Richard Schaefer, the CEO of Golden Boy Promotions, was in Manhattan recently to promote the April 3 rematch between Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones Jr. Here are his thoughts on that fight and other topics of interest.
Q: Why did you decide to go ahead with Hopkins-Jones II even though Roy Jones was stopped on a TKO in the first round last December against Danny Green.
A: They’re the two elder statesmen of the sport. They’re two legends. They’re two of the most recognized fighters of the last 20 years. At this point to finally settle the score on April 1, I’m happy for them, I’m excited for them, and I’m honestly excited about seeing the fight.”
Q: Bernard seemed to be especially determined to salvage the fight. Why?
A: He was really looking forward to that fight. It was something that was always in his mind. It wasn’t about Roy winning his last fight or losing his last fight. It was an event; an event that those two guys had in the back of their minds for so long. As they come toward the end of their career, they said let’s get it on before it’s too late.
Q: HBO is helping with the distribution of the fight, but not actually doing the PPV or utilizing their announcers for the fight. Why did they decline to get more fully involved?
A: They decided that they’re not going to do a replay of the fight. So we structured the deal where they’re not going to have any financial incentives. It’s a deal structured, which we like and we just felt that’s the way we wanted to do it.”
Q: So Golden Boy will be doing the PPV?
A: Yes. I’m going to do my best to make the promotion as big as we can, putting the Golden Boy pay-per-view machinery and sponsorship behind it because at this point (the fighters) deserve it.
Q: Was random or Olympic-style blood testing ever mentioned during the negotiations for Hopkins –Jones II?
A: It never came up. If Bernard would have come up with that I would have taken it to Roy. When you’re a promoter you have to look out for what your fighter wants. I respect (Bob) Arum in that regard in that he looked out for what Manny (Pacquiao) wants. Manny didn’t want it. Whether Arum believes in it or not is a different story. I do believe the time is here to introduce blood testing to the sport of boxing, but it’s not up to me. I’m not the commissioner. If a fighter asks for specific contractual deal terms as far as blood testing or the size of the ring or the gloves, they basically become contractual deal points. I stick my neck out and try to get it done.”
Q: Do you feel the failed negotiations for a Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao left both fighters scarred by a public split thinking either one is afraid to fight or the other is a cheat?
A: Each guy had strong beliefs for doing it or not doing it. It’s too bad the fight didn’t happen. But the world goes on. The fact we were able to put together Mayweather-Mosley I think everybody agrees with me that Mosley is a far more dangerous opponent than Pacquiao is. I think those people who called Mayweather a coward are going to have to eat those words because Mayweather fighting Mosley isn’t the act of a coward.”
Q: You negotiated for Mayweather for the Pacquiao fight, but Mosley is a Golden Boy partner. What was your role in those negotiations?
A: I played neutral. Shane Mosley is a Golden Boy fighter and a Golden Boy partner. Of course, my heart is with Shane and hope he’s going to be able to pull it off. But I have great respect for Floyd. We work well together, and I like the guy, too. So what I tried to do is in the time of need for the fight fan is to basically deliver a big fight. I really put my heart and soul into finding a way to get this fight done.”
Q: There were unconfirmed rumors Andre Berto took step-aside money to pull out of his Jan. 30 fights with Shane Mosley so Mosley would be free for a Mayweather fight. Is that true?
A: Absolutely 100-percent not true. There was no reason for that fight not to happen and afterwards Mayweather could have fought the winner. For Golden Boy it was a financial blow because we could have made money off the fight. We would have made money of Mayweather Pacquiao, too, but that didn’t happen either, so it was like one blow after the other. It wasn’t good. The Mayweather-Mosley fight was only made after January 30, so there was no reason to pay anybody step aside money.”
Q: What are the prospects of the winner of the Pacquiao-Joshua Clottey fight on March 13 fighting the winner of Mayweather Mosley?
A: I don’t want to think about it. I think everybody has to enjoy what we have now, and what we have in Mayweather and Mosley is a great, great fight. It’s a pick ’em fight. We should all take a step back and stop talking about Mayweather and Pacquiao. Let’s focus on this. Who knows? Maybe down the road that other fight is going to happen. Maybe it won’t. The fact is boxing goes on.