Comments Thread For: Kovalev: I Hope Somebody Beats Stevenson, Fights Me

[Sugar Adam Ali]

Dude pulled out of a mandatory purse bid that would have paid him a career high payday and a chance at WBC title...
I got no sympathy for kovolev

[MrP4P]

I dont want to hear the HBO excuse either. Clearly HBO doesnt have Kovalev's best interest in mind if they arent even willing to go to the table. They already showed that they play hardball, they tried to with Showtime with Mayweather-Pacquaio, regardless of Showtime having the obvious A side fighter of that equation. None of this is Stevensons fault. Kovalev's team pulled out. Facts.

[anonymous2.0]

I thought Duva asked for a purse bid or something from the WBC

[Outwest Exp 355]

The fight couldn't happen because Kovalev is contractually signed to HBO, Adonis does not have a contract with Showtime but he is affiliated with Showtime and obviously PBC. Had it gone to a purse bid no way in hell would duva out-due Haymon. Had it gone to a purse bid and Haymon won, fight would have not happened because Kovalev has a contract with HBO. Only way it would happen is if HBO/Showtime work together same as with May/Pac but no way that would have happened because the fight is not as massive as the May/Pac. Kovalev would thrash Stevenson anyway. Kovalev has a better resume...HBO made Stevenson. Ever since he switched to Haymon he's been fighting unknowns except for Fonfara who gave him a hell of a fight.

You know Hopkins is 50 right?

[mabulkhair]

Im not looking for excuses but you bring up great points, MY point is that he should STFU if he KNOWS the fight cant be made because of political Boxing reasons. Its not Stevensons fault Kathy Duva had to whore herself to HBO to give Kovalev a platform. Stevenson made a great business decision signing to Haymon (I dislike Stevenson) but yet people made a HUGE deal trashing him as if he was scared of fighting of Kovalev(I was one of these people) Its not Stevensons fault at all, and thats really the point, I dont think he beats Kovalev. The point is that Stevenson isnt at fault, and from casual eyes and everyone really, will always be seen as Kovalev pulling out of fight. Rightfully so, they nolonger have the benefit of the doubt and Stevenson is the TRUE champion of the division. His team showed up.

True True, he did make a great business decision. If he stayed with HBO he wouldnt have made anywhere near as with Haymon. Boxing politics suck and it hurts the sport and indirectly it effects the fans of the sport. I am not saying Stevenson sucks by any means, he is talented second best in the division after Kovalev. Kovalev did not need to extend but he is loyal to the network that made a name for him. If it were not for all these cable/network feuds this discussion would have never happened. Sadly, opponents can call each other out all day but in the end, their promoters have the last word. Haymon, Arum, Duva, and Loeffer are all the same in my book. Except if your Mayweather and Klitschko, they pretty much control who they want to fight because they have earned it!

[mabulkhair]

You know Hopkins is 50 right?

Yea I can read numbers. I didn't hear that excuse before the fight, people said Hopkins was technically superior than Kovalev and he was going to get schooled....Far from that. Last I checked Stevenson ducked Pascal for a big showdown in Montreal. Krusher crushed them both with ease. Stevenson struggled with Fonfara and Bika (super middleweight) late rounds. Stevenson would definitely gas out against Kovalev. Further Stevenson was ktfo against Boone Kovalev wasn't.

[Cool Scant]

Yea I can read numbers. I didn't hear that excuse before the fight, people said Hopkins was technically superior than Kovalev and he was going to get schooled....Far from that. Last I checked Stevenson ducked Pascal for a big showdown in Montreal. Krusher crushed them both with ease. Stevenson struggled with Fonfara and Bika (super middleweight) late rounds. Stevenson would definitely gas out against Kovalev. Further Stevenson was ktfo against Boone Kovalev wasn't.

Did Kovalev
Ever win fighter of the year?

[Ravens Fan]

Duva did not ask for a purse bid. What she did ask for was that Kovalev be the WBC mandatory for Stevenson. That was granted. GYM was the one that actually asked for the purse bid. And from what I understand they asked for the purse bid from the beginning, before they even negotiated with Main Events. Usually purse bids are only needed when a deal cannot be made between the two parties involved. To me, and I may be wrong, it seems that it was GYM that tried to pull a fast one and Duva bailed on the purse bid when they did so.

[mabulkhair]

Did Kovalev
Ever win fighter of the year?

Yea, 2014 Ring fighter of the year.

[mabulkhair]

Duva did not ask for a purse bid. What she did ask for was that Kovalev be the WBC mandatory for Stevenson. That was granted. GYM was the one that actually asked for the purse bid. And from what I understand they asked for the purse bid from the beginning, before they even negotiated with Main Events. Usually purse bids are only needed when a deal cannot be made between the two parties involved. To me, and I may be wrong, it seems that it was GYM that tried to pull a fast one and Duva bailed on the purse bid when they did so.

You are right, they actually called for a purse bid even before the mohammedi/Kovalev was set which is unheard of or very rare. Main reason they called for a purse bid was they knew Haymon would win and that means no fight on HBO, Kovalev/Duva are loyal and contractually signed with HBO. Kovalev wasn't about to bite that hand the feeds him!