RINGSIDE
“Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves” press conference that took place in Los Angeles on March 10. By the time you have this issue in your hands, the unprecedented Ring Magazine/ SNK Games triple-header in Times Square will be a week or two away, and maybe the slap Teofimo Lopez planted on Arnold Barboza Jr. during their face-off will be a distant memory. Then again, maybe the clip of that slap – which garnered hundreds of thousands of social media views in a matter of hours – is what pushes the entire promotion right into fight week. If it does, what bugs me about the slap – and the ugly atmosphere that was created at the L.A. presser to encourage
while his considerable accomplishments were underplayed in front of the pro- Garcia audience. Grisham interviewed the father/ trainer/manager afterwards, which produced the second most viral moment from the presser. “You’re full of shit,” Haney told Grisham. “And I hope that this is what you guys wanted to do. It’s a fuckin’ circus act. Devin is a real fighter and you showed no respect.” Grisham: “I’m sorry you feel that way. I have the most respect for your son. I think he’s an amazing athlete.” Haney: “I don’t think that you do. I think that you are political. You did just what you wanted to do and you got it off. And that’s what this promotion has been about.” Grisham: “We’re trying to sell a fight here. You know this, right?” Bill: “Well, sell it right.” I don’t always agree with Bill Haney, but there is a right way and wrong way to sell a fight. The wrong way makes the fighters and all those involved look classless. Am I being hypocritical after admitting that I was into the bad blood between De La Hoya and Vargas, and all for Barrera’s unsportsmanlike behavior with McKinney and Morales? Yes, a little bit. But here’s the difference: The hate was real with those fighters and it was a two-way street. Also, I can assure you that the drama that popped off at those
it – doesn’t really matter. I can’t fault an event’s organizers for pushing anything that moves the needle in connection to their promotion. The heated and sometimes vulgar March 10 press conference, held in front of a loud partisan crowd at The Mayan Theater in downtown L.A., sparked a number of viral moments, but none caused as many ripples as Lopez’s slap across Barboza’s face. That’s saying something for the 140-pound matchup that will open the DAZN PPV co-featuring Ryan Garcia and Devin Haney in separate bouts. Based on their controversial fight last April, hostility between Garcia and Haney was anticipated during the kick- off presser in New York City on March 4. The two are slated to face each other in an October rematch if they win their May 2 bouts, and they were expected to be the center of attention. However, the combination of Barboza’s vitriol and Lopez’s flamboyant brand of antagonizing weirdness stole the spotlight. I hosted the NYC event. Knowing their history, I wasn’t surprised by the tension. Here’s a recap of their backstory:
Barboza (32-0, 11 KOs), The Ring’s No. 3-rated junior welterweight, has clamored for a shot at Lopez ever since the former unified lightweight champ stepped up to the 140-pound division. It seemed like a natural fight to make, as both fought under the Top Rank banner at the time. However Lopez (21- 1, 13 KOs) had no interest in Barboza. Top Rank reportedly proposed Barboza for Lopez’s 140-pound debut in August 2022, but Team Takeover opted for Mexican veteran Pedro Campa. After stopping Campa in seven rounds, Lopez told Top Rank COO Brad Jacobs: “Please, do not set me up with that bum over there, Arnold Barboza. I need bigger fish; it’s a waste of my time.” This statement did not sit well with Barboza, who was ringside. Fast-forward to the present, Lopez sits atop the 140-pound division after outpointing Josh Taylor for the Ring championship in June 2023. Meanwhile, Barboza joined the Golden Boy Promotions stable in November 2023 – in part because Top Rank couldn’t deliver Lopez – and has won four bouts since the start of 2024, including back-to-back decisions over Ring-rated contenders Jose Ramirez
I told him that I’m not a promoter or a gameshow host. Six days later, I was thankfully (probably rightfully) replaced by Todd Grisham as the host for the L.A. presser. Grisham, an experienced sports broadcaster (and one of my favorite blow-by-blow boxing commentators), has gameshow host energy. And I say that with respect and admiration. Grisham, who got his start with the WWE, knows how to command a crowd and stir shit up between the combatants. My only problem with the March 10 event is that it seemed forced. I hope I’m wrong about this, but the sight of Lopez and Barboza in open leather vests with no shirts underneath suggested a memo was sent urging the fighters and all involved with the presser to “crank it up.” That wasn’t hard to do with the two macho men from The Village People, but the host had his work cut out for him with Haney and Ramirez. Grisham brought up Haney’s three trips to the canvas vs. Garcia to get Ramirez to open up on the odds favorite. It didn’t really work on stage, but it pissed off Bill Haney, who was offended that his son’s chin was questioned
Ryan Garcia and Rolly Romero were unusually mellow at the pressers.
Devin Haney and Jose Ramirez kept it respectful in front of the cameras.
and Jack Catterall. The 33-year-old veteran, who won the WBO interim belt with the Catterall victory, has done enough to earn a shot at Lopez, but The Ring champ still dismisses Barboza as an unaccomplished scrub. I brought this background up at the presser, which sparked the following exchange: “He’s 32-0 and he just got an interim title,” said Lopez. “At 15 fights, I got my first world title … and then became undisputed at 16 fights. I’m only 27. How old is you?” Replied Barboza: “You didn’t give a fuckin’ right answer, bro. You beat around the bush when they [asked] how come you didn’t accept this fight back then. Shoutout to Top Rank for finally cutting the umbilical cord and letting your ass crawl – finally!” It’s evident that this fight is personal for Barboza. I’m not convinced that it is for Lopez, who has eyes on the winner of the proposed Garcia-Haney rematch.
But I thought their history and heated words added enough spice to the NYC presser to move on to the other two bouts with my allotted 30 minutes of interview time. I did so respectfully and did not poke the other young bears on stage. Truthfully, I was relieved that Garcia and his May 2 opponent, Rolando Romero – both usually brash and bombastic – were subdued during the onstage interviews. I only wanted thoughtful comments from them and the often-understated Jose Ramirez, who faces Haney in a 12-round welterweight bout on May 2. This school teacher approach earned some nasty criticism on social media. Fans and content creators whose YouTube channels and IG accounts thrive on controversy were mad at me for interrupting Lopez and not allowing The Takeover to, ahem, “take over.” After the presser, Golden Boy president Eric Gomez told me that I handled the event well but added that I needed “more energy, more intensity.”
press conferences was organic. The proof, of course, is in the pudding – or this case, the ring.
Barrera’s bouts with McKinney and Morales and the De La Hoya-Vargas showdown were all great fights. Let’s see if Lopez-Barboza delivers on May 2. For the record, I think the fight of the night will be between the two most respectful and professional fighters on the card: Haney and Ramirez.
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