Arum falling out with HBO, shows interest with Showtime

[Tyler_Durden]

The problem with Arum is his behaviour. He doesn't know how to go his separate way without destroying bridges.

1) You look at the way he handles fighters who leave him: Floyd, Miguel, Julio, Oscar (they took years to mend bridges and Arum is still screwing him on the sly).

2) You look at the way he handles setbacks: bringing the sport into disrepute by claiming his fighter was injured before the fight and then changing the story to an injury in the 4th round. The action was about preserving the reputation of his product; he had no regard for how this affected his business partner's reputation.

3) You look at the way he parters ways with his business associates. Rather than leave gracefully, he decides to take a stab at the reputation of a HBO regular in Golovkin. I did not disagree with Arum's words but this interview proves how hypocritical he is. Ultimately his bitterness resulted in him trying to hinder HBO's prospects on the sly.

He should be pretty mindful. I'm sure people will work with him if the dollars make sense but at the same time people don't forget. He's put himself in a position where if people have the option of not doing business with him, they will take that opportunity.

This is exactly right bro.

[Weebler I]

There's been a number of mediocre fights on HBO that have had nothing to do with Top Rank.

And if you're going to give HBO credit for cutting bad fights, then criticize them for standing in the way of good match-ups like Kovalev-Stevenson.

If I had any faith that Stevenson was actually going to take the fight, I would.

After turning down Kovalev on HBO last year, turning down Bernard Hopkins, turning down Jean Pascal then fighting Fonfara, Sukhotsky and Bika with the promise of Oosthuizen to come, one might forgive my skepticism as to whether he would have ever fought Kovalev, purse bid or no purse bid.

[Mitchell Kane]

Talkin up smoke. Although Showtime would be happy to have them, that's Haymons network...also he can't do everythin off TruTv

SHO needs fights, their schedule is horrible.

If they have the budget and the dates, and the willingness, then they should do some non-Haymon fights.

The HBO-associated promoters like K2 (Golovkin), Main Events (Kovalev), GBP (Canelo) don't really have anything to offer SHO...and they're so reliant on HBO's money that they aren't goign to want to upset HBO by crossing the street, anyways.

SHO would be better for Top Rank's fighters anyways, because most of their fighters aren't box office yet, as evidenced by the poor #'s Verdejo/Marriaga did.

The best thing for Top Rank might really be to take their guys like Verdejo, Lomachenko, Jose Ramirez, et al. over to SHO for a year or two, build them up...and then bring them back on to HBO.

[The Hammer]

The sport of boxing would be better off without Bob Arum.

[BOXEO _]

He has a good point about HBO's top guys fighting tomato cans from here on out.

[Mitchell Kane]

If I had any faith that Stevenson was actually going to take the fight, I would.

After turning down Kovalev on HBO last year, turning down Bernard Hopkins, turning down Jean Pascal then fighting Fonfara, Sukhotsky and Bika with the promise of Oosthuizen to come, one might forgive my skepticism as to whether he would have ever fought Kovalev, purse bid or no purse bid.

Then allow the purse bid and let Stevenson's side turn it down.

[Cuban Linx]

So Arum is angry because HBO wants relevant fights, and he wants his prospects matched up with guys they can easily KO or otherwise dominate, and now he's angry because HBO wont show their mismatches? Good for HBO!

I admit I had high hopes for Zurdo but after watching that Vlasov fight... I think he's really limited. Keep in mind Vlasov was a guy who started boxing very late and after the fight he admitted that he's not really a good boxer he just works really hard in the gym to overcome his weaknesses.

Arum is upset that his guy got kinda exposed. The thing is Vlasov wasn't supposed to be that hard to beat for Zurdo, if Zurdo was as good as they said he was.

You can't blame HBO for that.

[big_james10]

HBO has been in love with eastern euro and Asian fighters lately, they got Bobby on the back burner.

HBO is enamored with fighters who knock their opponents out. It doesn't matter if those opponents are C and D-class fighters who didn't have a chance in hell of winning, as long as the fighter they are routing for wins by KO. However, they only enamored with those who are either Hispanic, European or in some cases, Asian. Kovalev, GGG, Alvarez, Pacquaio, Cotto, Donaire, Rios, Lomanchenko and Klitschko are no doubt their favorites.

HBO could care less about those of African descent, even if they are KO artists. That is why HBO refused to broadcast Andre Ward's next fight, but had no problem showing GGG against a club fighter. The only exception to this rule is Floyd Mayweather and that is only because he is the most popular fighter in the world.

[Mitchell Kane]

HBO is enamored with fighters who knock their opponents out.

That is why HBO refused to broadcast Andre Ward's next fight...

Andre Ward doesn't usually knock many opponents out.

Your argument kinda falls apart there.

[Weebler I]

HBO is enamored with fighters who knock their opponents out. It doesn't matter if those opponents are C and D-class fighters who didn't have a chance in hell of winning, as long as the fighter they are routing for wins by KO. However, they only enamored with those who are either Hispanic, European or in some cases, Asian. Kovalev, GGG, Alvarez, Pacquaio, Cotto, Donaire, Rios, Lomanchenko and Klitschko are no doubt their favorites.

HBO could care less about those of African descent, even if they are KO artists. That is why HBO refused to broadcast Andre Ward's next fight, but had no problem showing GGG against a club fighter. The only exception to this rule is Floyd Mayweather and that is only because he is the most popular fighter in the world.

The current HBO boss basically made Andre Ward as we know him, he put together the Super Six on Showtime and then gave him a job commentating on HBO when he was hired by them.

The problem with Ward is that he doesn't come cheap, he believes he's entitled to a lot of money for sub-standard opposition. I don't know how much he's getting for Smith on BET but he got $2m in his last fight on HBO against Rodriguez which retrospectively most considered to be an undue overpayment.