Duva vs K2, GGG vs Kovalev. How did Duva do a better job?

[Barcham]

...

Fights with Bute, Kessler and Froch in their home countries could have made him a lot more money and solidified his status as a superstar. If he beat these guys, a fight with Ward would have been huge.

Instead, he is fighting Willie Munroe Jr. next and praying that Cotto will fight him next.

No fight with Ward is huge. I don't care if Mayweather magically put on 20 pounds and challenged him, it would still be a BET fight in Oakland. Why is it that people think a fight against Ward is some great achievement? The guy has been irrelevant for the past two years at least.

I've never run down GGG as a fighter or a person. I like Golovkin on both those fronts. But he's 33 years old and his best win is Martin Murray. There's something wrong there.

The only thing wrong is that fighters refuse to get in the ring with him and there is nothing either he or his team can do about it.

I don't think I've said either. I have said don't say everyone is ducking you when you don't lift a finger to try and make those fights.

Kovalev was willing to fight Hopkins off PPV and take a very small purse.

Golovkin is not willing to do that with someone like Ward. From the very start, which was several years ago around the time of Ward-Rodriguez, Golovkin's team were trying to stick their chests out in terms of the financial split of the fight. Let Ward take the lions share, beat his ass and become a star.

They aren't willing to fight Ward unless they get a huge sum of money and they need the fight on PPV. I get that attitude if you've had some stellar career with an amazing resume but Golovkin hasn't. They don't want to take that risk.

Loeffler has stated that they are willing to concede just about any terms for a major fight against Cotto or Froch or just about anyone else. No one is willing to step up to the plate.

As for Ward, there is NO MONEY THERE. NONE. Neither HBO or Showtime were interested in his tune up fights because there in no audience and no money in a Ward fight. And way back when Ward was getting ready to fight Rodriguez, GGG was just barely on the scene in the US. He was not a factor at all in a Ward fight.

And Kovalev did not have to move to another division to fight Hopkins so there is no comparison to be made there.

[Dirk Diggler UK]

No fight with Ward is huge. I don't care if Mayweather magically put on 20 pounds and challenged him, it would still be a BET fight in Oakland. Why is it that people think a fight against Ward is some great achievement? The guy has been irrelevant for the past two years at least.



The only thing wrong is that fighters refuse to get in the ring with him and there is nothing either he or his team can do about it.



Loeffler has stated that they are willing to concede just about any terms for a major fight against Cotto or Froch or just about anyone else. No one is willing to step up to the plate.

As for Ward, there is NO MONEY THERE. NONE. Neither HBO or Showtime were interested in his tune up fights because there in no audience and no money in a Ward fight. And way back when Ward was getting ready to fight Rodriguez, GGG was just barely on the scene in the US. He was not a factor at all in a Ward fight.

And Kovalev did not have to move to another division to fight Hopkins so there is no comparison to be made there.

Yes he was. They were talking about Ward before that fight. Ward was responding to questions in the media before and after that fight about Golovkin.

Golovkin's manager was quoted as saying it doesn't make financial sense for his fighter because he would want a large chunk of money for the fight.

They weren't willing to take the risk. Maybe they will in the future.

[observer]

Just thinking about it, what about the Cleverly fight? That fight truly put Kovalev on the map. Who remembers how Golovkin got his title? No one. So I am guessing Kovalev's luck started with Cleverly, not with Hopkins.

Other than that, great thoughts, thanks everyone! I liked the bit where Duva is proactive whereas K2 are not. Although there is another valid point, Kovalev didn't have to leave his weight class whereas most people say GGG has to. I think K2 is being as proactive as they can be without changing the weight class...

[soul_survivor]

I think few wouldn't agree that Kovalev's promotion is doing better than GGGs. Kovalev has 3 belts and Adonis Stevenson is considered inferior by most. Kovalev got paid more for fighting Pascal than GGG has ever made. Kovalev had 2 superfights (Hopkins and Pascal) as well as got the belt from an established champion on the champions' home turf (Cleverly). GGG had none of these things.

What is Duva doing that K2 isn't? Is this all down to the different divisions they're in? Would be good to hear your thoughts.

175 is probably a better division with better names at the top.

Also, Kovalev is willing to take short money and fight in his opponents backyards to prove a point. Maybe GGG is willing but promotion definitely isnt.

[Weebler I]

Just thinking about it, what about the Cleverly fight? That fight truly put Kovalev on the map. Who remembers how Golovkin got his title? No one. So I am guessing Kovalev's luck started with Cleverly, not with Hopkins.

Other than that, great thoughts, thanks everyone! I liked the bit where Duva is proactive whereas K2 are not. Although there is another valid point, Kovalev didn't have to leave his weight class whereas most people say GGG has to. I think K2 is being as proactive as they can be without changing the weight class...

No one because he never fought for it, unless I'm mistaken he won an interim title v Milton Nunez, then upgraded to regular, before being upgraded to Super champ last year.

[HeroBando]

175 is probably a better division with better names at the top.

Also, Kovalev is willing to take short money and fight in his opponents backyards to prove a point. Maybe GGG is willing but promotion definitely isnt.

Any evidence of this?

[soul_survivor]

Any evidence of this?

evidence of what? GGGs willingness? Like I said maybe so I have no evidence of that beyond him calling out names like Cotto.

In terms of his promotional company, I dunno, they seem reluctant to put GGG in there with a proper opponent cos of the track record of the fighters he's been in the ring with and the fact that they pre-book BS match ups against no bodied without even trying to enter into negotiations with any names.

[bojangles1987]

evidence of what? GGGs willingness? Like I said maybe so I have no evidence of that beyond him calling out names like Cotto.

In terms of his promotional company, I dunno, they seem reluctant to put GGG in there with a proper opponent cos of the track record of the fighters he's been in the ring with and the fact that they pre-book BS match ups against no bodied without even trying to enter into negotiations with any names.

Took short money for Chavez at 168, fell apart because of Chavez's problems with Top Rank.

Tried to make a Kessler fight, Kessler wanted bigger names or retirement. Obviously he retired.

Has said repeatedly Golovkin will take short money and go to the UK for Froch. Froch isn't interested.

If you think Golovkin's promotional company is reluctant to have him fight anyone, then you simply haven't been paying attention. Willie Monroe is the first time since Golovkin hit HBO that he has taken a pre-booked BS matchup. His promoters put off a crappy WBA mandatory last year so he could fight Geale instead.

[Dr Rumack]

If Golovkin really wanted a challenge, wouldn't it have made sense for him to get a law degree and solve Ward's contract problems? The fact that he didn't says it all

[Dirk Diggler UK]

Any evidence of this?

Andre Ward

"Doesn't make financial sense, must be PPV, GGG needs huge chunk of the purse"