Golden Boy, Affliction Deny Merchant’s Claim
Oscar De La Hoya
Golden Boy Promotion’s Chief Marketing Officer Bruce Binkow today responded to Sherdog about HBO boxing commentator Larry Merchant’s claims that Oscar De La Hoya was paid $5 million to attend Affliction: Day of Reckoning on Saturday as opposed to the Antonio Margarito vs. Shane Mosley bout which his company was also co-promoting:
“It’s ridiculous [to say] that there was a $5 million dollar fee paid [for de La Hoya’s attendance]. There’s a financial commitment obviously that Affliction made, and Oscar felt an obligation through his partners at Affliction [to attend]. I don’t know how more simple it can be and why it’s any more complicated than that.
The [Affliction] pay-per-view date was set long before the boxing event, and Oscar didn’t feel right about offending his commitment to our partners in Affliction. I think it was a great night for both sports. There was packed houses at the Staples Center and the Honda Center, so we were thrilled with both events.”
Affliction Vice President Tom Atencio also commented on the situation to MMA Weekly:
“I don’t see where they would get it from. But based on the comment I would say that yeah, he definitely had to make it up. I’m not him, so I’m not going to assume anything like possibly they would. I’m not going to make rumors; all I can say is that it’s completely false.
We knew he was going to be there (because) he’s our partner,” commented Atencio. “Being our partner – the good partner that he is – he honored and wanted to live up to his part of the bargain; that was being part of the show.”
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“It’s ridiculous [to say] that there was a $5 million dollar fee paid [for de La Hoya’s attendance]. There’s a financial commitment obviously that Affliction made,”
Translation: “Oscar was paid to be there, but not $5 million.
Kris,
I know you are just quoting, but “$5 million dollar” is redundant. Sort of like ATM Machine.
Wow, Justin. Who crapped in your Wheaties this morning?
The funny thing is that I don’t think thre are too many people who would have been surprised that he was paid quite well to show up. Celebrities get paid all the time to make appearances places. I think it would be really funny if Merchant knew he was paid, but then just picked a random number just to go fishing. That would make me laugh.
It’s not like he hasn’t done it before.
What did I say that suggests I’m not in a good mood?
Must be nice to show up to a event your helping to promote and get paid 5$ million just to be there…Thats if its true, but wouldn’t doubt the golden boy(look at that ridicolous tan) tried to squeaze every penny out of Affliction
Doesn’t Oscar own most of Golden Boy? Doesn’t make sense to pay him nearly that much. He should show up for free, but probably got a bit of cash. With Golden Boy and Trump on board, I see good things in Affliction’s future (especially if Trump’s actually an mma fan).
Regardless, that was an awesome pay per view and I can’t wait for Barnett/Fedor at Affliction 3.
I would not care what Golden Tan was or not paid. However, I do care that, the fighters, are paid so ridiculously little. Profit is good, Exploitation is not!