NEW YORK - Is boxing down for the count?  Or is it in the midst of a renaissance?  Why is it not the mainstream sport it once was? And what are today’s industry leaders doing to ensure its survival?   These questions and more will be discussed and debated during a workshop at the 32nd annual National Association of Black Journalists Convention and Career Fair at the Bally’s Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nev.

Sponsored by the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) Sports Task Force and Top Rank Inc.., “IS BOXING DOWN FOR THE COUNT?” will be held Friday, August 10, at 4 p.m. (PT) and will feature a panel of boxing’s most influential personalities, including Ross Greenburg, President of HBO Sports; Ken Hershman, Sr. Vice President/General Manager of Showtime Sports Events Programming; Legendary boxing promoters Don King, Bob Arum, six-time world champion “Pretty Boy” Floyd Mayweather Jr. and New York Daily News sports columnist and boxing writer Tim Smith.

New York Post sports columnist George Willis is the workshop coordinator.  USA Today boxing writer Chuck Johnson will moderate the 90-minute discussion.

"In terms of boxing's most important figures, this is truly a panel of heavyweights,'' Johnson said.  “We'll be able to ask questions of boxing's two most successful promoters, the sport's top pound-for-pound fighter and the top executives of HBO Sports and Showtime. We also have within our membership some of this country's top boxing journalists. We look forward to a very lively and informative discussion of the current state of boxing."

Arum said, “I hope the journalists attending the workshop will carry the message back to their editors that boxing is not dead. Indeed, it is enjoying a resurgence with matches like De La Hoya-Mayweather breaking records and other exciting matches including Jermain Taylor vs. Kelly Pavlik and Shane Mosley vs. Miguel Cotto all scheduled for an exciting September through December. These intriguing fights deserve the space they once received.”

King would appear to be somewhat in agreement with his longtime promotional foe.

“What boxing doesn’t have enough of right now are the super-sensational stars of yesteryear,” King said.  “It’s cyclical.  We have some today and need more for tomorrow.”

The workshop will be held in Bronze Room 1 at Bally’s Hotel & Casino. Seating is limited and only registered members of the NABJ convention and special guests will be allowed to attend.  NABJ is an organization of journalists, students and media-related professionals. Founded in 1975, it is the largest organization of journalists of color in the nation.

For more information call 201-637-8083 or vist www.nabj.org