Adamek vs. Johnson is Turned Down By HBO

[switchsouthpaw]

HBO--once again demonstrating a knack for alienating "true"
boxing fans. Tarver/Dawson is a showcase, so obviously they are thinking long term with respect to Dawson, but Showtime's approach to only paying per fight yields far more entertaining results. HBO has for years been blowing it with such disregard for staging entertaining matchups, and is a major reason as to why the sport has declined in the way that it has in recent years.

[PeterinMI]

BoxingScene.com has learned that HBO took a pass on the proposed cruiserweight bout between IBF champion Tomasz Adamek and former light heavyweight champ Glen Johnson. I hear the deal for the fight is practically done. All the fight needs is a television date. Adamek vs. Johnson has "action" written all over it. Hopefully Showtime picks up the fight. [details]

HBO is justifying my cancellation late last year.

Don't underestimate Johnson. He is like a brick wall. You may level him but it will take a big hammer, all day and lots sweat.

[The Hammer]

I dont think I buy the "size mismatch" arguement that I'm hearing. Glen has been at light heavy for 7 or 8 years, and Adamek only moved up to cruiser like 5 fights ago after spending his whole career at light heavy. That to me is NOT a size mismatch..........

Yes, they are about the same size.

Adamek was a light heavyweight for most of his career.

This would be a great fight, Johnson is a clever boxer and a persistant attacker.

[OnePunch]

HBO--once again demonstrating a knack for alienating "true"
boxing fans. Tarver/Dawson is a showcase, so obviously they are thinking long term with respect to Dawson, but Showtime's approach to only paying per fight yields far more entertaining results. HBO has for years been blowing it with such disregard for staging entertaining matchups, and is a major reason as to why the sport has declined in the way that it has in recent years.

I agree in theory, but Showtime isnt perfect either. Lets not forget they gave us Tarver-Muriqi and Tarver-Santiago........

[The Gambler1981]

I agree in theory, but Showtime isnt perfect either. Lets not forget they gave us Tarver-Muriqi and Tarver-Santiago........

HBO has put on some damn good fights this year also. Really this was the first time the slipped up and really their show was not all that bad (although Juanma did look like a giant compared to Penalosa).

Showtime got them this go around though.

[Boxingwizard]

I see a lot of slipping in Johnson, a lot. I know what a shoulder injury looks like and the way he was shaking his right arm in the final rounds of the Daniel Judah fight looks like a shoulder injury.

To beat Johnson you have to be in great shape. He likes to rest after he gets his stuff done, then explode, then rest. You have to jump on him while he's trying to rest and make him fight when he doesn't want to fight.

See Tarver vs Johnson I and II.

[Clegg]

HBO is about stars, not matchups.

Spot on.

HBO seem to prefer putting a big name (or a young guy that they want to build up) against a lesser opponent than a 50/50 fight between two guys without a great profile.

HBO also seem to be in favour of the catchweight fights we keep seeing between big names, ie. Pavlik-Hopkins, DLH-Pac. I'd rather see guys take on the best in their division than jump up and down the divisions.

[Boxingwizard]

HBO is all about money and boxers who have contracts with them. Showtime is less popular so most boxers won't get the money or the exposure that HBO gets. Showtime tried up hyping up Dawson, but he wasn't get any exposure, and was only popular to boxing fans.

I really hope Showtime picks up this fight.

[switchsouthpaw]

I agree in theory, but Showtime isnt perfect either. Lets not forget they gave us Tarver-Muriqi and Tarver-Santiago........

Terry--while that is absolutely true, if put in perspective the agenda that Showtime pushes, is usually one of showcasing entertaining matchups, while HBO has a philosophy of showcasing "entertainers". I think HBO 24/7 far outshines any of there actual fights, at least in recent memory. From where I and many other fans sit, HBO has done itself and more over the sport of boxing, a great disservice in recent years. Revenue is important to help sustain, spur subscription growth and advance HBO , but I ask you...what are they doing to help the sport of boxing move forward and grow?

At the end of every boxing quarter, HBO usually promises less fights on PPV and more fights on regular HBO, however because less revenue is involved, they opt to highlight recycled names, rather than entertaining matchups. Boxing is one of the only sporting markets, that isn't performance based. A guy like Glen Johnson can work hard and do the right things, but never rewarded? I understand that economics play a part, but what happened to merit? These things help HBO's bottom line, but what about the actual sport itself?

[roujinziro]

HBO has been really dropping the ball on some of these fights. In all honesty though, as much of an all-action fight Adamek-Johnson is going to be, it feels much more like a Showtime or Versus fight. Not that Showtime or Versus is a bad thing, but HBO has never really been all that interested in the Cruiserweights (except for David Haye recently). Unfortunately the big wigs at HBO seem to be more interested in young fighters with padded records or fading old stars, than to put on a matchup that has "fight of the year candidate" written all over it. I really hope Showtime picks this one up, Johnson and Adamek deserve a nice payday.