Filed under: Fighting, Sports Business and Media
Jay Larkin, a former Showtime boxing boss who later unsuccessfully tried to turn around the short-lived International Fight League, has died after a long battle with cancer. He was 59.
Larkin took over as the acting CEO and President of the IFL in Nov. 2007, over a year into the company’s existence. The executive tried to rebound the company’s sagging fortunes by getting rid of the cartoonish team names, instead favoring a camp approach, controlling costs and attempting to appeal to more fans. But he also earned the wrath of many MMA fans by making controversial comments that while largely aimed at the UFC, reflected poorly on the sport.