Golden Boy Planning June Title Tripleheader
Filed on March 18, 2009
Golden Boy is working on something, and that something could be a very special night of boxing.
According to Michael Rosenthal at Ring Magazine, Golden Boy is planning a triple-header for June 27 that would feature three fights that could all be considered headliners in a different time and place (see: HBO, 2008).
The card would take place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, featuring a rematch between Chris John and Rocky Juarez, James Kirkland vs. WBO junior middleweight titlist Sergei Dzindziruk (assuming a Kirkland May 2 win), and Victor Ortiz against WBA junior welterweight titlist Andreas Kotelnik.
Kirkland and Ortiz shared a Boxing After Dark card in February, beating Joel Julio and Mike Arnauotis , respectively. John and Juarez fought to a close, but disputed draw on the undercard of the Juan Manuel Marquez vs. Juan Diaz fight in Houston. Most observors felt that John won the fight, but it was close enough, especially the final three rounds, to merit a rematch.
For Kirkland and Ortiz, this would be their first title shots.
“I’m working on it like crazy,” Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer told Ring. “If I pull it off, it’ll be huge.”
If this card comes together as planned, and airs on regular, non-PPV HBO, then this will be just another example of what boxing is doing right in the last year. HBO and Showtime have both stepped up with quality non-PPV cards recently, and for the past two years we have seen a drastic increase in quality fights being made by top fighters and promoters.
Here’s hoping for more of the same.


