SportBusiness.com

Under September’s merger agreement it was decided to pursue third-party financing and a bridge loan, a move which has stalled CKB’s intention to become the first boxing promotions company floated on the stock market.
Speaking to sportbusiness.com prior to the agreement Cedric Kushner said: “ If you analyse boxing you wont find it any different form any other show business. The days of the old Edward G Robinson movies and taking a dive in the fourth are no loner I’ve tried to conduct business ethically and within the law and will continue to do so.”
Kushner said that boxing’s dubious reputation was the result of a fractured organisation at the top. “ Certain businesses, like Formula One, have vast resources and can down play negative events and defend themselves more. I there’s an accident in F1, there’s great public relations from the track to the organisers. You definitely don’t have that unity in boxing, which is a very litigious business and that is one area I’d like to see change.”
Having said that, Kushner said for “ people like myself it’s no different from being a movie or TV producer. CKB is packager of programming.”
Zenascent decided in February that it was redefining its business model to focus on sports and entertainment event promotion, and would merge with what is considered one of the most successful boxing promotional organisations in the world.
CKB promotes world champion and top contender boxers including the current WBC world welterweight champion, ``Sugar'' Shane Mosley, and number 2 IBF Heavyweight Contender Chris Byrd.
In addition to its representation and promotion efforts, the agency also produces and syndicates world championship boxing events for distribution worldwide. The company promotes televised events from venues all around the world and is a programme supplier to television networks such as HBO, ESPN, and Eurosport .