Money Causes Goossen-Tinley Split Decision

Ultimately, it came down to money. Dan Goossen wanted to keep investing in what he saw as America Presents’ bright future. Matt Tinley wanted to cut down on what he saw as America Presents’ wasteful past.

Goossen, president of the boxing organization, and Tinley, company CEO, had another confrontation Thursday over the red ink in which America Presents has floated since it was founded in 1996. It wasn’t the first such confrontation, but it proved to be the last when Goossen resigned, according to Tinley, or was fired, according to Goossen.

Tinley, who used the money of his late uncle, cable television pioneer Bill Daniels, to fund America Presents, plans to maintain the operation by taking over Goossen’s role as promoter.

Goossen, who founded the Ten Goose boxing organization in the San Fernando Valley in the 1980s, says he will launch Ten Goose Sports, a boxing organization based in Las Vegas.

“Clearly, just as baseball managers are governed by their won-lost record, the bottom line for private business is profits and losses,” said Tinley, who has only lost money with America Presents. “I think America Presents has become a gas guzzler. I want to make it more fuel efficient.”

Countered Goossen: “Everyone has different ideas. I told Matt from the beginning that we were not starting out with a mom-and-pop operation. This is the big leagues. If you want to be in the big leagues, it’s going to cost you money. That is why we are neck and neck with [top promoters] Bob [Arum] and Don [King]. It takes money. In our industry, it takes barrels full.”

Even with all those barrels, America Presents was running on empty after recent events.

America Presents burst into prominence from the start by signing David Reid, the only American who won a gold medal in the 1996 Olympics.

The organization appeared to have pulled off another coup by landing former two-time heavyweight champion Mike Tyson in 1999, still the sport’s biggest draw at that point.

But none of this came cheaply. Reid was given a contract that was potentially worth $30 million over five years, including a million-dollar signing bonus. Tyson agreed to sign only if the terms included a $5-million loan.

Today, America Presents has about two dozen fighters and an office staff of 10. But the promise remains unfulfilled as all their main fighters have struggled.

Besides the ring setbacks, Tinley was disturbed by the amount of money spent on promotion.

. “I live a different lifestyle than Dan,” Tinley said. “I like to run my business lean, and, at the end of the day, spend in areas where I think it makes a difference to the business. In this business, talent is the key area.”

Goossen isn’t about to apologize.

“If Bill Daniels were alive today, I would feel very comfortable looking him in the eye and telling him that every cent I put in the business I did for the success of America Presents,” Goossen said.

To Be Continued

Junior-middleweight Fernando Vargas, scheduled to be sentenced Friday in Santa Barbara Superior Court after pleading no contest to a charge of conspiracy in a 1999 assault case, received a continuance until after his coming title fight.

Vargas, who will fight Jose “Shibata” Flores on Sept. 22 at Las Vegas’ Mandalay Bay Events Center for the vacant World Boxing Assn. 154-pound title, will be sentenced Sept. 28.

Four other defendants in the case--Ernesto Vargas, a cousin of Fernando; Freddie Flores, Carlos Lopez and Vincent Arenas--were sentenced Friday to 45 days in county jail, 50 to 150 days of community service and fines. Each of the four had pleaded no contest to a charge of assault in the beating of 23-year-old Doug Rossi.

Short Jabs

Floyd Mayweather’s defense of his World Boxing Council super featherweight title against Jesus Chavez, scheduled for Oct. 6 at the Paris Las Vegas hotel, has been postponed because of dental work that has interrupted Mayweather’s training. A new date will be announced next week

The Golden State Boxers Assn. will honor former welterweight champion Carlos Palomino and former fighters Art Aragon, Armando Muniz, Ramon Fuentes, Joey Dorando and Elmer “Rocky” Beltz, at a noon luncheon today at the Old Spaghetti Factory on Sunset Boulevard. Details: (323) 469-7149