Comments Thread For: Klitschko-Povetkin: Network Bidding War Could Erupt

[JAB5239]

They don't like tape delays or sending crews abroad, it's a big and expensive production. It makes no sense for these routine defenses, only for big events. HBO doesn't like using foreign feeds, cheapens the brand.

I agree there was more to it, esp with Greenburg, but it's a new era at HBO and I bet they buy the Povetkin fight. I'm less sure of the fighting happening

They very well may buy it and I hope they do for the hardcore boxing fans. But I will say this, I'll bet anyone the fight is boring and the ratings weak. At the same time, for boxing, I hope Wlad proves me wrong.

[yoz]

Been looking forward to this fight. Wladimir should win comfortably, but you can't rule out some shady officiating/scorecards.

[beez721]

They very well may buy it and I hope they do for the hardcore boxing fans. But I will say this, I'll bet anyone the fight is boring and the ratings weak. At the same time, for boxing, I hope Wlad proves me wrong.

I think pov will force wlad to fight more

[Random_Boxer]

How will Povetkin and Wlad make for this fight

[JAB5239]

I think pov will force wlad to fight more

Maybe for the first few rounds, than he'll start being slowed down by Wlad's jab and his leaning on him. I'm thinking Wlad stops him between 8 and 10 in a fight Povetkin doesn't win more than 2 rounds in, if any. I hope I'm wrong about everything, but we'll see.

[Ravens Fan]

Why didn't they boot Tyson when he was tearing through the division? Honestly it's an easy answer....excitement. Same reason Golovkin is bringing in the ratings and HBO is loving him as ShoulderRoll has pointed out. Wlad is great. You'd be hard pressed to find any reasonable person that denies this. But the majority of his fights are boring. Sure he gets knockouts, but not before wearing his opponent out with his jab, jab, grab...jab, jab, right way of fighting. He wins, and I'm not even saying he should change to please anyone. But most American fans don't find him exciting and most casual observers don't even know who he is. This is why HBO dropped him and Ross Greenburg pretty much said as much.

I am just here to talk boxing. If Triple G stayed in Russia and fought so so fighters I seriously doubt he would be on HBO, regardless of how exciting he happens to be. If you need proof I would ask why HBO decided not to show the Ishida fight and I wonder how well that did on Pay Per View?

If Triple G stays in Russia fighting stay busy fights he may also disappear into the Siberian wilderness such as Pirog has done. Don't get me wrong because I don't believe that they are on the same level. But I still find it odd that after all the hype Pirog has vanished.

I also want to touch on some thing you mentioned earlier. You named fighters such as Duran and the Pacman and you asked why they did well in the rating in the US even with the language barrier.

There is no doubt that they were involved in some great fights but I also believe there is more to it than that. I believe it also has to do with the fact that they fought a large majority of their careers in the United States. Against pretty decent American or Mexican competition.

I also believe that there no doubt that it would be easier for any Hispanic fighter to have a fan base in the US simply because of the large Hispanic population. We as Americans can also more easily identify with Hispanics than we can with folks from the Ukraine. I even speak a little Spanish and even know a little about their culture. I can't say that about most Eastern European countries and I would not know the language if it hit me in the head. But enough of that and back to the boxers you mentioned.

I have no doubt that if the Pacman stayed in Asia fighting at flyweight I would have most likely never heard of him. Just like the long list of champions that have stayed in the Philippines or Thailand that I have never heard of. I am sure it is not because they lack exciting fighters. I simply believe it has everything to do with there is no interest in the United States so they have little to no fan base. On that note I cannot honestly remember the last flyweight fight I have watched.

Unfortunately even Americans flyweights such as three time world champion Brian Viloria get no respect or HBO fights. So they have to go to Asia to get fights. From what understand he is actually a very exciting fighter. However, I would not know that to be fact because I have never seen him fight.

And I will watch just about any fight. Even the ones on late night cable that are in some remote National Guard Army out in Nowhere, Oklahoma. Sometimes it even takes a little investigating on my part to find out what year the fight was even fought in. By this time your probably wondering what this all has to do with Wlad. Let me see if I can explain it.

The Klit bros have fought on HBO a combined 23 times over many years. The last fight that Wlad had on HBO, before the Haye fight, was the Rahman fight back in 2008. So, someone was obviously watching and the rating must have been there. So what changed?

In 20 or so fights that Wlad fought before the Rahman fight 13 of them were against Americans. Many of them were ranked in the top ten by the Ring and many of them, in my opinion, were actually pretty good fights. He also fought many of those fights in the US.

Since Wlad's last fight on HBO against Rahman Wlad has fought eight times and they have all been in Europe, actually his last ten fights have been in Europe. Out of those eight fights only two have been against Americans. The first one was against a 200 pound Chambers who is now a CW and one was a rematch against a 40 year who was the mandatory because he knocked out a fighter that was 24-14. I can honestly understand that causing a lack of interest.

So when it comes down to it we have a foreign heavyweight champ who hasn't fought in the US for almost six years and I believe the he rankings also help to tell the story. Because Boxrec only has four Americans ranked in the top twenty and they are Thompson at 7 Mitchell at 10 Wilder at 13 and banks at 15. I am not sure if I should laugh or cry about those rankings. But what I am sure of is that it won't get any better anytime soon based on them. Actually I find no humor in that and it is in fact pretty sad.

But it is also makes it pretty obvious that there has been a major shift and I can understand why there would be a major lack of interest by Americans. That is a lack of interest in a division that we took so much pride in by totaling dominating it not so long ago.

With all that said I believe it is just to simple to blame it on Wlad for being boring. There are, in my opinion, just to many factors at play. But I am a realist and it would silly of me to say he hasn't been in some boring fights. I have even been known to scream at the TV telling Wlad to hit the guy, as if he can really hear me. Especially against Chambers that was honestly frustrating. But I also can see that even though he dominated he was beating the snot out of both Wach and Pianeta and I enjoyed the fights.

In closing I will say that I believe that if Wllder or Mitchell were legit and Wlad was fighting them the rating would be there in the states and HBO would showing all the fights. But also going to repeat myself. Because I also believe that If Wlad was an Italian boy from Brooklyn, NY or a farm boy from Iowa and fought the exact same way and fought the same fighters in Vegas or AC. He would be on the cover of all the sports mags and he would be on all the late night talk shows. He would also not just be dating his girlfriend he may even be possibly staring in some of her movies with her.

I apologize to all for the long winded diatribe. At times I just cannot seem to condense my thoughts but I am working on it.

[JAB5239]

I am just here to talk boxing. If Triple G stayed in Russia and fought so so fighters I seriously doubt he would be on HBO, regardless of how exciting he happens to be. If you need proof I would ask why HBO decided not to show the Ishida fight and I wonder how well that did on Pay Per View?

If Triple G stays in Russia fighting stay busy fights he may also disappear into the Siberian wilderness such as Pirog has done. Don't get me wrong because I don't believe that they are on the same level. But I still find it odd that after all the hype Pirog has vanished.

I also want to touch on some thing you mentioned earlier. You named fighters such as Duran and the Pacman and you asked why they did well in the rating in the US even with the language barrier.

There is no doubt that they were involved in some great fights but I also believe there is more to it than that. I believe it also has to do with the fact that they fought a large majority of their careers in the United States. Against pretty decent American or Mexican competition.

I also believe that there no doubt that it would be easier for any Hispanic fighter to have a fan base in the US simply because of the large Hispanic population. We as Americans can also more easily identify with Hispanics than we can with folks from the Ukraine. I even speak a little Spanish and even know a little about their culture. I can't say that about most Eastern European countries and I would not know the language if it hit me in the head. But enough of that and back to the boxers you mentioned.

I have no doubt that if the Pacman stayed in Asia fighting at flyweight I would have most likely never heard of him. Just like the long list of champions that have stayed in the Philippines or Thailand that I have never heard of. I am sure it is not because they lack exciting fighters. I simply believe it has everything to do with there is no interest in the United States so they have little to no fan base. On that note I cannot honestly remember the last flyweight fight I have watched.

Unfortunately even Americans flyweights such as three time world champion Brian Viloria get no respect or HBO fights. So they have to go to Asia to get fights. From what understand he is actually a very exciting fighter. However, I would not know that to be fact because I have never seen him fight.

And I will watch just about any fight. Even the ones on late night cable that are in some remote National Guard Army out in Nowhere, Oklahoma. Sometimes it even takes a little investigating on my part to find out what year the fight was even fought in. By this time your probably wondering what this all has to do with Wlad. Let me see if I can explain it.

The Klit bros have fought on HBO a combined 23 times over many years. The last fight that Wlad had on HBO, before the Haye fight, was the Rahman fight back in 2008. So, someone was obviously watching and the rating must have been there. So what changed?

In 20 or so fights that Wlad fought before the Rahman fight 13 of them were against Americans. Many of them were ranked in the top ten by the Ring and many of them, in my opinion, were actually pretty good fights. He also fought many of those fights in the US.

Since Wlad's last fight on HBO against Rahman Wlad has fought eight times and they have all been in Europe, actually his last ten fights have been in Europe. Out of those eight fights only two have been against Americans. The first one was against a 200 pound Chambers who is now a CW and one was a rematch against a 40 year who was the mandatory because he knocked out a fighter that was 24-14. I can honestly understand that causing a lack of interest.

So when it comes down to it we have a foreign heavyweight champ who hasn't fought in the US for almost six years and I believe the he rankings also help to tell the story. Because Boxrec only has four Americans ranked in the top twenty and they are Thompson at 7 Mitchell at 10 Wilder at 13 and banks at 15. I am not sure if I should laugh or cry about those rankings. But what I am sure of is that it won't get any better anytime soon based on them. Actually I find no humor in that and it is in fact pretty sad.

But it is also makes it pretty obvious that there has been a major shift and I can understand why there would be a major lack of interest by Americans. That is a lack of interest in a division that we took so much pride in by totaling dominating it not so long ago.

With all that said I believe it is just to simple to blame it on Wlad for being boring. There are, in my opinion, just to many factors at play. But I am a realist and it would silly of me to say he hasn't been in some boring fights. I have even been known to scream at the TV telling Wlad to hit the guy, as if he can really hear me. Especially against Chambers that was honestly frustrating. But I also can see that even though he dominated he was beating the snot out of both Wach and Pianeta and I enjoyed the fights.

In closing I will say that I believe that if Wllder or Mitchell were legit and Wlad was fighting them the rating would be there in the states and HBO would showing all the fights. But also going to repeat myself. Because I also believe that If Wlad was an Italian boy from Brooklyn, NY or a farm boy from Iowa and fought the exact same way and fought the same fighters in Vegas or AC. He would be on the cover of all the sports mags and he would be on all the late night talk shows. He would also not just be dating his girlfriend he may even be possibly staring in some of her movies with her.

I apologize to all for the long winded diatribe. At times I just cannot seem to condense my thoughts but I am working on it.

THIS you have no need to apologize for. Long winded maybe, but a well thought out and articulated post that I found myself agreeing with in many parts. This is the kind of post I can appreciate even if I want to disagree. Thank you for the time put into it.

[Jedi Vader]

I am just here to talk boxing. If Triple G stayed in Russia and fought so so fighters I seriously doubt he would be on HBO, regardless of how exciting he happens to be. If you need proof I would ask why HBO decided not to show the Ishida fight and I wonder how well that did on Pay Per View?

If Triple G stays in Russia fighting stay busy fights he may also disappear into the Siberian wilderness such as Pirog has done. Don't get me wrong because I don't believe that they are on the same level. But I still find it odd that after all the hype Pirog has vanished.

I also want to touch on some thing you mentioned earlier. You named fighters such as Duran and the Pacman and you asked why they did well in the rating in the US even with the language barrier.

There is no doubt that they were involved in some great fights but I also believe there is more to it than that. I believe it also has to do with the fact that they fought a large majority of their careers in the United States. Against pretty decent American or Mexican competition.

I also believe that there no doubt that it would be easier for any Hispanic fighter to have a fan base in the US simply because of the large Hispanic population. We as Americans can also more easily identify with Hispanics than we can with folks from the Ukraine. I even speak a little Spanish and even know a little about their culture. I can't say that about most Eastern European countries and I would not know the language if it hit me in the head. But enough of that and back to the boxers you mentioned.

I have no doubt that if the Pacman stayed in Asia fighting at flyweight I would have most likely never heard of him. Just like the long list of champions that have stayed in the Philippines or Thailand that I have never heard of. I am sure it is not because they lack exciting fighters. I simply believe it has everything to do with there is no interest in the United States so they have little to no fan base. On that note I cannot honestly remember the last flyweight fight I have watched.

Unfortunately even Americans flyweights such as three time world champion Brian Viloria get no respect or HBO fights. So they have to go to Asia to get fights. From what understand he is actually a very exciting fighter. However, I would not know that to be fact because I have never seen him fight.

And I will watch just about any fight. Even the ones on late night cable that are in some remote National Guard Army out in Nowhere, Oklahoma. Sometimes it even takes a little investigating on my part to find out what year the fight was even fought in. By this time your probably wondering what this all has to do with Wlad. Let me see if I can explain it.

The Klit bros have fought on HBO a combined 23 times over many years. The last fight that Wlad had on HBO, before the Haye fight, was the Rahman fight back in 2008. So, someone was obviously watching and the rating must have been there. So what changed?

In 20 or so fights that Wlad fought before the Rahman fight 13 of them were against Americans. Many of them were ranked in the top ten by the Ring and many of them, in my opinion, were actually pretty good fights. He also fought many of those fights in the US.

Since Wlad's last fight on HBO against Rahman Wlad has fought eight times and they have all been in Europe, actually his last ten fights have been in Europe. Out of those eight fights only two have been against Americans. The first one was against a 200 pound Chambers who is now a CW and one was a rematch against a 40 year who was the mandatory because he knocked out a fighter that was 24-14. I can honestly understand that causing a lack of interest.

So when it comes down to it we have a foreign heavyweight champ who hasn't fought in the US for almost six years and I believe the he rankings also help to tell the story. Because Boxrec only has four Americans ranked in the top twenty and they are Thompson at 7 Mitchell at 10 Wilder at 13 and banks at 15. I am not sure if I should laugh or cry about those rankings. But what I am sure of is that it won't get any better anytime soon based on them. Actually I find no humor in that and it is in fact pretty sad.

But it is also makes it pretty obvious that there has been a major shift and I can understand why there would be a major lack of interest by Americans. That is a lack of interest in a division that we took so much pride in by totaling dominating it not so long ago.

With all that said I believe it is just to simple to blame it on Wlad for being boring. There are, in my opinion, just to many factors at play. But I am a realist and it would silly of me to say he hasn't been in some boring fights. I have even been known to scream at the TV telling Wlad to hit the guy, as if he can really hear me. Especially against Chambers that was honestly frustrating. But I also can see that even though he dominated he was beating the snot out of both Wach and Pianeta and I enjoyed the fights.

In closing I will say that I believe that if Wllder or Mitchell were legit and Wlad was fighting them the rating would be there in the states and HBO would showing all the fights. But also going to repeat myself. Because I also believe that If Wlad was an Italian boy from Brooklyn, NY or a farm boy from Iowa and fought the exact same way and fought the same fighters in Vegas or AC. He would be on the cover of all the sports mags and he would be on all the late night talk shows. He would also not just be dating his girlfriend he may even be possibly staring in some of her movies with her.

I apologize to all for the long winded diatribe. At times I just cannot seem to condense my thoughts but I am working on it.

I rarely agree with you. However, sheer respect to you for writing this even though I don't agree with some of it.

[daggum]

hbo "5 dollars!"

showtime "10 dollars"

hbo "15 dollars!"

showtime "20 dollars!"

hbo "too much!"

[Ravens Fan]

THIS you have no need to apologize for. Long winded maybe, but a well thought out and articulated post that I found myself agreeing with in many parts. This is the kind of post I can appreciate even if I want to disagree. Thank you for the time put into it.

Just to make it clear I may disagree with somethings you say and how you may say it. But I have no doubt that, for the most part, you know what your talking about when it comes to boxing. Now for another argument, I sure hate them Cowboys. Nah, just kidding. Wait? No I'm not but it is the Steelers I really detest. However, we can leave that one for another day. Thanks!