Calzaghe Kessler won't happen?

[LemonChiff]

Warren said Calzaghe has £6 million wealth, which is around $12 million. That is kind of **** for a world champion. De La Hoya made more in just 1 fight.

Its Calzaghe's fault, he was offered some modelling thing he could have got with Calvin Klein, but was not interested.

How is that ****? 99.9% of world champions never made near seven-figures.

Barry McGuigan's biggest-ever purse was $400,000 against Stevie Cruz, for example. Bernard Hopkins never made that pre-Trinidad

Naseem Hamed's Home Box Office deal was considered huge, HUGE money and that was $12million for six fights


But in this day and age with PPV and ****, I don't know, maybe the figures are just astronomical these days. But the general public (and even casual fans) are alienated by boxing, these days. There aren't any big names anymore, apart from Audley and Amir Khan

[.Mik.]

Warren said Calzaghe has £6 million wealth, which is around $12 million. That is kind of **** for a world champion. De La Hoya made more in just 1 fight.

Its Calzaghe's fault, he was offered some modelling thing he could have got with Calvin Klein, but was not interested.

Yeah. What a lame champion not taking an underwear deal.

[BROOKLYN CESAR]

What a damn shame we wont get to see kessler kick joes arse!!!

[satori555]

take the underwear deal joe i wanna see you naked!

[Addison]

Are you too ignorant to copy / paste for the rest of us?
I'll cut you some slack 'cause you're new

Tanks for the news.


HBO HOLDING UP CALZAGHE-KESSLER?

I’m not exactly sure of the reason, but it appears that the cable giant is the remaining obstacle to putting these premier super middleweights together in the unification clash that the fans most want to see.

Both fighters are said to be on board, but inexplicably HBO has offered a mere $3 million for the rights and the fighters are looking for a combined payday of $5 million. The word is that HBO considers the bout “too European” for their viewers.

Several weeks ago, Calzaghe’s promoter Frank Warren announced that he would accept Kessler promoter Mogen Palle’s offer and hold the fight in Denmark for a flat fee. Palle realized that he couldn’t make good on the offer and decided to accept Warren’s original offer and the fight would be held in the UK, probably at Millennium Stadium in Wales or O2 Arena in London.

With the fighters signed and the venue settled, HBO remains the only snag. Given the criticism that HBO has been receiving on everything from soup to nuts you would think that the network would be eager to score a fight that certainly would be on a par with the Jermain Taylor -Winky Wright contest. Combined, Calzaghe and Kessler own an 82-0 (61) record and three of the major 168 pound belts, plus the Ring Magazine belt, (Calzaghe).

HBO forks up the bucks for Wright and Taylor to fight inferior competition, and now they have Wright fighting at his heaviest weight at 170 in a worthless PPV with Bernard Hopkins after Golden Boy flatly rejected a Calzaghe offer to fight Hopkins at 168. The aforementioned Klitschko turkeys in Germany presented no cash problems, and had to be as costly as the HBO offer to Calzaghe-Kessler, and without the upside.

It makes no sense.

Boxing has become an international sport. Calzaghe-Kessler may well draw 50,000 or more rabid European fans. The fans want the fight, the fighters have agreed to the fight, the venue is set, but HBO refuses to give Calzaghe-Kessler parity with Taylor and Wright.

I’m at a loss to explain HBO’s logic or lack thereof, a position I find myself in frequently of late. Am I beating a dead horse here?

HBO isn't willing to INVEST a measly 2 million on these fighters?

HBO isn't willing to INVEST a measly 2 million on their broadcast venture?


?????????????????????????????????????????????????? ???????????

Christ almighty!!

[LemonChiff]

Are Calzaghe and Kessler known in America?

[LemonChiff]

Are Calzaghe and Kessler known in America?

Outside of the internet..?

[Jimmy The Gent]

I take it ITV won't have the money for it. **** America then if they are gonna muck then around show it in Europe and do good promoting. Alot of Europeans will wanna watch it I'm sure

[LemonChiff]

I take it ITV won't have the money for it

Why would they be interested in it?? Calzaghe-Bika had viewing figures of 1.9 million, compare that to Benn-Eubank II drawing 18 million (that's like 10% FFS)

And ITV have rarely paid six-figures for single fights outside of Nigel Benn (Eubank had a £1million-a-year deal)

[Addison]

Are Calzaghe and Kessler known in America?

Calzaghe is somewhat.. But more as a "whathisface" type of thing.

A decent number of people saw Calzaghe absolutely manhandle Lacy, and some stood up and took notice.. I was hearing about the results from people who I would not consider fans of the sport here in LA, CA..