Al Haymon Accused of Blocking Venues to Hinder Rivals' Shows

Controversial boxing manager Al Haymon has drawn the ire of the California Athletic Commission for blocking venues in Los Angeles that his competitors were trying to use.

According to Ivan G. Goldman of Boxing Insider, commissioner John Frierson confirmed that Haymon was blocking dates at key venues in the L.A. area.

"He was holding up the dates at the Forum and at Staples Center," Frierson said. "We took that away."

Frierson claimed that Haymon had been doing this by reserving the venues far in advance of his competitors and then backing out of the dates. He also said the commission has already stopped Haymon from doing this tactic.

This is the second time in two months that Haymon has been in the news for the wrong reasons. In May, Golden Boy Promotions filed a lawsuit against the former Boxing Writers of America Manager of the Year for $300 million, alleging multiple antitrust and Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act violations.

Haymon is one of the most powerful figures in the sport of boxing, most notably working with Floyd Mayweather and recently helping launch Premier Boxing Champions with broadcast deals on major networks like NBC and ESPN.

While Frierson does say that Haymon's illegal tactic has been stopped, there's no doubt his clout in the sport is still as strong as it has ever been.