Golden Boy Doesn’t Want To Talk About Affliction; Belfort Replaces Babalu Against Lindland

Affliction Golden Boy

Ever get the feeling that the Affliction-Golden Boy “partnership” really isn’t much of a partnership at all? Was it when they decided that mixing boxing with MMA on the same card wasn’t the great idea they once thought it was? If that didn’t raise a red flag for you, how about when they decided they were going to promote an event on Jan. 24, just not with Affliction? Well, if that wasn’t enough, guess what? Golden Boy doesn’t want to talk about Affliction, apparently nothing’s finalized as MDS learned earlier today on a conference call with Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer.

Golden Boy Promoting Boxing Event Same Night As Affliction ‘Day Of Reckoning’

Affliction Golden Boy

Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions may be producing Affliction’s “Day of Reckoning” show on Jan. 24, but that won’t be the only event they’re involved in that day. According to ESPN’s Dan Rafael, Golden Boy’s Shane Mosley will box Top Rank’s Antonio Margarito in Las Vegas on the same night as Affliction’s second show. The match was talked about before, but the deal ended up falling through until now. Apparently, HBO stepped to save the day.

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Fan & Media Criticism Scares Off Golden Boy

Affliction Golden Boy

Oh, way to go, look what you did! It appears Golden Boy has changed their minds about mixing boxing with MMA, at least for now. In an ESPN.com boxing report, Golden Boy CEO Richard Schafer tells ESPN that due to all the criticism the idea has received they have elected to keep the sports separate for now.

Take Two: Atencio Confirms Fedor vs. Arlovski For January Affliction Show (Update - Not Signed)

Fedor Emelianenko vs Andrei Arlovski
Check out more photos at CombatLifestyle.com

In a week chocked full of negative stories about EliteXC, we can at least end the week on a positive note from Affliction. Tom Atencio has confirmed the best news to come out of Affliction since the match first got canceled. Fedor Emelianenko will face off against former UFC Champion Andrei Arlovski at Affliction’s January event.

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No Boxing On First Affliction-Golden Boy Card

Affliction Golden Boy Parntership Official

More plans have changed regarding Affliction’s next event. As you already know, Affliction and Golden Boy have formed a partnership to hold boxing/MMA hybrid events. Their first event is said to be taking place sometime in the first quarter of 2009, with most signs pointing to late January. Just as recent as two days ago, Affliction VP Tom Atencio stated on ProMMA Radio that they were planning on booking a marquee boxing match for the main event with all MMA fights underneath it. That appears to have changed in the last 36 hours though. According to a report by SI.com’s Josh Gross, Affliction’s next event will be comprised entirely of MMA bouts.

Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer Comments On Foray Into Mixed Martial Arts (Update - De La Hoya Comments)

We’ve heard quite bit from Affliction regarding their new relationship with boxing, yet hardly a peep from Golden Boy. Apparently, they haven’t embraced the internet culture of mixed martial arts yet. With our unrelenting nature, I can’t imagine why.

They can’t hide forever though. Michael David Smith of AOL Fanhouse was able to score a quick interview Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer as seen in the video above where he shared a few of his thoughts on MMA and Affliction. Here’s what Schaefer had to say off camera.

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EliteXC-Affliction-Golden Boy Co-Promoted Event To Air On Showtime Or CBS In January? (Update II)

Affliction Golden Boy EliteXC

If you thought today’s announcement that Affliction fighters Andrei Arlovski and Roy Nelson have been added to EliteXC “Heat” was pretty crazy, wait till you hear this. Sergio Non of USA Today spoke with Affliction Entertainment COO Michael Cohen about the EliteXC co-promotion earlier today, and what he said could potentially be huge.

Elite XC and Affliction will also co-promote Affliction’s next event with Golden Boy Promotions, now scheduled for Jan. 24, Cohen said. That fight will air either on CBS or Showtime, he said.

Tom Atencio Reveals Preliminary Concept For Affliction-Golden Boy Event

Tom Atencio
More Affliction photos at CombatLifestyle.com

One of the biggest questions surrounding the recently announced Affliction-Golden Boy partnership is how’s it going to work? How will the cards be structured? How many boxing matches? How many MMA fights?

Well, we may have some answers. Tom Atencio appeared on The Jordan Breen Show on Thursday, and while he emphasized that nothing was finalized, he gave a few details of their preliminary plans.

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