Pay Per View organizers of the welterweight clash between Keith Thurman and Mario Barrios took a battering from a former champion and a well-known trainer.
Ishe Smith, the ex-super-welterweight world titleholder, went in on Premier Boxing Champions for placing Thurman vs. Barrios on the paid platform.
Last weekend, PBC asked fans to fork out $75 to the main card that saw Thurman get back to winning ways. However, both fighters competing in the main event were coming off a loss.
‘Sugar Shay’ sees this as the wrong move for PBC and Al Haymon to take.
“I am all for Thurman fighting Barrios in his comeback fight,” pointed out Smith. “What I’m not for is promoters sucking the blood from the consumer by putting this on PPV.
“Being on PPV used to be an honor. This is a shame. This fight should be on old school-wise HBO Boxing After Dark,” added the one-time Floyd Mayweather stablemate.
Thurman- Barrios, not bad enough they charge $80, but then put it on at almost midnight. Not Warren Buffet. Now I remember why I’m not commentating… #ThurmanBarrios #boxing
— Teddy Atlas (@TeddyAtlasReal) February 6, 2022
TEDDY on PAY PER VIEW
It wasn’t only Smith who had derogatory words for the FOX Sports PBC Pay Per View that saw Thurman piggyback off his defeat to Manny Pacquiao two years prior.
Top trainer Teddy Atlas bemoaned the timing of the final fight too.
“Thurman vs. Barrios. It’s not bad enough they charge $80, but then put it on at almost midnight. Not Warren Buffet.
“Now I remember why I’m not commentating,” said the ex-Mike Tyson coach.
Rick Ramos, who oversaw the rise of Jessica McCaskill to undisputed champion, added: Thurman vs. Barrios is NOT PPV worthy.”
Media man Carlos Toro offered an update of the initial viewing figures for Thurman vs. Barrios preliminary bouts.
Surprisingly, they topped the Pacquiao fight of July 2019.
“The Keith Thurman vs. Mario Barrios PBC on FOX TV prelims drew 963,000 viewers (249,000 in 18-49 demo). A 0.59 household rating (0.19 in 18-49 demo).
“Performed much better than past FOX PPV TV prelims, especially since this went against the Winter Olympics.”
The Keith Thurman vs. Mario Barrios PBC on FOX TV prelims drew 963,000 viewers (249,000 in 18-49 demo) and a 0.59 household rating (0.19 in 18-49 demo). Performed much better than past FOX PPV TV prelims, especially since this went against the Winter Olympics.
— Carlos Toro (@CarlosToroMedia) February 8, 2022
Subsequently bombarded for the Pay Per View buy results, Toro was forced to add: “Before anyone else asks, no, I don’t have the PPV numbers (if I did, I’d have reported them by now).
“The TV prelim numbers and the PPV numbers are totally different metrics, and no, PBC isn’t the one releasing the TV figures.
“If you don’t care about TV viewership, good for you,” he concluded.
Phil Jay – Editor of World Boxing News since 2010 with over one billion views. Follow WBN on Twitter @WorldBoxingNews.
