Dan Rafael New HBO Match Maker / Is HBO Promoting without a license?

[JazMerkin]

I think this is a smart move by HBO.

Most promoter like Lance said aren't really promoters like back in the day.

Dan will tell HBO wich match ups will make the most sense for them not only financially but overall boxing wise...
Remember that DiBella was to SHO what Dan will be to HBO now.

This can only be good for the fans, IMO.

DiBella was at HBO.

[Mars_ax]

HBO is a network that deals with promoters, predominantly Goldenboy as of late.

Surprised fat fuck got hired to do a real job inside of boxing.

Funny, that's the same thing I was thinking, why would HBO hire someone like Dan Rafael, who isn't really qualified, to be a match maker.. it doesn't make sense.

Why is he not qualified? He knows the sport better then any other human being.

Also the promoters aren't promoters anymore. With a few exceptions, all they do is wait for premium cable money (HBO and Showtime) so that they do not have to take any financial risk of their own. It is the reason that there are less and less fighters with local followings.

THe Money that HBO and SHowtime pay, is so so so much greater then what they could earn, putting on untelivised cards like in the old days, that no promoter wants to take any risks.

No offense Lance, but if you believe Dan Rafael knows more about boxing then any other human being, you are either:

#1. Dan Rafael

#2. Someone who's easily impressed, and doesn't have their facts straight.

#3. Someone who's new to the sport of boxing and knows little about it.

#4. Dan's mother.

[Hulk]

HBO is a network that deals with promoters, predominantly Goldenboy as of late.

Surprised fat fuck got hired to do a real job inside of boxing.

Funny, that's the same thing I was thinking, why would HBO hire someone like Dan Rafael, who isn't really qualified, to be a match maker.. it doesn't make sense.

Why is he not qualified? He knows the sport better then any other human being.

Also the promoters aren't promoters anymore. With a few exceptions, all they do is wait for premium cable money (HBO and Showtime) so that they do not have to take any financial risk of their own. It is the reason that there are less and less fighters with local followings.

THe Money that HBO and SHowtime pay, is so so so much greater then what they could earn, putting on untelivised cards like in the old days, that no promoter wants to take any risks.

No offense Lance, but if you believe Dan Rafael knows more about boxing then any other human being, you are either:

#1. Dan Rafael

#2. Someone who's easily impressed, and doesn't have their facts straight.

#3. Someone who's new to the sport of boxing and knows little about it.

#4. Dan's mother.

OR

#5.Being held captive by Dan a la Princess Leya under Jabba the Hut and about to be Dan's lunch.

[Spicoli]

I don't know about this yeh. Maybe in a unofficial capacity, more an adviser but wouldn't he have to quit the writing gig? The appearances on FNF and elsewhere doing commentary less it be seen as a simple commercial with an agenda? Dan knows his stuff but serves the sport far better as a semi independent voice rather then going over to the diva network. How many bridges has he burned when it comes to different fighters also, not known to bite his tongue really.

[Hulk]

I don't know about this yeh. Maybe in a unofficial capacity, more an adviser but wouldn't he have to quit the writing gig? The appearances on FNF and elsewhere doing commentary less it be seen as a simple commercial with an agenda? Dan knows his stuff but serves the sport far better as a semi independent voice rather then going over to the diva network. How many bridges has he burned when it comes to different fighters also, not known to bite his tongue really.

Thats the only thing he isn't known to bite !

POW !!!

(what I'm saying here is that Dan Rafael is fat, really really fucking morbidly obese, fucking riding around on one of those little scooters FAT).

[generalbulldog]

How much is fat Dan getting paid for this role? And what gives him the edge over let's say some hardcore boxing fan on matchmaking? It's not like his knowledge is better than many fans who follow the sport.

[Spicoli]

Screw it...I'll do it Just put me alongside Lampley >> Kellerman >> and Merchant >>

'Will work for Cougar'

......good to go!!

[CutMeMick]

I think this is a smart move by HBO.

Most promoter like Lance said aren't really promoters like back in the day.

Dan will tell HBO wich match ups will make the most sense for them not only financially but overall boxing wise...
Remember that DiBella was to SHO what Dan will be to HBO now.

This can only be good for the fans, IMO.

DiBella was at HBO.

That's my mistake... Meant to type HBO.

[Gandalf]

I don't know what Rafael's weight has to do with any of this. Rafael is like most of us except that he is able to write about boxing for a living. Admittedly, he might be a little heavier than most of us too, but I see no reason why he cannot know whether two fighters might pair up well or not. You really don't need to have lived in a gym all your life to judge these things. Sometimes a fight will stink, but that's life.

[mickeyholmes]

lol classic

[Master]

This means we all have a chance to acheive the things he has.

[SweetPea]

I don't know what Rafael's weight has to do with any of this.

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Exactly. If posters want to criticize Rafael's credentials, do so in a more intelligent way than talking about his weight. It's an ignorant and pointless argument.

Is Rafael the most qualified guy out there? I don't know. I do know HBO boxing is a mediocre product right now that's desperately in need of change. Maybe Rafael could help that.

[mafiajoey]

Dan Quotes From Today


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David (Wyoming)

Would you care to comment on the rumor connecting you to HBO?

Dan Rafael - Been getting a lot of questions about it. Rumors, rumors, rumors. Don't believe everything you read, unless, of course, I write it!

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Did you catch Pacquiao on the Kimmel show? I want his CD with the 7 different versions of the song "Sometimes When We Touch" duest with Dan Hill!

Dan Rafael - I watched it. I may have to get the CD too.

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Gus Johnson (Showtime)


I'm SO PUMPED to be covering the Pacquiao fight!!! OH MY GOD, DID YOU SEE MANNY ON KIMMEL THAT WAS GREATEST EXHIBITION OF RAW INTERVIEWING SKILLS I HAVE EVER SEEN!

Dan Rafael - AMMMMMMMAAAAAAAAZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZINNNNNNNNNNNNGGGG GGGGG!

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brian (ca)

Last week you listed your top 10 heavyweights of all time. Where was Tyson? I'm a new boxing fan. Is he considered by most to not be one of the top 10 heavyweights of all time? No one seemed to disagree with you.

Dan Rafael - Tyson is not a top 10 heavyweight.

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Dan stinks

[mafiajoey]

I don't know what Rafael's weight has to do with any of this.

<br />
<br />
Exactly. If posters want to criticize Rafael's credentials, do so in a more intelligent way than talking about his weight. It's an ignorant and pointless argument.

Is Rafael the most qualified guy out there? I don't know. I do know HBO boxing is a mediocre product right now that's desperately in need of change. Maybe Rafael could help that.

Dr's argue over it all the time if obesity is a disability. If Dan is so preoccupied with his food intake he is sure to miss something. Same thing as a blind man judging a fight or a man who needs to sniff a few grams of cocaine during a fight. Would they do a great job? They both can't focus on the fight. Just like Dan...Dan's blinded by food.

[Kev]

Why is he not qualified? He knows the sport better then any other human being.

Also the promoters aren't promoters anymore. With a few exceptions, all they do is wait for premium cable money (HBO and Showtime) so that they do not have to take any financial risk of their own. It is the reason that there are less and less fighters with local followings.

THe Money that HBO and SHowtime pay, is so so so much greater then what they could earn, putting on untelivised cards like in the old days, that no promoter wants to take any risks.

Seriously?

He's a decent writer, but he's far too partial to particular fighters and he's never been in there or even been in a gym from an early age. He's not grown up around boxing people, so what he might see as having the makings of a good fight might not end up that way. Bear in mind that he was heavily pushing Bradley-Alexander & not Morales-Maidana. Now that reflects the view of 95% of us, but the fact remains that a professional matchmaker saw something in Morales-Maidana that had the makings of an excellent fight.

If HBO want to get a quality match-maker, they should try steal Bruce Trampler from Top Rank or something.

I disagree strongly with this. Alexander vs Bradley to all of us had the makings of being a possible fight of the year, two of America's hottest undefeated stars. There is no matchmaker on the planet who would have said 'Hang on guys, this fight between the top two fighters in the division is going to be a stylistic clash and Alexander won't show any heart so we should scrap this idea now'.

Everybody wanted to see that fight.

Now Morales Maidana again was a complete surprise, this time the other way. Morales did what his recent form suggested he couldn't. To say that a professional matchmaker could consistently gamble on putting fights such as this on and having them work out as fight of the year candidates every time is akin to gambling all your money on the stock exchange.

Neither of these results can be attributed, either in terms of blame of praise to any matchmaker. One fight that looked great on paper turned out to be a dud, the other, which looked like a mismatch turned out to be one of the years best brawls.

But no matchmaker would have rejected Bradley Alexander, and no matchmaker could consistently gamble on Morales Maidana type matchups and have them pay off.