5 High Profile Boxer – Promoter Feuds, Featuring Ryan Garcia

At Big Fight Weekend, we are avid fans of this wonderful sport, but sometimes for the fighters and promoters it’s not always plain sailing. So we decided to bring you 5 high profile boxer-promoter feuds, some of which, given their recency, are covered a little more extensively in online sports outlets.

High Profile Boxer – Promoter Feuds: Ryan Garcia and Oscar De La Hoya

Ryan Garcia and Oscar De La Hoya have a complicated relationship, which again boiled over recently when they went back and forth on Twitter. The recent trouble in their relationship occurred due to Garcia being unhappy with the lack of support in the post-fight press conference, following the defeat against Gervonta Davis. De La Hoya recently suggested a possible fight between Garcia and Manny Pacquiao – which was swiftly shot down by Garcia. De La Hoya was criticised in many quarters for blaming KingRy on Twitter for accepting the rehydration clause against Tank Davis. It remains to be seen how this public spat will play out, but already this has become one of the most high-profile boxer-promoter feuds in recent history.

Mike Tyson and Don King

Long before there was Dana White, De La Hoya, and Eddie Hearns promoting boxing and UFC fights, there was Don King.

Mike Tyson and Don King enjoyed some incredible success together, with Iron Mike bulldozing his way through the heavyweight division from 1985-1989 and amassing a professional fight record of 37-0 before the famous defeat against Buster Douglas. Tyson and King began to have problems in the 1990s. These problems came to a head when Tyson filed a suit against King, demanding $100 million. Iron Mike felt King had defrauded him of tens of millions over a decade. The two parties eventually settled for $14 million. Mike Tyson’s legacy remains as one of the most charismatic in boxing history, but Don King is right there, too.

Carl Frampton and Barry McGuigan

The relationship between Carl Frampton and his manager Barry McGuigan became “toxic,” with McGuigan’s son Shane criticising Frampton behind his back, which soured the relationship between the family and the fighter. The McGuigan and Frampton partnership ended in 2017 after eight years together. The toxic relationship between the parties – was bared all in court during a 2020 battle in Belfast. The Jackal sued Cyclone Promotions over alleged withheld earnings, with a settlement being reached back in November, with Frampton saying he was “extremely happy” with the outcome. The court case and subsequent quotes from both parties have ensured this will remain one of the most high-profile boxer-promoter feuds.

Terence Crawford and Bob Arum

Terence Crawford, the WBO welterweight champion, is suing his promoter, Bob Arum, and Top Rank for nearly $10 million, alleging racist bias and breach of contract. Crawford claims that Arum’s treatment of black boxers, including himself, has been disparate and discriminatory. The lawsuit accuses Arum of making racist and bigoted statements and deliberately damaging the reputations of black fighters. Crawford also cites Arum’s failure to secure lucrative fights, particularly against welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr. Arum denies the allegations, attributing Crawford’s lack of marketability to his failures rather than race. The lawsuit draws parallels to similar disputes involving Floyd Mayweather with Top Rank in the past. It remains to be seen who the courts will favour, but the relationship between the two appears irreversible, leaving this spat one of the most high-profile boxer-promoter feuds.

Joe Calzaghe and Frank Warren

The relationship between Frank Warren and Joe Calzaghe seemed to sour once The Pride of Wales split from his promoter Warren in June 2008. Once the split was finalised, there was a deterioration between the two – which resulted in Calzaghe launching legal proceedings for money he claimed was owed in fees for his contest with Bernard Hopkins. Warren even launched a counterclaim that Calzaghe owed him £1m for breaking a contract, which had been agreed verbally. Judges eventually sided with The Italian Dragon and ruled that the Frank Warren-owned company Sports Network Ltd had to pay the undefeated world super-middleweight champion Calzaghe around £1.8m.