Criticism of Showtime: Bute vs Magee (and the 3-fight deal)

I'll put it to you this way, I'd rather watch the Bute-McGee and Edinson Mirand doubleheader on SHOWTIME than that ****ty Paul Williams/Adrien Broner twin bill HBO is planning.

Why didn't they sign him to a 5 fight deal 1 year ago, or a 2 fight deal a month from now? It just seems arbitrary and we get nothing out of it. I see no interest in this fight and it's next weekend. I think this was a bad moves on Showtime's part. I'd rather they lock in the Super 6 finalists for an additional fight on the network than have Bute fighting no-namers for his first 2 fights. Showtime has probably burned their fingers on this 3-fight deal. First fight is Magee. Second fight will probably be mando Mendy. The only fight that potentially matches Bute with a live opponent is the final fight of the deal. However that final fight will likely NOT be against the s6 winner as Mikkel Kessler is WBC emeritus champion and as such has a free crack at the WBC champion (=s6 winner) whenever he is ready. This means that Bute will have to get in line.

There isn't a site for it but it is in the contracts that it must be contested at a neutral location. That's just as good. Despite all the flack the Super 6 has gotten, I think it's been great for Boxing. It's been a very compelling ride to say the least.

There's already a site for the Super 6 final? Good. I wanna see Ward leave Cali for once :boxing: There isn't a site for it but it is in the contracts that it must be contested at a neutral location.

Ward will have to leave California for the Super 6 final. Bute will continue to fight in Montreal. The fight between Ward and Bute should end up in Atlantic City or at Madison Square Garden. There's already a site for the Super 6 final? Good. I wanna see Ward leave Cali for once :boxing:

Will Bute even bring ratings to Showtime? I don't get this either. If Ward wins the Super 6 and Bute is set to fight the winner...where will they fight? Ward hasn't fought outside of CA in forever and Bute doesn't want to leave Canada. Ward will have to leave California for the Super 6 final. Bute will continue to fight in Montreal. The fight between Ward and Bute should end up in Atlantic City or at Madison Square Garden.

No. Interbox and GYM have always had their own PPVs, I don't think that they are linked. They make good money in Quebec but at the expense of having almost no presence in English Canada. Only recently have Bute and Pascal been mentioned in the national newspaper. But they are superstars in Quebec and I doubt that their promoters would share the PPV profits with Showtime. Well that depends can Showtime give them extra value it might be worth it to bring them in, if the pie gets bigger you can afford to cut someone in. I was merely presenting this as a possible reason why Showtime paid what they did for the rights to Bute.

Will Bute even bring ratings to Showtime? I don't get this either. If Ward wins the Super 6 and Bute is set to fight the winner...where will they fight? Ward hasn't fought outside of CA in forever and Bute doesn't want to leave Canada.

Bute's contract with Showtime is much worse than Berto's. And I never thought I would say that anyone had a worse contract that Berto!

showtime needs bute to fight the super 6 winner to crown the undisputed champ at 168 lbs. that's why they have to sign him to 3 fights and that's why they have to accept bute fighting bums. Why didn't they sign him to a 5 fight deal 1 year ago, or a 2 fight deal a month from now? It just seems arbitrary and we get nothing out of it. I see no interest in this fight and it's next weekend. I think this was a bad moves on Showtime's part. I'd rather they lock in the Super 6 finalists for an additional fight on the network than have Bute fighting no-namers for his first 2 fights.

Well maybe Showtime is getting in on that end? No. Interbox and GYM have always had their own PPVs, I don't think that they are linked. They make good money in Quebec but at the expense of having almost no presence in English Canada. Only recently have Bute and Pascal been mentioned in the national newspaper. But they are superstars in Quebec and I doubt that their promoters would share the PPV profits with Showtime.

showtime needs bute to fight the super 6 winner to crown the undisputed champ at 168 lbs. that's why they have to sign him to 3 fights and that's why they have to accept bute fighting bums.

Gary Shaw isn't going to send Dirrell to fight Montreal without at least 2 warm up fights to get him back into the swing of things. By the time Dirrell has been cleared and is ready for that kind of fight Bute will already have fought Mendy and Stevens and finished his Showtime contract. At that point he isn't going to risk a shot at the Super 6 winner by taking on Dirrell. Bute's resume is not only mediocre, but is filled with guys who are dreadfully slow of hand and foot. A guy who can move around the ring and throw punches in combination? Not gonna be the direction that Bute goes. That is why I take it if I am Shaw and Dirrell to be honest, it would be a bold move but that is a quick route toward the top if what you think is correct, as long as Dirrell plays to win~. I am sure Dirrell would not be any kind of first choice though, really no one should want to fight Dirrell by choice.

Erdei moved up to Cruisweight and won a world title in a FOTY worthy performance against Giancobbe Fragomeni. This despite the fact that Erdei is a midget compared to Bute. Bute, on the other hand, wasn't even willing to move up 7 lbs to fight Pascal at LHW in what would have been the biggest fight in the history of Canadian boxing. Erdei's fights against Fragomeni, Garay x 2 and Julio Caesar Gonzalez represent at least 4 opponents who were much more challenging than anyone and everyone that Bute has faced. It's a good thing you mentioned Erdei though, as he represents yet another opponent who Bute could consider fighting to get a little respect, yet won't be considered because he actually has boxing skills. Erdei is the poster boy for overprotected champion of the past decade. 99% of all boxing fans will agree with me. Only Mundine might surpass him in the ducking/wasted talent department. Andrade > any of Erdei's wins (what does that say LOL), and I still think that Bute will have a couple of super fights before he goes out. Erdei's best hope at this moment of achieving that is facing Dawson etc and hoping that he doesn't get beat too bad at his old age. He did jack after winning the 'lineal' title. You are only slightly less ridiculous then that Zaveck fanatic. I hope for your sake that you have Hungarian heritage. I'm Romanian\Canadian, what's your excuse?

Showtime is not on in Canada. We get the "Super Channel" and they or HBO Canada never show any Canadian fighters because they are on independent PPVs instead. Well maybe Showtime is getting in on that end?

It's pretty tiring to hear Bute fans come out with the bolded. Kessler fought Froch and also went to the US to face Ward and the UK to fight Calzaghe. All 3 were world class and undefeated. Dirrell fought Abraham and Froch (in the UK). Both were world class and undefeated. Some of the criticisms of Dirrell and Kessler have merit, but to suggest that they are the same as Bute when it comes to who they're willing to face and where they're willing to face them is ridiculous. Kessler def gets a pass. But he has already said that he will fight the S6 winner and it sure doesn't seem like he wants to face Bute before that. Dirrell doesn't even deserve defending, he managed to hold and clutch his way to a close loss with Froch and quit against Abraham and quit the tournament. Kessler also managed to recover very quickly, fast enough to try to bypass the tournament...but I will give him the benefit of the doubt because like I said he is a warrior (I saw him fight live btw). Bute, Kessler, Dirrell are all ranked around the same place. Bute needs to step it up, i'm not denying that. The circumstances of him not being invited or not wanting to participate in the S6 (whatever you believe) led to a wasted 2010. If he continues to fight vs Mendy eg. then he deserves all the hate coming to him and so does Showtime. Bute's camp made a major mistake by not wanting the Pascal fight, I agree there too.

Both promoters would get the gate and Bute also sells PPVs in Quebec. Less money for sure. Like I said before, Bute runs out of excuses in his next fight, regardless of where he needs to fight to make it happen and also lets not pretend that Kessler and Dirrell are itching to make these fights either. and lol at you for going after Bute while sporting an Erdei avatar Erdei moved up to Cruisweight and won a world title in a FOTY worthy performance against Giancobbe Fragomeni. This despite the fact that Erdei is a midget compared to Bute. Bute, on the other hand, wasn't even willing to move up 7 lbs to fight Pascal at LHW in what would have been the biggest fight in the history of Canadian boxing. Erdei's fights against Fragomeni, Garay x 2 and Julio Caesar Gonzalez represent at least 4 opponents who were much more challenging than anyone and everyone that Bute has faced. It's a good thing you mentioned Erdei though, as he represents yet another opponent who Bute could consider fighting to get a little respect, yet won't be considered because he actually has boxing skills.

Bute does need to pick it up, I think it is possible that Dirrell would go to Montreal if they threw enough money at him. I would hope Dirrell would fight to win this time though~ Gary Shaw isn't going to send Dirrell to fight Montreal without at least 2 warm up fights to get him back into the swing of things. By the time Dirrell has been cleared and is ready for that kind of fight Bute will already have fought Mendy and Stevens and finished his Showtime contract. At that point he isn't going to risk a shot at the Super 6 winner by taking on Dirrell. Bute's resume is not only mediocre, but is filled with guys who are dreadfully slow of hand and foot. A guy who can move around the ring and throw punches in combination? Not gonna be the direction that Bute goes.

Does Viacom(Showtime) have a play in the Canadian market? To me that would be the major question. Bute is hot shit in Canada, from my understanding of it anyway. Showtime is not on in Canada. We get the "Super Channel" and they or HBO Canada never show any Canadian fighters because they are on independent PPVs instead.

The $$$$ excuse is lame and no it would not mean a lot less money for everyone involved. Bute isn't getting 2.5 million from Showtime because of the attendance at the Bell Centre. Both promoters would get the gate and Bute also sells PPVs in Quebec. Less money for sure. Like I said before, Bute runs out of excuses in his next fight, regardless of where he needs to fight to make it happen and also lets not pretend that Kessler and Dirrell are itching to make these fights either. and lol at you for going after Bute while sporting an Erdei avatar