Who Is Richard Schaefer??

Who is Richard Schaefer? Yes I know he is the CEO of Golden Boy Promotions, also known as Oscar De La Hoya's right hand man. I am fully aware that he was a Swiss Investment Banker before that. So it is safe to say he knows how to make lots of money. Great. However what is his background in boxing? I don't really question people in their profession until they say things that are off base. Recently I have read some things that Schaefer has said that makes me want to question his knowledge of boxing. For instance, the other day Schaefer stated that Miguel Cotto should fight a rematch with Sugar Shane Mosley before he tries to get in the ring with Floyd Mayweather Jr. Mayweather of course is fighting a undesired rematch with Oscar De La Hoya in September while this July Cotto has his hands full with Antonio Margarito. With that said, Cotto-Mosley was a close fight and I actually had it a draw. However no one was really screaming for a rematch of that fight. Cotto is still in his peak and Mosley is on the downside. Now if Mosley had a fight or two that was great, then he could possibly deserve or get a rematch with Cotto. The thing is, Mosley has not fought since the November fight with Cotto. So that was not the best statement to make. Cotto-Mayweather is the most talked about fight that ain't happening around. It is spoken about more than the Mayweather-De La Hoya rematch and that is set to happen. If Cotto wins and Mayweather wins, then Cotto-Mayweather needs to happen immediately. Do not stop at Ricky Hatton to collect more money. Please proceed to Mayweather-Cotto for a superfight everyone really wants to see.

Another subject Schaefer is pretty far off on is the Nate Campbell-Joel Casamayor rematch that NEEDS to happen. See this is a rematch that people are demanding, not that Mayweather-De La Hoya mess or Cotto-Mosley mess either. Campbell-Casamayor is the biggest rematch being demanded today. However Schaefer and Golden Boy only want to have their fighters fight each other and keep as many of the belts inside their Golden Boy roster. So they think a Joel Casamayor-Juan Diaz fight is better for boxing. Wrong. Diaz just got schooled by Campbell therefore losing his 3 Lightweight belts. Ring Magazine, owned by Golden Boy, gives out the Ring Magazine Belt to who is supposed to be the Champion of a division. Since we lose sight of who is the champion with all the sanctioning bodies, the Ring Magazine is supposed to help us out. However there is no rule that states you have to fight top competition to keep your Ring Belt. As long as you don't retire or lose in the ring, you pretty much can keep the belt. So Nate Campbell who has 3 out of 4 Lightweight belts is not the Champion, Casamayor is because he has the Ring Magazine belt. Interesting! Now what is best for boxing is Campbell, who has 3 belts and a loss to Casamayor, fighting Casamayor to see who is the true Lightweight Champion. It has lots of drama because those two guys hate each other and they have prior history. But oh no, not according to Schaefer, Casamayor needs to fight the guy who just lost 3 of the Lightweight Belts in Juan Diaz. They don't get Juan Diaz a fight in between to show he deserves another Championship fight. He is with Golden Boy so he goes right back to a Championship fight. The funny thing is if Diaz beats Casamayor, he will be considered the Lightweight Champion and not Campbell. Now that is comedy. How Golden Boy gets away with this is because they can secure more money, therefore Casamayor and other fighters can say the money was not right for the other fight. So Casamayor is saying he can make more to fight Diaz than Campbell. Who suffers, boxing fans. Who wins, Golden Boy because both fighters are in their roster and the Ring Magazine Belt stays in their roster too.

Lastly, Schaefer has stated Bernard Hopkins would be willing to fight again if the right fight comes along. If Roy Jones Jr. or Felix Trinidad were interested in fighting he may take the fight. Schaefer went on to say it has to be a fight that would add to Hopkins legacy. Jones-Hopkins would give Hopkins a chance to avenge his loss to Jones from years ago. So it would not be a bad fight, but the demand is sure down. Hopkins-Trinidad, please. First Hopkins declined to fight him in April when an offer was made. Second, why? Trinidad has not really looked that good and Hopkins destroyed him in 2001. Third, there is no demand for the fight.

So I ask Richard Schaefer what is the point? Are you just trying to be the best promoter you can be or are you really kind of ignorant to what boxing fans really want? I give you credit in the fact last year you and Golden Boy were part of some of the best boxing events ever. Notice I said events and not fights. However that was in 2007, in 2008 we want things we did not see. So Mayweather-De La Hoya II is not the right idea nor trying to figure out how to get Mayweather-Hatton II. Cotto-Mosley II is not a fight that is in demand either and neither is Hopkins-Trinidad II. Since Mayweather-De La Hoya II is going to happen, the only way people will say wow, that was a good idea is if De La Hoya wins. If he loses again; you, De La Hoya, and Golden Boy will be bashed quite a bit for a waste of time. You and Golden Boy have proven you can get the sponsors and secure the finances for fights, so why not secure enough money to do fights like Campbell-Casamayor. They are not the biggest names, but paired up with the right undercard and sponsors and it could be a huge hit. The boxing fans are fully behind fights like that. Your job as the promoter is to bring the boxing fans what they want, not what they have already seen or what makes the most money for Golden Boy. I am not saying you should lose money, but do a better job of deserving the money. For instances, the undercard for Mayweather-De La Hoya I was horrible. So since you have made Mayweather-De La Hoya II, either keep the PPV price at $49.95 or beef up the undercard. Richard I know you are a very intelligent man, but you got to listen to the boxing fans then proceed. Not proceed then hear the backlash. You will never make everyone happy, but you can make more people happy. Try that.