The end of FNF

[Spicoli]

Well shit!! So what...now Haymon buys out ESPN and FNF is being canceled. Can't say that I don't feel fooking hoodwinked They will air instead only 12 shows a year...all Haymon fighters I'm assuming(?) Now I know that FNF is unfortunately seen as a running punch line to denigrate some fighters and thought of as a low tier show by a few "boxing fans" but what is this doing, establishing a monopoly? A thought comes to mind..well maybe it'll be quality over quantity...higher grade matches etc. But that's horseshit. Did anyone see Broner v Molina...Porter vs a 24 hr TBA Looking forward to Danny Jacobs vs Caleb f'n Truax are we? This just reeks of a Godfather trying to silence competition and/or other platforms available to other promoters. What am I missing, the plot? Please fill me in. This really does suck man. Fnf has been a constant, opportunity and exposure for guys on the way up and guys trying to rebuild. To me at least its always had a very independent 'feel'. I mean can you imagine Atlas being handed a Haymon script and reframing from being one of the very few guys to openly criticize officials and promoters for garbage matches? Personally I think this is horrible for the sport!

[beenKOed]

I was wondering how FNF was going survive with Haymon moving in on Fridays. I agree, it's a shame to see the old standby forced out, but it's happening.

[Hulk]

Well shit!! So what...now Haymon buys out ESPN and FNF is being canceled. Can't say that I don't feel fooking hoodwinked They will air instead only 12 shows a year...all Haymon fighters I'm assuming(?) Now I know that FNF is unfortunately seen as a running punch line to denigrate some fighters and thought of as a low tier show by a few "boxing fans" but what is this doing, establishing a monopoly? A thought comes to mind..well maybe it'll be quality over quantity...higher grade matches etc. But that's horseshit. Did anyone see Broner v Molina...Porter vs a 24 hr TBA Looking forward to Danny Jacobs vs Caleb f'n Truax are we? This just reeks of a Godfather trying to silence competition and/or other platforms available to other promoters. What am I missing, the plot? Please fill me in. This really does suck man. Fnf has been a constant, opportunity and exposure for guys on the way up and guys trying to rebuild. To me at least its always had a very independent 'feel'. I mean can you imagine Atlas being handed a Haymon script and reframing from being one of the very few guys to openly criticize officials and promoters for garbage matches? Personally I think this is horrible for the sport!

If this is true then this is outrageous and diabolical.

[ruthless rocco]

I don't want to see Teddy suffer a heart attack or aneurysm or stroke on live tv, so maybe it's for the better...

[powerpuncher]

i dont think its a bad thing. fnf has been subpar. they usually dont show good fighters. and most people on fnf dont really make it past that. i think that this move will start getting boxing more popular by putting on fights that at least mean something. as long as the quality stays decent, i think its a good move.

[Master]

FNF will be back in a couple of years.

[Spicoli]

i dont think its a bad thing. fnf has been subpar. they usually dont show good fighters. and most people on fnf dont really make it past that. i think that this move will start getting boxing more popular by putting on fights that at least mean something. as long as the quality stays decent, i think its a good move.

Floyd Mayweather made his debut on ESPN. Nearly every fighter featured on the NBC/Spike cards, Shawn Porter, John Molina, Adrian Broner, Garcia, and about 1001 other soon to be 'major players' over the last 25+ years had first exposure and significant airtime on ESPN before they ever dreamed of hitting Showtime, HBO or PPV. FNF and Espn before it was a platform and a foundation to build on and build up..a needed factory and opportunity. The stars of today didn't just wake up one morning on the doorstep of premier networks. This is similar to losing USA Network years ago.

[Kirkland Laing]

This is part of a deal that puts PBC on ABC and ESPN. It's a time buy which means Haymon is paying ABC/ESPN a chunk of change for slots of their airtime. Haymon then has to pay all the production costs of his PBC TV shows and obviously put the show on (although technically it's a promoter putting the show on). Haymon then can sell the advertising space during the show and attempt to make his money back doing that.

So this would suggest that he's going to have to put decent quality shows on in order to attract eyeballs and thus TV advertising revenue. Yes it's limited to his fighters but he's got a lot of fighters A lot fewer shows though versus FNF.

[J_Undisputed]

If showtime is smart, they pick up the scraps of those FNF fighters and showcase them on showbox. The problem is i have a feeling haymon would try to strong arm them into a non compete situation by leveraging his big name fighters appearance on showtimes championship boxing.

[Spicoli]

If showtime is smart, they pick up the scraps of those FNF fighters and showcase them on showbox. The problem is i have a feeling haymon would try to strong arm them into a non compete situation by leveraging his big name fighters appearance on showtimes championship boxing.

I'm guessing HBO got ahead of it one last time with approving Monroe Jr. as an opponent for Golovkin. Same Monroe Jr. just featured prominently on ESPN and the winner of the last official FNF tournament. That exposure and that exposure alone made that match a decent option on premier network. Talk about timing eh

Where do the prospects go? The fact of the matter is as much as we may want it...every fight cannot be a huge fight or even known names. Ya have to start somewhere 12 cards a year..gimme a break. Haymon looks like a guy with no interest in a foundation, only content to scrap the cream off the top.

[holmcall]

Please fire Fat Dan. Please.

[J_Undisputed]

If showtime is smart, they pick up the scraps of those FNF fighters and showcase them on showbox. The problem is i have a feeling haymon would try to strong arm them into a non compete situation by leveraging his big name fighters appearance on showtimes championship boxing.

I'm guessing HBO got ahead of it one last time with approving Monroe Jr. as an opponent for Golovkin. Same Monroe Jr. just featured prominently on ESPN and the winner of the last official FNF tournament. That exposure and that exposure alone made that match a decent option on premier network. Talk about timing eh

Where do the prospects go? The fact of the matter is as much as we may want it...every fight cannot be a huge fight or even known names. Ya have to start somewhere 12 cards a year..gimme a break. Haymon looks like a guy with no interest in a foundation, only content to scrap the cream off the top.

Yes i'd have to agree, Monroe Jr. was the last boosted name out of FNF. It was boxing purgatory. You saw it on the way up if you are a fighter like Monroe, Jr. and on the way down if you are a delvin rodriguez and maybe a stomping ground if your were trying to go up again like a juan diaz. It was that fog filled surreal crossroads where fighters found themselves or lost themselves. HBO cashed in right before the window closed.

As far as where do the prospects go.. Dare i point to the dark horse...RocNation. If they get to fighters early in their career and lock them to "minor league" type contracts and carry and nurture these prospects through the infancy stage of their career, they could stage bi monthly boxing shows at the barclays and bring back live fights and get the people to come out, and perhaps hook up with Time Warner (who owns both Turner sports and HBO) with television rights seeing as both RocNation and HBO are already on the F*ck Haymon campaign. They could somewhat compete against haymon. While turner sports is not exactly free platform that a channel like NBC is. It does compete against their basic cable appearances.

Sooooo The secret for RocNation would be to let haymon do all the work and break ground for boxings reentry into the mainstream. Create a market with his fighters and then when the casual fan is at their hungriest, to slip in these up and coming prospects in friday night/sunday night fights at the Barclays in brooklyn and broadcast them on turner sports (theoretically) As the fighters develop HBO could (if it has a renewed interest have its competing showbox counterpart). With RocNation feeding this two tier system, they may be considered a step behind haymon, both in level of immediate talent and ground breaking programming.. They could eventually rise to become the samsung to their apple...

The good news is the risk would be minimal considering haymons spending all the money to try and break into the mainstream. If haymon tanks and fails, RocNation could cut their losses on televising and still make money and earn from local entertainment seekers as native fighters are funneled up from local gyms and maybe they even attract similar shows on larger scales like ufc fights, bellator etc. If haymon succeeds and Roc Nation is leeching enough of the market share, they could theoretically catch the eye of some of haymons fighters (especially disgruntled ones who feel they are not being pushed enough) Golden boy got jump started in a way simple because they had an empty stable and some fighters were tired of vying for their promoters attention. Keep in mind this all off the top of my head. I'm sure, the details would require a lot more R&D, marketing and demographics.

[powerpuncher]

i dont think its a bad thing. fnf has been subpar. they usually dont show good fighters. and most people on fnf dont really make it past that. i think that this move will start getting boxing more popular by putting on fights that at least mean something. as long as the quality stays decent, i think its a good move.

Floyd Mayweather made his debut on ESPN. Nearly every fighter featured on the NBC/Spike cards, Shawn Porter, John Molina, Adrian Broner, Garcia, and about 1001 other soon to be 'major players' over the last 25+ years had first exposure and significant airtime on ESPN before they ever dreamed of hitting Showtime, HBO or PPV. FNF and Espn before it was a platform and a foundation to build on and build up..a needed factory and opportunity. The stars of today didn't just wake up one morning on the doorstep of premier networks. This is similar to losing USA Network years ago.

other than floyd, what top 20 p4p fighter started on espn? at least recently, i cant hardly name any contenders that have really fought on espn. a few pretty good fighters here and there but thats about it. i cant remember the last time there was a fighter that started out on fnf and is now a big name. maybe im wrong but i cant think of any.

anyways, the spike tv cards are supposed to be more for prospects according to haymon. also, there is still shobox.

[ykdadamaja]

i dont think its a bad thing. fnf has been subpar. they usually dont show good fighters. and most people on fnf dont really make it past that. i think that this move will start getting boxing more popular by putting on fights that at least mean something. as long as the quality stays decent, i think its a good move.

Floyd Mayweather made his debut on ESPN. Nearly every fighter featured on the NBC/Spike cards, Shawn Porter, John Molina, Adrian Broner, Garcia, and about 1001 other soon to be 'major players' over the last 25+ years had first exposure and significant airtime on ESPN before they ever dreamed of hitting Showtime, HBO or PPV. FNF and Espn before it was a platform and a foundation to build on and build up..a needed factory and opportunity. The stars of today didn't just wake up one morning on the doorstep of premier networks. This is similar to losing USA Network years ago.

This. The place for ESPN FNF was for the younger talent, always. The young prospects that needed more than the smoky back-rooms of some backwater show, but not really ready for a Showtime or HBO 4 rounder.

I saw HEAPS of talent come through FNF, from Money Mayweather, Chad Dawson, Panchito Bojado, Dominic Guinn, just to name a few. These guys when I saw them for the first time all had under 5 fights. This was the BEST of FNF.

It won't go anywhere... it will be back...

[ykdadamaja]

FNF will be back in a couple of years.

Yup. Not everyone can be a Lomachenko, De LaHoya or Zhou Shimming right off of the rip. Just can't. There is gonna be always a middle tier from the no-televised, smoky back-room garage fights (albeit sanctioned fights) and the HBO-MSG-Showtime-MGM Grand televised fights on someone's undercard.