matching Gamboa-Rios is okay and the money is fine?
It seems too convenient. Perhaps Arum realized that Gamboa was getting too smart for his own good and looked at a way to bring him back to earth. A loss can do serious damage to a fighters psyche. Just ask Kelly Pavlik.
However whatever the reason Gamboa has for not being a puppet or going through with the fight promotion with Rios is his personal reasons, but in the end it’s about money. Just ask Bob Arum.
Word is that Gamboa has not signed a contract to fight Rios. This, according to his attorney/manager. Still, he agreed verbally I assume. I don’t see why he can’t show up to the press conferences ??
Kinda like how the Cotto-Margarito rematch was handled. Margo had no boxing license but still he trained, gave interviews, ETC.
I don’t have a problem so much with Gamboa not being a puppet of Top Rank, but when you call a fighter out and back out once the other fighter accepts, man up and do it. It makes him indeed come off as a coward and if he wasn’t fine with the money I don’t think Top Rank would have plopped down the money for the pressers in Miami and LA (which i’m sure were not cheap) so once again MAN UP GAMBOA!!!
Man, I can’t wait for the days these promoters don’t have as much power as they do.. Hopefully some day boxing will get back too the good old days when a champion has no choice but too fight the number one contenders! These promoter are screwing alot of boxing fans of some unbelievable fights! I’m a huge boxing fan and always will be but this truly sucks.. The money will be there just make the fights that matter!!!!
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