HBO to buy Julio Cesar Chavez Jr's mandatory shot against Sebastian Zbik on June 4.

[The Gambler1981]

alvarez-hatton is the main event. they are just creating new stars with weak ass fights. this is a disgrace. alexander-bradley and donaire-montiel were good but now it's back to reality where boxing doesn't work.

Looking impressive against stiffs is an easier way to gain recognition than getting in life or death struggles against real quality opposition~ which will only get people questioning the fighter more.

If fans truly respected tough fights maybe it would be different.

[daggum]

can you guys imagine a super card on hbo with

berto vs alfonso gomez
alvarez vs sharmba mitchell
chavez jr vs gary lockett

[daggum]

Looking impressive against stiffs is an easier way to gain recognition than getting in life or death struggles against real quality opposition~ which will only get people questioning the fighter more.

If fans truly respected tough fights maybe it would be different.

oh i completely blame the fans for being so gullible. some people think mayweather-phillip ndou was a legit fight and not just a showcase. we need help.

[chavezjrmexico]

Haters haters haters haters!

No European or Asian boxers sells as much as American and Mexican boxers with the exception of Manny Pacquiao and now Donaire exception to the rule that is what makes them special!

[onechance87]

Mike jones may be on the card also.

[Spray_resistant]

Mike jones may be on the card also.

He better be main eventing against someone good and the two cherrypickers on the undercard for the made up title.

[Larry the boss]

wow..just wow

[ThePrince]

Looking impressive against stiffs is an easier way to gain recognition than getting in life or death struggles against real quality opposition~ which will only get people questioning the fighter more.

If fans truly respected tough fights maybe it would be different.

That's not necessarily true, look at Berto. Guy has been feasting on C-D grade opposition and only once or twice faced a C+ guy in Quintana and has systematically avoided anyone worth fighting. No one outside of hardcore fans knows or cares who Andre Berto is.

Donaire, Khan, and Martinez have stepped up their competition in their recent fights and they are reaping the benefits, even though HBO pays Berto handsomely for his bull****.

[Heru]

i still don't understand why cotto-vanes wasn't good enough for hbo.

vanes is a top ranked 154 fighter. he's also undefeated.

plus cotto is a big draw on hbo. probably the biggest draw on regular hbo right now.

don't understand it.

That fight should have been good enough to be on HBO, especially given that Cotto has the highest rating for 2010.

The reason they picked up Jr vs. Zbik is obvious, ratings. JCC just broke (by far) Fox Sports en Espanol's ratings record against an unknown Billy Lyell. HBO figures that with a little promotion, he can bring in more viewers/subscribers. At the same time, building him up for a possible fight against Cotto, Margarito, or Martinez.

I doubt Arum will try to build/stall this kid even more. I mean, he struggled against Lyell, he might end up similar to Duddy, where he lost his 0 to some journeymen and he couldn't sell him as much of an opponent to JCC Jr. anymore let alone to a Pavlik (as he tried to).

[TOBYLEE1]

Looking impressive against stiffs is an easier way to gain recognition than getting in life or death struggles against real quality opposition~ which will only get people questioning the fighter more.

If fans truly respected tough fights maybe it would be different.

The problem is that JCC jr didn't even look good against his last stiff they lined him up with.

There is no acclaim for this fight, no build up and either fighter is not that good. About the only thing is that Jr has somewhat of a following.

Junk fight on paper but can suprise for being entertaining