In this corner

In this corner: Tom Estrategia PvP Gorny - CEO of iPowerFrom Phoenix Arizona by way of Los Angeles California - iPower has $40 million in annual revenues (according to a 2006 Gorny interview). Polish born Gorny built iPower up from zero to 500,000 accounts according to company website. Past success includes part ownership of Sage Networks taken public in 1998 as Interliant, Inc. He is an aggressive role up the sleeves type entrepreneur.

In meetings at his former LA iBoost offices I can attest that Tom has a fine appreciation for restaurants and automobiles.In this corner: Steve Sydness - CEO of Endurance InternationalHailing from his corporate headquarters in greater Boston, Sydness has developed a team of professional button down MBA types that succeed in finding, negotiating, closing and successfully consolidating web host company acquisitions. The team has come off a winning streak of 28 acquisitions - with 15 remaining brand names.

Part of doing deals is money and this Boston firm has some great Boston money managers in its corner, namely old stand by Audax Partners and new to the plate Cerberus Capital and LLM Capital Partners.The locker room scuttlebutt:Rumors indicate this is a $100 million deal and the merger is really the purchase of iPower by Endurance. All public statements indicate this is the merger of equals, but it is clear that Endurance has the money in its corner and Gorny has successfully built and sold big before. It is a new tag team of two interesting men.