Showtime achieved what appeared to be impossible when it threw together the Super Six Tournament for 168 pounders. It's been a huge success and HBO wants part of the action. But can the network get things done with Golden Boy Promotions driving the bus? That's to be decided.
Gary Shaw has his doubts. He represents Timothy Bradley, the favorite in a proposed tournament.
"I was up at HBO this week, unbeknownst to anybody," Shaw told ESPN.com back in mid-June. "I offered to do 140-pound tournament with Timothy Bradley, Devon Alexander, Amir Khan, and if Marquez beats [Juan] Diaz [on July 31], he could be in the tournament as well."
"I said if you want to add more interest to it, give $500,000 to the winner of the tournament strictly for the fighter, not for the manager, not for the team, not for the promoter. The bonus check right to the fighter. And, they liked my ideas. The problem is, Amir Khan, obviously doesn't like the idea and I would assume Golden Boy doesn't like the idea too. But we would do it and Devon Alexander would do it."
Oscar De La Hoya spoke with Yahoo! Sports' Kevin Iole and denied that Golden Boy is holding out Khan.
"Amir has stated he's willing to fight anybody," De La Hoya answered when asked if he was trying to protect Khan. "Especially Juan (Manuel Marquez), especially Devon (Alexander), especially Bradley. Anybody! Amir Khan is here in Las Vegas and we're going to discuss what his next moves are and then we'll take it from there."
But since Golden Boy has so many fighters at 140, they might want the field expanded to six or eight. DLH said he hasn't spoken to HBO's Ross Greenburg about the topic but he's looking forward to.
"It would be wonderful to hold some kind of tournament. Some kind of elimination. Because boxing needs it, boxing wants it," said De La Hoya. "And we now know, thanks to Showtime, that the Super Six works."
If the tournament expanded, who are the other candidates? Victor Ortiz and Marcos Maidana would have to be considered as well.
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