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Richard Stevens: Marketing whiz finds TV glare for Holm

By Richard Stevens
Thursday, February 8, 2007

Smart Box

What: Three world-title women's bouts to be televised on Fox Sports Network

Where/when: March 22, Isleta Casino

Main event: Holly Holm (16-1-2) vs. Ann Saccurato (12-1-2) for IFBA, WBA, IBA, WBC, WIBA, GRU welterweight title.

Semi mains: Jackie Chavez (9-2) vs. Lisa Brown (12-3-3) for junior featherweight title; Kelsey Jeffries (36-9-1) vs. Rhonda Luna (11-0-1) for featherweight title.

Undercard: Hector Mu¤oz vs. TBA; Joe Gomez vs. Bobby Joe Valdez; Anthony Vialpando vs. TBA.

Tickets: $25, $50, $75, $100, $150, $200 at Isleta box office, 244-8191 or 244-8192; Tickets.com; or Fresquez Productions, 884-7484.

In the marketing of Albuquerque boxer Holly Holm, it might be time for someone to stand in the middle of the ring and raise the hand of Lenny Fresquez.

Holm's promoter did her good by polishing up her res£m‚ and giving her national clout with wins over boxing icons Christy Martin, Mia St. John and Jane Couch - faded war horses of the ring, but still name boxers.

Now, Fresquez has done seemingly the impossible by landing his Isleta Casino star a gig on national TV.

Yes, Holm will go coast to coast.

Her world title fight with Ann Saccurato on March 22 at Isleta will be televised nationally on Fox Sports Network along with two other women title fights.

This is a huge step for Holm, and maybe a bigger step for women's boxing.

It is no secret that most of the networks catering to boxing do not really want to put the women on the air.

Not enough power.

Not enough skills.

Not enough men or women viewers interested in the sport.

In fact, often the women's bouts that make the tube are embarrassingly bad. They are "filler" fights featuring women boxers at the lower levels of the sport.

Even Holm's trainer, Mike Winkeljohn, once told The Tribune: "Most women don't box that well. They don't understand the sport."

Holm definitely is an exception. Her movement in the ring, her quick combinations, her courage, are all world-class.

Still, Fresquez did not have an easy go of it when he went shopping to find a network willing to take a gamble on televising a women's card.

"It took seemingly endless hours of calling and being told, no, no, no," said Fresquez. "I went to ESPN, ESPN2, HBO, Showtime and they all said no."

Fresquez said the deal clincher was when a rep from the International Female Boxers Association joined him in a pitch to FSN.

Fresquez and the IFBA told FSN they would give the network three title fights featuring balanced competition.

They sold FSN on the TV appeal of Holm and the TV appeal of Isleta, which usually sells out for a Holm fight.

"TV wants an electric atmosphere," said Fresquez. "They don't want to go to an empty venue in Las Vegas if they can go to a full house somewhere else. And that's what we'll give them."

Said Holm: "I never ever would have thought that we'd be headlining women's fights on Fox Sports Net. It's huge to me, how far we have come."

This TV gig just might be the push Holm needs to take her to a level beyond Albuquerque. Holm still doesn't seem to have the knockout punch that male viewers love, but she can move and box.

The March 22 card also will throw a little sex appeal at the male viewer. Mia St. John will provide some color commentating. Holm's nickname is "Hottie." And Jackie Chavez of Los Lunas might put St. John and Holm to shame when it comes to pure (no makeup needed) good looks.

Yep, the card has a good chance to make noise where TV reps like to see good results - the ratings.

The main event with Holm and Saccurato has a good chance to go the distance and provide a lot of action.

Saccurato has a reputation for toughness, but she is going up in weight in order to box Holm. Saccurato simply looks too small to give Holm a serious challenge. This appears to be another fight where Holm will be the bigger, better, stronger boxer.

And Holm should look good.

Coast to coast.