What plans do you think De la Hoya has for Ring magazine?

Question

I just read on Fightnews that he bought Ring magazine. Do you think he'll be changing the staff around any?

Aside of the ratings, do you think anything will be different? Do you think maybe it'll move more into talking about boxing personalities? Or do you think they might get rid of some of the fluff pieces?

Answer 1

It is possible that they will be able to keep their integrety as I think Oscar is honestly just looking for places to spend his money investmentwise. He has more than he knows what to do with.

If anything, I would like to see more interviews with the fighters and perhaps have boxer's contribute their own stories and thoughts. I'd like to read something from Max Kellerman on his brother and the boxer that killed him or Duran talk about the legend of him knocking out a horse. Maybe even some of the tatooed fighters share what some of their tatoos mean. But more importantly first hand talk about past fights and future fights from the fighters.

Oscar may suggest additions to the staff but I don't think he will use his authority to oust anyone as far as staff goes. Lets hope not anyhow.

Answer 2

I read in eastsideboxing.com that De La Hoya is not going to be involved with Ring Magazine. Here is his exact words:

“We have a very skilled and capable team at The Ring, headed by Publisher Stu Saks and Editor-in-Chief Nigel Collins, and I have all the confidence that these magazines will not only continue to prosper, but in fact grow globally,” said Oscar de la Hoya, president of Golden Boy Enterprises. “These magazines will be held in an editorial trust where they will be operating totally independent of any influence from me or others from the Golden Boy Companies as it relates to editorial direction or content.”

So lets see if he keeps his word. Why spoil or ruin the Magazine that has been up and running for almost a century. He would P off a lot of people off by tainting Ring Magazine.

Answer 3

Of course he is going to influence people, most anything you read is somehow opinion oriented. It will favor him and his fighters. If one of De La Hoya's fighters or De La Hoya himself does something that's not real cool inside or outside of the ring (as to what that is you can fill in the blank) it may be mentioned, but not slattered all over. If someone keeps calling out a DLH fighter there probably won't be as much mentioned. You get the idea, with his promotions, his money, and now these publications, he can and will use it to his advantage. Not that I'll ever read it again to find out. Really, all he needs to do now is make a boxing channel and he's got a monopoly on boxing. With all of the "black eyes" boxing always gets, this sure didn't help. I am slowly finding myself to be less interested in boxing. It's one of the few main sports that is not on free tv, and most of the time it is not worth paying for. Now I am afraid to say it isn't worth reading either... the magazines at least.

Answer 4

Of course he will. There will be wholesale changes in the management, journalistic staff and ratings. There's no doubt that we'll see an influx of Golden Boy-promoted fighters in the rankings real soon. De La Hoya has just destroyed his own credibility and at the same time has functionally destroyed the historic legacy of Ring Magazine in a blatant and infuriating conflict of interest.

I am boycotting Ring Magazine, it's ratings, it's championships and any fighter promoted by Oscar De La Hoya.

Enough said.

Answer 5

I think he plans on moving his boxers on his Golden Boy Promotions up the rankings in Ring magazine. Many people in boxing take the Ring magazine ratings more serious then the championship belts rankings. I guess you will no longer be able to take the Ring ratings serious anymore.

Answer 6

Great. Just great. This is the same magazine that rated De La Hoya the greatest welterweight of the past 50 years! They already had no integrity, and now the fox is guarding the hen house.

This can't be true!

Answer 7

I hope that he can market boxing to the masses but I think Oscar has destroyed the most credible ranking system in boxing. The only recognized ranking system that was not controlled by a promoter. Ring Magazine was boxing's bible.

Answer 8

I hope he keeps it based on fact, and maintain a good staff as well. I like ring mag, and ko mag as well. If I buy the latest issue and see that it has lost some good source and ratings , I'll drop it quickly.