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kenyan_cheena · 12-15-2004, 08:20 PM

HBF RECEIVES RAVE REVIEWS
FOLLOWING FIRST FIGHT NIGHT

Tuesday 8 January 2002

The Heavyweight Boxing Federation has received a plethora of positive media coverage the day after their debut fight card at the Trump Plaza, Atlantic City.

The event was the leading story on ESPN's SportsCenter, with images of Scott LeDoux's crushing knockout of Mike Schreck and Tony Tucker's demolition of Johnny Boudreaux dominating the report. Highlights of the action-packed bout between South African Johnny Arthur and Lem Franklin of Alabama, along with World Championship tournament number eight seed Sam McVey's victory over Arturo Godoy, were also shown. ESPN have been contracted by the HBF to cover at least the first stage of their world championship and 1st defense tournaments, so one could say that they were simply promoting their latest investment.

But it wasn't just ESPN that devoted coverage to the HBF. Most of the major commercial networks led off their sports bulletins with highlights of the fight card. NBC showed a 30 second snippet of an interview conducted with HBF President Michael Vincennes. Even some of the entertainment and music programs covered the event, although this was more because of the presence of New Jersey hip-hoppers Naughty By Nature and Redman rather than the boxing action in the ring.

"I'm very happy with the media exposure that our organisation, and more importantly, that our sport has received today," President Vincennes said. "The audience at the Trump Plaza last night was really more than we could have asked for. Their enthusiasm for the event and support of our fighters was just wonderful."

Vincennes was asked about the claim from some that in the long run, the public will lose interest in the HBF because their World Championship tournament will not reach its conclusion until April 2004.

"People who say those things are a bit ignorant," Vincennes replied. "We are not running a talent contest here. It's not American Idol. This is a sport, probably the hardest, toughest sport in the history of mankind. It takes time for a boxer to recover from a fight. You can't just throw them back in the ring a week later. In addition, from a completely competitive viewpoint, we want to find out which of these men really is the best. Some might say that having to fight sixteen bouts to win the tournament is excessive. The federation does not agree. Our first World Champion will know that he has really earned his title by fighting and defeating the best in the tournament."

12-15-2004, 08:20 PM	#21 (permalink)
kenyan_cheena Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia Posts: 4,178	HBF RECEIVES RAVE REVIEWS FOLLOWING FIRST FIGHT NIGHT Tuesday 8 January 2002 The Heavyweight Boxing Federation has received a plethora of positive media coverage the day after their debut fight card at the Trump Plaza, Atlantic City. The event was the leading story on ESPN's SportsCenter, with images of Scott LeDoux's crushing knockout of Mike Schreck and Tony Tucker's demolition of Johnny Boudreaux dominating the report. Highlights of the action-packed bout between South African Johnny Arthur and Lem Franklin of Alabama, along with World Championship tournament number eight seed Sam McVey's victory over Arturo Godoy, were also shown. ESPN have been contracted by the HBF to cover at least the first stage of their world championship and 1st defense tournaments, so one could say that they were simply promoting their latest investment. But it wasn't just ESPN that devoted coverage to the HBF. Most of the major commercial networks led off their sports bulletins with highlights of the fight card. NBC showed a 30 second snippet of an interview conducted with HBF President Michael Vincennes. Even some of the entertainment and music programs covered the event, although this was more because of the presence of New Jersey hip-hoppers Naughty By Nature and Redman rather than the boxing action in the ring. "I'm very happy with the media exposure that our organisation, and more importantly, that our sport has received today," President Vincennes said. "The audience at the Trump Plaza last night was really more than we could have asked for. Their enthusiasm for the event and support of our fighters was just wonderful." Vincennes was asked about the claim from some that in the long run, the public will lose interest in the HBF because their World Championship tournament will not reach its conclusion until April 2004. "People who say those things are a bit ignorant," Vincennes replied. "We are not running a talent contest here. It's not American Idol. This is a sport, probably the hardest, toughest sport in the history of mankind. It takes time for a boxer to recover from a fight. You can't just throw them back in the ring a week later. In addition, from a completely competitive viewpoint, we want to find out which of these men really is the best. Some might say that having to fight sixteen bouts to win the tournament is excessive. The federation does not agree. Our first World Champion will know that he has really earned his title by fighting and defeating the best in the tournament." Last edited by kenyan_cheena : 04-28-2005 at 11:04 PM.