In September, Golden Boy announced with fanfare a deal with fledgling MMA promoter and apparel company Affliction under which it would co-promote pay-per-view events with boxing and MMA matches on the same card. But Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer told ESPN.com that they've had a change of heart and will keep the sports separate. The companies are planning their first MMA-only co-promotion in January. The idea of both sports on the same card was heavily criticized, which Schaefer acknowledged was part of the decision. "We want to get to know the MMA market better and truly evaluate if there are synergies between the two sports," he said. "We are planning to do some focus groups where we will ask boxing and MMA fans how they would feel about it. Once we get the results of that, then we'll be in a much better position to decide which strategy to apply."
Bookmark Us
Contact Us