http://www.boxingnewsonline.net JULY 25, 2019 lBOXING NEWSl 37
eyes, and then he went straight to hospital.
“Even when the fighters have won it can be difficult to ask
them to go and do a press conference. They’re in a room
surrounded by their loved ones, often loved ones they haven’t
seen for months, the last thing they want to do is go and speak
to the press.
“It’s hard to fathom how much they’ve been through, not just
in the fight, but in the months leading up to it. It’s impossible to
have nothing but admiration for them.”
That admiration is as easy to empathise with as
it was for Anthony to get carried away with. One
night in particular taught him a valuable lesson for
the future. Leaver had spent a lot of time with James
DeGale and accompanied him and his family to America
when the 2008 Olympic champion
challenged Andre Dirrell for the
vacant IBF super-middleweight on a
Lou DiBella-promoted show in May
2015.Without the pressure of being the press contact for the Boston
event, instead acting solely as DeGale’s UK representative,
Leaver took his seat and watched the action unfold.
“James and his family had been so welcoming to me,” Leaver
explains, already cringing at the story he’s about to tell. “I got
lost in it all. When he fought Dirrell I got told off by Sky Sports
because I was sat right behind Johnny Nelson and, well, let’s just
say I lost all decorum. I was on my feet in press row, screaming
and shouting for DeGale to win. After that, I moved further and
further away from press row because I didn’t want to
make an idiot out of myself again.
“If I was to sit ringside now, I’d feel as if I’m taking
it from someone who is more worthy than me who
should be there instead. I strongly disagree with PR
people who take a ringside seat.
Someone else should be there.”
Indeed, allocating press seating,
that dreaded process of ‘media
accreditation’, makes Leaver shake
his head and take a hefty gulp of
his IPA when he’s asked about its
complexities. It is Matchroom’s
policy, out of consideration to their
broadcast partners, Sky Sports and
DAZN, not to have a ‘press room’
because one would encourage
the media to come and go as they
please. It’s not a good look, Leaver
reasons, if a camera operator trying
to film the ring walks bumps into
someone conducting an interview.
In that regard, Leaver likes to
ensure the media have the right
access to the right areas. More
importantly, it is down to Leaver to ensure the right people are
covering the event in the first place. He insists on managing the
whole process himself, from alerting the media to the event
and then sifting through the increasing number of applications
that follow.
Matchroom’s biggest events, like all the major promoters,
are always over-subscribed. It makes the job an arduous task
with many ‘outlets’ consisting of one person chancing their arm
by creating a YouTube channel or website in the hope they can
secure a ringside ticket to a big fight or access to a big name.
Leaver, to his credit, will take each one seriously, taking the
time to assess even the most obscure application. However, it’s
telling applicants who do have a case for entry, but ultimately
miss out, that Leaver finds difficult.
“It’s the worst part of the job. Of all the people that miss out,
loads of them will go to all of our smaller shows, they will go
to all the press conferences but – and this is the hardest part,
and I genuinely feel bad – there isn’t room for them even if
they deserve to be there. But the truth of the matter is if you’re
dealing with national newspapers or international brands with
a huge reach online, you cannot say no. They simply have to
take priority. Ultimately, and simply, it’s a business. It makes the
most sense to us, as a business, to have the media there who
can put the most eyes on the event.”
Certain members of the media are more precious than
others and will grumble incessantly if they haven’t been given
the access to big-name fighters. Leaver is quick to point out,
somewhat pertinently given Anthony Joshua’s downfall four
days later, that the fighters’ priority should always be focusing
on actually winning the fight, with media commitments coming
a distant second.
And Anthony Leaver should also be left alone when he’s got
a job to do – particularly at a world heavyweight championship
weigh-in when writers are picking silly times to ask unimportant
questions.
“I love my job, I absolutely love it, though you might not think
that if you encounter me during a big fight week,” he laughs.
“I can be a bit blunt and I know that. It’s a character flaw. But I
always want these things to go as smoothly as possible.”
And when Leaver’s on duty, they usually do. bntofilmtheringwalks bumps intoGOOD PALS:
Froch is one of
the first
fighters that
Leaver worked
with