You Can Call Me, Al: Haymon and PBC Are Making a Big Impact on British Boxing

The increasing influence of Al Haymon is changing the boxing landscape. Thanks to Premier Boxing Champions (PBC), the revolution, despite what Gil Scott-Heron suggested in 1971, has been televised.

Powered by a group of investors, the promotion set out with the goal to bring the sport back into the mainstream conscience.

As the official website says: “PBC takes boxing back to its roots. This is boxing, pure and simple, where what’s brought to the fight, mentally and physically, is what determines who goes home the winner, and who just goes home.”

To get back to the roots, though, takes money. Plenty of it, too.

Haymon—who started out in music before switching to sports—is creating a shift in power. He is achieving it with actions rather than words.

His promotional rivals—Golden Boy Promotions and Top Rank—have filed lawsuits. Lawyers and courts will sort out that matter, but in the meantime PBC continues to stage cards across the United States.

An article written by Greg Bishop that appeared in the New York Times in 2012 included a wonderful quote from Floyd Mayweather Jr. about the man who advised him: "Al Haymon is the Ghost."

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Now, though, he has perhaps become more like The Phantom, the comic book crime fighter who was also known as “The Ghost Who Walks.”

Haymon has ghosted in and, despite barely saying anything at all, has made an immediate and huge impact.

The first PBC event took place on March 7, 2015. There have been many more since, including a recent midweek card that included a world-title fight involving a Welshman who was a long way from home.

Lee Selby defended his IBF featherweight crown on a Wednesday night in the unlikely boxing venue of Glendale, Arizona. He was happy to travel for one main reason: money.

The Barry Boy Assassin had become a world champion by beating Evgeny Gradovich in front of a big crowd at the O2 Arena in London in May on a show promoted by Eddie Hearn.

Against Fernando Montiel, he was appearing at the Gila River Arena in front of an audience that was much smaller and barely created any sort of atmosphere. It was his first outing since signing up with Haymon.

However, he was appearing in front of a national television audience on ESPN.

Selby teamed up with Haymon to expand his profile and earning potential, per Gareth A. Davies of the Telegraph: "It's a life-changing opportunity. If I keep winning, the potential is unlimited. I could be made for life. It's only a short career and I need to make what I can when I can and leave with my faculties intact."

He isn’t the only Brit who has been willing to get out his passport to pad out his wallet.

Jamie McDonnell has twice fought on PBC cards, on both occasions against Japan's Tomoki Kameda. The Doncaster bantamweight retained his WBA belt in May on points and then went and repeated the trick again four months later.

In terms of his reign, McDonnell took a gamble going back to Texas for a second time to face Kameda. He opted to face again an opponent who had knocked him down in their first meeting.

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But, a return to American soil was a business decision that made perfect sense.

His trainer and manager, Dave Coldwell, told Bleacher Report: "Al Haymon is like the fairy godfather at the moment. We had a choice of boxing for peanuts over here or boxing in America for money that will look after [McDonnell's] family."

James DeGale has also benefited from Haymon and PBC.

According to Davies in the Telegraph, the Londoner is believed to be earning $2 million when he defends his IBF super middleweight strap against Lucian Bute in Quebec, Canada.

DeGale explained: "Eddie [Hearn] is still my promoter. But the difference is the opportunity I'm getting. If I didn't have Al Haymon on my side, I would not have got this fight [against Bute]."

Hearn, for his part, hasn’t fought against the increasing influence of Haymon. He knows he simply cannot match the numbers being offered and will not bankrupt his own business trying to fight fire with fire.

Instead, the head of Matchroom Boxing has decided to go with the flow, as he told Nick Parkinson of ESPN.com:

"

For me where the fighter can earn the most amount of money it's my obligation to take that.

Maybe it's a shame for British fans that some will be boxing in the States more but that's life. Until we build boxing to a level where the rights fees increase and we are able to compete, it's what it is.

What's happening in America is a freak. What we have seen in UK is rebirth of boxing, boxing has become sexy again. I've got people, brands and sponsors saying they want to get involved in boxing and for years we couldn't give away boxing sponsorship. Now it's sexy again and brands want to get involved. 

Before the PBC boxing in America wasn't really an option and in some cases it's the right thing to do now.

"

Hearn can remain calm because he has his own house in order.

In May, he signed an extension to his deal with Sky Sports through to 2021, which means he will stage 20 live shows per year for the broadcaster.

He has the right idea about PBC—don't hate it, embrace it.

Similarly, fellow promoter Frank Warren is assured television coverage for his fighters in Britain, having set up BoxNation, a pay-per-view channel that also shows some of the biggest bouts from around the world.

But the temporary exodus of the best of British to the US should still continue.

Other boxers will watch DeGale, McDonnell and Selby with envy, and several are waiting and hoping to hear from Haymon (although don't expect him to be the one to make the actual call).

It’s a win-win situation that benefits those who have the most to lose. Boxing is a profession where you cannot begrudge anyone from making a good living.

Haymon is, as Coldwell suggested, the fairy godfather. He can make dreams come true for fighters, and the deep, deep pockets of his investors suggest the good times are not going to end anytime soon.