Is The Bible Of Boxing Bias?

By Lamar Clark

Call me a hater, because I wish I owned and published The Ring magazine, but can anyone explain to me why Floyd “Money” Mayweather is placed behind Juan Manuel Marquez on the August 2009 cover?

You may think I’m petty for even noticing the placement, but I’ve worked in the publishing industry for over 10 years, and the mission has always been to sell as many magazines on the newsstand as possible. You do that by placing a recognizable star to lead (left to right) on your cover.

Mayweather may not be the self proclaimed ‘Pay-Per-View Cash-Cow’ he boast about in his infamous ESPN interview with Brian Kenny, but there’s no denying his worldwide popularity. He’s not the ‘PPV King’, but I’m sure he can sell more magazines on the newsstand than Juan, a glimmer next Floyd’s star power.

“The Bible of Boxing” was purchased in 2007 by Sports and Entertainment Publications, a company under the umbrella of Golden Boy Enterprises, Oscar De La Hoya’s holding company whose assets include Golden Boy Promotions who promotes Juan Manuel Marquez. The August cover is a total flip-flip in presentation from the original HBO/Golden Boy promotional poster (see above.) Why the switch-a-roo? Has the boss’s influence rubbed off or did The Ring’s editorial team simply like this set up better? Remember the mission…

De La Hoya said he understood the skepticism that would come when he purchased The Ring, “We’ll have no say over the editorial content of the magazine. We’re promoters who are going to be fair to everyone. That’s the responsibility we carry. I’m sure we’re going to read the magazine one-day and we will be criticized. Our fighters won’t be on the cover every month. You’ll be seeing Top Rank fighters on the cover.”

We all know and understand why Floyd was placed in the forefront of this boxing promotion. But why is he placed in the background on The Ring?