The following comes from the Torch Newsletter:
- Jimmy Hart is working with Murad Muhammad, the promoter of big time boxer Roy Jones Jr, on a dual boxing and wrestling tv deal with HBO or Showtime. Hulk Hogan would likely be involved if the deal is done. Mark Cuban, who is neighbors with Muhammed, introduced Hart and Muhammed. Cuban had been talking with Hart about working together since Cuban was looking for programming for his new all-high Definition network and consideration was given to Hart's XWF project being on the station with some support from Cuban. Because the clearances for the station are so low (under 100,000 homes at this point), it wasn't viable.
- However, Muhammed is looking to pair up wrestling with boxing. The proposal calls for a weekly one hour timeslot with pro wrestling each week, and then to cross over the audience between boxing and wrestling with a two hour block once a month featuring both wrestling and boxing. The strategy would be to attract fans of wrestling to boxing and vice versa, and then market wrestling and boxing PPV's to each audience.
- There wouldn't be any live events with both boxing and wrestling taking place, but the two hour block would have a unified feel to gain that crossover appeal. The deal isn't anywhere near imminent, but with big money and big names behind it and with the association with Roy Jones Jr., they well get in the door for negotiations, something no other pro wrestling proposal could do no matter which wrestler's name was attached to the project. This project was in the works before Hogan's deal with TNA, but conceivably TNA could end up involved since they have a full fledged operation up and running already. Hart and TNA founder Jerry Jarrett have been close friends for years and have talked of working together on various projects in recent years.
