De La Hoya and Hopkins to be Promotional Partners

Oscar De La Hoya's three-year-old company, Golden Boy Promotions, has announced an agreement to not only promote middleweight champ Bernard Hopkins, but also named Hopkins president of GBP East. Hopkins, a native of Philadelphia, becomes an equity partner with responsiblities including developing East Coast talent and events. The move is a blow to Bob Arum's Top Rank, which has been De La Hoya's promoter for years and had hoped to secure a promotional deal with Hopkins. Having two active fighters also serving as powerful promoters is highly unusual but should be healthy for the sport. More promoters should mean less control concentrated among the few individuals and organizations that are largely reponsible for the mess that is boxing today. Plus, Bob Arum is 72 and Don King is 71 and they can't live forever (can they?). When they're out of the picture there will be a huge promotional void to fill. Perhaps Golden Boy Promotions - with, hopefully, a more fighter-friendly approach to the business - will be ready to step in.