DiBella: Taylor-Froch probably won't happen

[dstew]

From http://www.secondsout.com/USA/news.cfm?ccs=229&cs=53738

Jerry Glick reporting:
After spending time in Biloxi watching Andre Berto squeak by Luis Collazo promoter Lou DiBella arrived back in New York City and graciously talked to Secondsout about the on again/off again situation concerning a proposed showdown between American Jermain Taylor, the former middleweight champion, and Britain’s Carl Froch. The fight would be for Froch’s WBC super-middleweight belt for which Taylor is the mandatory challenger.

Talk of this prospective match has been ongoing for months and DiBella is losing confidence that it will ever come to pass.

“If you beat your chest,” said DiBella, “but you price yourself out; do you really want it?”

DiBella spoke like a man who has shopped around to get a fix on the situation. In fact that is not only true, but DiBella has been doing his homework for more years than I know of. He has assessed the value of all the scenarios that could happen at this time for Taylor.

“I think the kid himself, Froch, wants the fight, but they want economics that don’t exist,“ said DiBella. “HBO turned down the fight because Froch has no name recognition. The only network that would take the fight is SHOWTIME and they told me to move on.”

Lou does not believe that Froch has Pay-Per-View value in the US, nor does he feel he is a PPV attraction in England either.

DiBella claims that he made an offer to Froch’s promoter, Mick Hennessey, last week but has not received an answer to it yet. He noted at late afternoon, England time, that because they are close to the end of the business day, it doesn’t look as though there will, at this time, be a Taylor-Froch fight.

“Unless something dramatic happens in the next couple of hours the fights not going to happen. Jermain really wanted to fight Froch,” added a resigned DiBella. “He really wanted the WBC belt, but if you can’t make a deal, you can’t make a deal. If you can’t make deal now, putting your cards on the table, there’s no sense going to a purse bid,” explained Lou.

There are other choices but none of them are as attractive as a fight with Froch. Allen Green is a possibility but he is a high risk. “You don’t get a belt, and he’s a high risk opponent; I think it would be disappointing, but at the same time, Jermain’s a fighter and he wants to fight. He wants to continue to prove himself at 68 and we’re going to make another fight.”

Then there’s Bute; “We reached out to Bute,” said DiBella. “He’s not available.”

There’s Kessler, but DiBella finds that to be problematic.

“Kessler would probably do the fight,” said DiBella. “But the last time Kessler was on American television he got beaten soundly.” He sees Kessler as another economic issue as well. He does not believe that the risk involved with fighting a tough guy like Kessler who is at the top of the super-middleweights now with the departure of Calzaghe, is warranted for the amount of money that Taylor would make for participating in such a fight.

In boxing anything can happen and anything is often what does happen. So wait, the Froch fight may still happen.

[dstew]

What I'm wondering is, if the rumors about Bute's camp going after Jeff Lacy for a March fight are true, why not go after Taylor instead? Dibella is on the record saying they would make Taylor-Bute in Montreal, and Taylor is looking for a March date, probably on Showtime.

Taylor-Bute, March 28 on Showtime makes perfect sense, assuming Taylor-Froch doesn't get made first.

[BattlingNelson]

So Froch is pricing himself out of a Taylor fight and Taylor is pricing himself out of a Kessler fight. I can hardly believe that Taylor's manager says the latter. What a lack of confidence in his own man.

[dstew]

Originally Posted by BatTheMan

So Froch is pricing himself out of a Taylor fight and Taylor is pricing himself out of a Kessler fight. I can hardly believe that Taylor's manager says the latter. What a lack of confidence in his own man.

Real lack of confidence = putting your guy in with Mads Larsen

[BattlingNelson]

Originally Posted by dstew

Real lack of confidence = putting your guy in with Mads Larsen

Haha.

Only thing is the choice was Johnson for ½ million dollars or Larsen for probably 3 million. I guess the choice is obvious.

Taylor can pick anyone he wants.

[boxasmash]

Originally Posted by BatTheMan

Haha.

Only thing is the choice was Johnson for ½ million dollars or Larsen for probably 3 million. I guess the choice is obvious.

Taylor can pick anyone he wants.

they are totally ducking kessler and froch.

[SickmyDuck]

Dibella needs to take a risk

people want to see fights with Kessler,Bute,Froch

Nobody wants to see Taylor fight guys like Allan Green

People want to see him fight the best in the division.

Take a risk Lou, Give the fans the best fights out there

[aljosa_raos]

Froch s team wants 70% cuz he is a champ.
Thats crazy.

[cupcrazy01]

Most of the time it seems putting an American and a foreign fighter in the same ring is harder than splitting the atom.

Any of Taylor-Froch or Taylor-Bute or Taylor-Kessler would be great for 168, but it appears none will materialize. Shocking.

[dstew]

Originally Posted by jack the cripuh

Dibella needs to take a risk

people want to see fights with Kessler,Bute,Froch

Nobody wants to see Taylor fight guys like Allan Green

People want to see him fight the best in the division.

Take a risk Lou, Give the fans the best fights out there

It's not just Taylor's side that has to take a risk; Froch's side needs to compromise as well.

I'm not sure what the details of DiBella's offer are, but if it is anything approaching giving Froch 50% of the purse, Hennessy should take it.