Thu. Mar 28th, 2024

McGregor vs. Pacquiao, Alistair Overeem vs. Badr Hari, MMA rules? What’s next for Philippine’s number 1 export product Manny Pacquiao after his KO win over Lucas Matthysse?

When Pacquiao became a free agent, I received an offer to promote multiple fights with him! Eventually, MP Promotions, Pacquiao’s company, became the lead promoter. They made a deal with Golden Boy Promotions. Golden Boy Promotions will handle Matthysse!

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2786107-pacquiao-vs-matthysse-purse-prize-money-payouts-after-main-event-fight

McGregor vs. Pacquiao? Combi Shows have substantial potential earnings.

Quote SB Nation: “Then you have a sideshow act like Conor McGregor, who has been floated as a potential opponent. Despite an 0-1 record in boxing, an uncertain combat sports future, and ongoing legal troubles. If Pacquiao fought him, the result would look like the Mayweather vs. McGregor fight”.

Cross promotions in so-called “combi” events are rare, as we have witnessed with Mayweather vs. McGregor. Highly successful with half a billion $ revenue! It is another example of a future trend for many reasons!

First, the fighters reach stardom and wealth through promotions like the UFC. Or well-known boxing promotions learn fast that their own company in association and collaboration with another promotion will be successful and make more money!

https://mmajunkie.com/2009/08/strikeforce-ceo-scott-coker-predicts-dream-co-promotion-in-relatively-short-time

Fedor vs. Henderson

Fedor’s management wants their M-1 logo to be present in the ring (Strikeforce/Bellator) posters and other promotional materials as a co-promoter! This way, the fighter’s payment is divided as a promoter and fighting fee. The UFC refused this suggestion from Fedor’s management but finally gave in when it concerned Mayweather and McGregor! Will they do the same with Manny Pacquiao vs. McGregor? Will Glory and Badr hair management agree to the rematch of Alistair Overeem vs. Badr Hari under MMA rules?

Dana White, we will not co-promote with Russian M-1 promotions.

Quote: “Dana White: M-1 always insisted on co-promoting the cards. And the UFC was 100% opposed to that, so it never went anywhere. As for Rizin, Finkelstein added this why he separated Fedor from M-1”. (“little too late”)

https://www.mmanews.com/fedor-emelianenko-m1-global-split/

In my career as a manager/promoter, I tried to establish these types of deals. I tried to have Semmy Schilt fight Klitschko in boxing rules. I would have preferred Kickboxing rules. However, Van Roosmalen’s father (William) scored one of the only knockout wins over Wladimir Klitschko in Kickboxing, one of the reasons I didn’t suggest it!

In 1995, Vitali Klitschko was defeated by knockout at the hands of William van Roosmalen, father of current kickboxer Robin van Roosmalen, in a kickboxing match in Ukraine.

I organized a fight for William van Roosmalen in Japan a few years later after his Ko victory over Klitschko (MMA rules fight in Japan), the father of Robin was fearless and an awesome guy! Fighting for peanuts in those times and accepting any fight against anybody/any rules! I would love to see Manny Pacquiao vs. Mc Gregor on Glory Kickboxing rules. And Badr Hari vs. Alistair Overeem under MMA Rizin rules.

Francois Botha (boxer) vs. Kickboxer Peter Aerts at K-1, Tokyo Japan

Boxer Francois Botha (the white buffalo) did boxing and kickboxing. But his first and last MMA debut ended in a loss. Few famous boxers switched to another martial arts style, and the outcome would be inferior for team boxing.

I accepted Alistair Overeem’s fight (K-1 debut) against Badr Hari on K-1 rules; here is why!

I did agree with Alistair Overeem fighting Badr Hari. At that time, Alistair was the Strikeforce champion and fighting in Dream. The first time would be K-1 rules on NYE in Japan. But I accepted that fight only because I saw a potential win and a career for Alistair in K-1 (he eventually became a K-1 GP champion).

The circumstances: First, Badr challenged Alistair at a Dream event. Hari entered the ring and took the microphone calling out Alistair to fight him in K-1. Badr called Dream fighters a bunch of huggers! I started to negotiate behind the scenes after the incident. The same was true for McGregor vs. Manny Pacquiao. Mc Gregor was on top of the world. A loss under boxing rules (as long as it was not humiliating) would not hurt his career.

I suggested a two fights deal: one in MMA and one in K-1 rules. Indeed, I knew that Mr. Isshi and Badr Hari only wanted the first fight (Alistair vs. Badr) in K-1. If I accepted this, I could only hope that the second fight under MMA rules would ever occur (I did not count on it). We did not come to terms till the following happened. Badr Hari received two knock down’s in the first round during the K-1 GP 2009 finals. Semmy finished it with a devastating KO! 

Semmy Schilt finished Badr Hari by Ko in round one in the K-1 GP finals.

The date was December 5th, 2009, less than four weeks before the NYE event. Then there was Ramadan, which disturbed Badr Hari’s regular diet. I considered these points carefully. But did not want to ask for the fight to take place on New Year’s Eve myself (it would weaken my position for negotiating). Bas Boon wrote some articles under a different name and bombarded the press. 

The management used the press and got my invitation to fight Badr Hari.

The focus is to highlight Badr Hari challenging Alistair at the Dream event. Bas Boon wrote that Hari had a Golden Glory phobia (being knocked out by Schilt in the finals). It didn’t take long before the press was on it and suggested the fight for NYE in Japan. But would Alistair accept this on K-1 rules?

The timing and circumstances were right!

More fun was at the press conference. I stated that we only accept this fight deal if the second fight would be in MMA and take place in three months. I knew that fight would never take place. But I still played my role. One of the reasons for acceptance was the perfect timing for Alistair’s K-1 debut. Timing is everything! I would come back now as a promoter to organize Bad Hari vs. Overeem under MMA rules and Mc Gregor vs. Manny Pacquiao under Glory Kickboxing rules.

Cor Hemmers prepared Alistair Overeem against Badr Hari.

On top of that, Cor Hemmers specifically trained Alistair in Kickboxing against Badr. He strategically introduced him to end all attacks with a left punch or left knee/kick. He explained that Badr was an emotional fighter. Hari would think lightly about Alistair and signal his right energy. This would cause his chin to be wide open. 

The second point would be Badr suffering from three knockdowns against Semmy Schilt less than a month before this fight. Badr and his management would take it too lightly (they did). Third: the Ramadan period and the hunger for a big payday!

When Alistair scored with a big left hook and left knee, the ultimate knockout on the NYE event, you could hear a pin drop! Mouths went open. The Japanese audience could not believe it. Indeed a year later, when Badr was prepared, he knocked out Alistair. But by then, Alistair’s career in K-1 was launched! Again timing.

In my early career as a promoter, I stated a few times that these types of fights would be the future because of growing technology! The viewer would determine what they would like to see. If you put Tyson against Holyfield in boxing and at the same time, you have the same fight. But what do you think scores more extensive ratings in Kickboxing or MMA rules? Will the viewer be interested now in Mc Gregor vs. Manny Pacquiao under Glory Kickboxing rules and Badr Hari vs. Alistair Overeem under MMA rules? Who can forget Badr Harie’s famous foot stomp in the finals against Remy Bonjasky? He sure shows all capabilities of a fighter who, like MMA “Rizen” style, rules fights.

Muhammed Ali vs. Antonio Inoki in Tokyo, Japan, what if?

The phenomenon started with Muhammed Ali’s fight against Antonio Inoki in Tokyo, Japan. Not a great battle to watch, but a huge media hype, ad many fans watched the fights, which caused many what-ifs.

Back to Manny Pacquiao, you have all the belts and have been through many battles in your life. And leaning towards your 40th birthday, it’s time to retire! For Pacquiao and his promotion company, I would go for a fight against Mc Gregor.

A co-promotion with an MMA organization like One FC could be an option; One FC promoted their most successful event in Manilla.

Manila hosted the biggest MMA show in Philippine history: ONE Championship.

Or MP Promotions could compete with Rizin and fight against Japanese Kickboxing Phenomenon Teshin Nasukawa. Tenshin is just starting his career (kickboxing rules? haha, wishful thinking)! That would be like hoping for Mayweather fighting MMA rules in a rematch against Mc Gregor. 

I can see that rematch again, Mayweather vs. Mc Gregor in the UFC Cage. The fight would be under special rules. No ground game allowed. Maybe boxing with small gloves wouldn’t be surprising. Half a billion is the reason this will happen somewhere in the future!

Tenshin Masukawa vs. Floyd Mayweather, boxing rules, not Rizin or Glory Kickboxing, would make it even more attractive, a rematch under those rules.

Pacquiao vs. Van Roosmalen or Sittichai under Glory Kickboxing rules?

Then there is Glory: Pacquiao vs. Robin van Roosmalen (if he can lose 4kg) or Pacquiao vs. Sittichai. This last fight proposal would make more sense as he comes from Thailand (Asia). And the fight has some great promotion possibilities (wishful thinking Glory Kickboxing rules?).

With OTT and Virtual Reality (VR using your Mobile Phone), exciting times are coming. Imagine you can become Many Pacquiao or Conor McGregor and fight yourself in virtual reality. More crazy fight an opponent at the same time a real battle takes place. Or fight with them in the new Fight Game Reality Blockbuster game, fighting back together to reach the “real world”! Overeem vs. Hari under MMA Rizin rules would be played the most. That is a sure bet.

Glory Kickboxing Champion Rico Verhoeven

Rico Verhoeven Glory World Champion (Kickboxing rules) vs. Daniel Cormier UFC, bring it on (2 fight deal Glory Rules and UFC rules, would that not be awesome?)!

Quote Bas Boon:

Sometimes you have to shake the Cage or Ring to see what comes out.

Micromanagement in The Fight Game, Alistair Overeem

© Bas Boon www.basboon.com

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