Following the announcement of the demise of Showtime Boxing, those in the sport were vocal about its future – not least Terence Crawford and Oscar De La Hoya.
It not only leaves PBC and its stars – Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis and Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez to name a couple – without a broadcast partner, the departure signals a change in the sport fighters give their lives to.
Crawford was quick to call for change on social media off the back of the news, pointing to other sports and their success.
“The system we have isn’t going to fix this. We gotta think different. Look at every other sport is building empires by doing it right. Us fighters need to come together. We can fight in the ring but work together for our sport and our families.”
De La Hoya – who won world titles in six weight classes before turning his hand to promoting – said promoters must work together.
“I salute Showtime for their near-40 year commitment to the sport that I love. I am hopeful that we promoters can use this unfortunate situation to put our differences aside and start working together more often to help make more of the bigger fights and grow our sport.”
Recently crowned undisputed welterweight champion, Crawford, responded to De La Hoya to say that the fighters must be at the table.
“Respectfully Oscar De La Hoya, if the boxers aren’t at the table, it isn’t going to work.”
The Golden Boy promoter mirrored the respect, but not the sentiment.
“Respectfully Terence Crawford, I disagree, fighters should hire smart competent representation that will lookout for the best interest of his client and fighters should worry about the small window of opportunity they have to fight as many times as they can in their short careers.”
That’s where the pleasantries ended, as ‘Bud’ Crawford told De La Hoya that his response was the problem he had attempted to highlight initially.
“This is EXACTLY the point. I say we need boxers at the table and Oscar De La Hoya says sit down and shut up. [You] really think we better if y’all keep running things. You don’t get it. We need to do things different, like other sports. We have the power and y’all cant keep us from using it.”
Crawford’s fight with Errol Spence Jr – one of the best of the year so far – was broadcast on Showtime PPV. Where the rematch ends up is now anybody’s guess.