SCHAEFER: "Bob Arum Is Playing HBO... Berto is Fighting Bundrage on Nov 24"

Richard Schaefer: Berto-Bundrage held for November 24, main event of tripleheader + By Scott Christ on Sep 28, 11:05p Golden Boy's Richard Schaefer says that he is holding a November 24 HBO date for an Andre Berto vs Cornelius Bundrage fight, which would be the main event of a tripleheader: "We are holding Nov. 24 for a fight between Andre Berto and 'K-9' Bundrage, and Richard Abril against Sharif Bogere. That will be a triple-header, and we are currently working on the third fight as well, and that's with HBO." So far, it seems like the Berto-Bundrage talk is simply a lot more credible than that of the Timothy Bradley-Berto fight, which could happen on December 15 on HBO. Basically, Top Rank is saying they're trying to talk to Berto about it, but Schaefer is saying he's got the Berto-Bundrage fight lined up, and that he has the HBO date set, and this is, also, older news than the Bradley-Berto thing, which just came up today. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_z7K1BXtU2q4/TPLDfLdFWEI/AAAAAAAABtY/neNZPj5q6Z8/s1600/Andre_Berto_article.jpg The Abril-Bogere part is new, as that fight was previously said to be set for November 3 on a special edition ShoBox: The New Generation. If Berto does not fight Bradley, Schaefer believes that Bob Arum and Top Rank will match Bradley with Ruslan Provodnikov, and that a Bradley-Robert Guerrero fight also won't happen: "I told HBO this would happen, that Arum never believed I’d play along and let Guerrero fight Bradley. Once we did, Arum is saying Guerrero priced himself out. Typical Arum. He hasn’t talked to us about Berto. Who is he talking to? He wants an easy fight and HBO is empowering him. It has nothing to do with money...HBO is getting played." This should all shake out shortly, but if we do wind up with Bradley-Provodnikov, it'll be pretty hard to see the rest of this as anything more than another Top Rank smokescreen. http://digitaljournal.com/img/2/7/7/8/1/8/i/8/0/8/o/Cornelius_Kanine_Bundrage.jpg http://www.badlefthook.com/2012/9/28/3426542/berto-vs-bundrage-november-24-2012-hbo-timothy-bradley-top-rank-next-fight/in/3189159

Comments (15)

Also, I read something that said Lamont Peterson isn't evenr eally targeting a Bradley rematch, that he's targeting a fight with Zab Judah, who's in the Top 10 at 140 and his mandatory for the IBF title. Judah-Peterson would be 1 hell of a fight

13y ago

Deevel916

Berto vs Bradley > Berto vs K9

13y ago

GDS

Provonikov shouldn't be sniffing title shots at 140, let alone 147. He should be fighting the Herrera/Mayfield winner on ESPN or something. I hope Bradley fights Guerrero or Berto. I was hoping for Canelo-Bundrage, Bradley-Berto, and Guerrero-Maidana. I honestly don't see how Berto could pass up fighting for a WW title in front of his hometown, against a guy Top 10 P4P, who just fought Pacquiao. I won't get into how Bradley wasn't interested in fighting when both were undefeated. The fight would had have more meaning back then, and they're articles about how Bradley wasn't interested and you can read or acknowledge them if you want. But before Berto vs K9 was being worked on, both Bradley and Berto were major boxing names with no fights lined up. Of course in that period, it was radio silence from Bradley, so Berto went on to move up and fight K9. Now that Berto vs K9 is almost set it's no surprise that Bradley and his peeps are talking about wanting to fight them, knowing full well it's probably not going to happen at this point. I know all boxers are oppertunistic, but man Bradley's taking it to May/Pac levels .The art of pretending to want a fight the most at a time when you know full well it's not going to happen must be a trick he's learned from his stablemate.

13y ago

Evol

Gina, my duminican sista.

13y ago

El_Angel

Other than sparring with Pac at WCG, what elevated Provodnikov from middling ESPN FNF attraction to a prime main event fighter? Who's clamoring for this guy? Nothing really. He shouldn't be in line for this shot. HBO has taken a hard line on good opponents under Hershman for the most part. This is big one though, it should Guerrero, Berto, or bust for Bradley if he wants to be on HBO.

13y ago

4Corners

13y ago

Gino_Ros

Oh I agree with you, Arum won't make this fight unless he is forced and with HBO saying they'll accept Prodnikov, Guerrero fight probably won't happen. Arum is definitely having a bad year. Chavez Jr. and Pacquiao both lose, Cotto left him, he's losing his money makers. His in-house fight making finally bit him in the ass, he's out of fighters and the public is getting bored with his rematch parade. It should be Bradley-Guerrero for the Unified WW Championship of the World. It'll Bradley-Prodnikov in front of a sparse Miami crowd. Other than sparring with Pac at WCG, what elevated Provodnikov from middling ESPN FNF attraction to a prime main event fighter? Who's clamoring for this guy?

13y ago

El_Angel

Primo, you know that Arum tries to make an in-house fight whenever he can. If Guerrero beats Bradley, then what does Arum do with Timmy then? No belt, one unofficial loss, and one official. Just my perspective. I see Arum is using another stadium venue (Miami) to substitute from actually presenting a good fight. Oh I agree with you, Arum won't make this fight unless he is forced and with HBO saying they'll accept Prodnikov, Guerrero fight probably won't happen. Arum is definitely having a bad year. Chavez Jr. and Pacquiao both lose, Cotto left him, he's losing his money makers. His in-house fight making finally bit him in the ass, he's out of fighters and the public is getting bored with his rematch parade. It should be Bradley-Guerrero for the Unified WW Championship of the World. It'll Bradley-Prodnikov in front of a sparse Miami crowd.

13y ago

Gino_Ros

Can't be much worse than what it is now. Arum should have faith in Bradley, he'd beat Guerrero and make a bigger name for himself for the obvious Pacquiao rematch he's going to get. Primo, you know that Arum tries to make an in-house fight whenever he can. If Guerrero beats Bradley, then what does Arum do with Timmy then? No belt, one unofficial loss, and one official. Just my perspective. I see Arum is using another stadium venue (Miami) to substitute from actually presenting a good fight.

13y ago

El_Angel

Arum isn't trying to give GBP the belt. What's Bradley's marketability without a belt? Can't be much worse than what it is now. Arum should have faith in Bradley, he'd beat Guerrero and make a bigger name for himself for the obvious Pacquiao rematch he's going to get.

13y ago

Gino_Ros

Prodnikov should not be getting WW title shots. It should be Guerrero-Bradley and Berto-Bundrage. Anything else is wack. Arum isn't trying to give GBP the belt. What's Bradley's marketability without a belt?

13y ago

El_Angel

Prodnikov should not be getting WW title shots. It should be Guerrero-Bradley and Berto-Bundrage. Anything else is wack.

13y ago

Gino_Ros

Why wouldn't Arum make Bradley-Guerrero??? That's a damn good fight. It's better than Provonikov, whos hould be fighting the winner of Herrera/Mayfield. Well, who's Guerrero's promoter?

13y ago

4Corners

13y ago

4Corners

Why wouldn't Arum make Bradley-Guerrero??? That's a damn good fight. It's better than Provonikov, whos hould be fighting the winner of Herrera/Mayfield.

13y ago