Comments Thread For: Fighting Words - Kovalev-Beterbiev Depends On Haymon

[sicko]

HBO and Duva knows the man is with PBC why even ruin the opportunity of a fight like this to throw in some time of BS options they know he can't accept by trying to get him to comeback and fight on HBO. It should be a 1:1 with a rematch option of course but that rematch if Beterbiev wins should be on PBC, I think that is more than fair! What ever deal Kovalev and Duva have with HBO shouldn't effect the rest of Boxing and you can't hold the rest of the Division hostage because YOU have a deal with HBO

Purse Bid might be best in this situation!

[about.thousands]

You are leaving out the key factor that she has a contract with HBO. The fight can only happen there and the purse bid was sped up because the other side has no intentions of fighting on HBO despite the fact that Stevenson supposedly has no contract with a "promoter" or network. If he is a free agent only signed to Haymon this fight being on HBO should be no issue.

Also if it goes to purse bid there is no guarantee the fight happens. Remember Roc Nation over bid Haymon in a purse bid. But Haymon refused to let his fighter be on a Roc Nation card and forced him to vacate the belt rather then fight an opponent he wanted him to fight. If Duva outbid Haymon we could of seen the same result.

Kovalev wasn't signed to HBO during the time of the purse bid. His last fight under contract was the Pascal fight. HBO had the right of first refusal for his next fight, which would have been the fight this past weekend. Duva announced Kovalev's new deal with MGM casinos & HBO during the Mohammedi/Kovalev initial press conference

[Nay_Sayer]

So you think it would be a good idea for Haymon to use puppet promoters and an investment company's money to force a dominant champion to relinquish his titles, instead of unifying his division?

Kovalev isn't the champion @ 175. Stevenson is. Get your facts straight...

[Eff Pandas]

Sick that fans openly root for Haymon to make his fighters duck and use outside the ring leverage to force other world Champs to vacate their belt. That's what it's come to? Haymon is so bad for the sport Stevenson was going to fight Kovalev it was done then he signed to Haymon who crushed that fight. The purse bid was a sham because the fight can only happen on HBO he's under contract. HBO works with every other promoter or fighter except Haymon. What does that tell you. If Stevenson has no promoter and is truly a network free agent this should be no problem to fight on HBO. But we all know what's going on and why the fight won't happen.

The biggest problem for Haymon is he's in a no win situation not unlike Mayweather to many fans. I can already tell you the response from "certain fans" once this Beterbiev vs Kovalev situation plays out cuz those types of Sunday morning boxer fans are predictable as f#ck.

1)They will blame Haymon for the fight not happening no matter anything in the media that disputes it being on Haymon
2)If the fight is made & Beterbiev losses they will blame Haymon for throwing him to the wolves
or
3)If the fight is made & Beterbiev wins they might hype or downplay the W, but as far as Haymon he might as well have played the part of a end table in the room the fight was agreed to & signed in as anything he had to do with making the fight will be ignored or undervalued

[bigdunny1]

Kovalev wasn't signed to HBO during the time of the purse bid. His last fight under contract was the Pascal fight. HBO had the right of first refusal for his next fight, which would have been the fight this past weekend. Duva announced Kovalev's new deal with MGM casinos & HBO during the Mohammedi/Kovalev initial press conference

That is semantics. They had last rights and were negotiating a new extension. They would of had to take a showcase fight and damage the relationship with HBO killing any future deal. Regardless of when they issued a press release for the new deal everyone knew they had a deal on the table and we're just negotiating the final details. Plus no guarantee HBO doesn't fight them on the last fight rights. For all purposes they were a known locked up HBO fighter and the fight was only going to happen on HBO. Haymon refusing to negotiate directly and trying to speed up to a purse bid was a sham. If he over bids the fight can't happen on PBC. If Duva over bids no assurance the fight happens on HBO because Haymon could pull another Quillen and force Stevenson to vacate.

[Nay_Sayer]

The smart thing to do???Beterbiev to fight soft opposition what's that gonna get him?

EXPERIENCE.

Beterbiev has all of *9* pro fights. Guys with his level of experience fight soft touches and gradually build up their level of opposition until they are ready to challenge the top guys. I personally don't see a problem with this approach seeing as EVERYONE does it...

How does that get him ready for real challenges like Kovalov!!!

See above.

beterbiev beat kovalov in the amateurs

This ain't amateur boxing. This is the PRO ranks.

and is undefeated

Exactly WHO has Beterbiev beaten that would suggest he's ready for the top guys @ 175?

[Nay_Sayer]

Sickening post, root for al haymons small victories outside of the ring while we get ****ed out of big fights? This fight wont happen, and i blame beterbiev for ever signing with that **** haymon, hes only going to die on the vine like the rest of the pbc fighters that are never in good fights.

And what if we eventually get Steveson Beterbiev?

[Nay_Sayer]

Fans rooting for champs to lose their belt thru purse bids aren't fans of the sport they're fans of promoters, networks, ect.

I don't trust Duva to make a fair offer. You have to realize her idea of fair is a 50/50 split on a purse bid (which never happens between champs and challengers), fight only on her network. The 50/50 split was agreed to but the insistence of HBO only was ridiculous, it was a purse bid. While Haymon & Stevenson continue to get the blame for the first Stevenson/Kovalev fight not happening the real story is HBO killed the fight. The Showtime deal was given to HBO to match and they refused. The facts of the situation doesn't matter because it doesn't fit the narrative that Stevenson ducked.

HBO refuses to work with Haymon yet somehow Haymon gets the blame for fights not happening. HBO has Cotto, Canelo, Kova, Ward, GGG, Loma, Walters, Ali, Linares, Chocalito, Bradley, Rios, Crawford, Pacquiao, Matthysse, Lemiuex, Villora, Hopkins, Iman, and the whole roster of K2, GBP, TR, and Roc Nation. How is Haymon stopping those matchups from happening? It was K2 who dismissed Lara as an opponent for GGG, they wouldn't even negotiate a possible fight. We get GGG/Lemiuex on PPV. A fight that should be on regular HBO. HBO refuses to spend money and take a loss in order for good fights to happen. We're already paying $20 a month to subscribe but now you want us to pay $50/$60 to watch a 14/1 underdog fight GGG? That's damn near a showcase fight with those odds.

Truth hurts. Read it and weep...

[Nay_Sayer]

A couple of flaws in your logic. 1) Kova just satisfied his mandatory with the IBF so Artur would have to wait around for a year just to force it.

It's only one year. Plus, the IBF doesn't screw around with their mandatory commitments like the WBA/C does. One year gives Beterbiev time to fight a few more TOMATO CANs in preparation for his eventual shot at the mandatory #1 slot for the IBF 175lb title.

2) It's about skill level more than X amount of fights as Artur has the pedigree to be a force at 175.

Some skills can only be acquired through experience. NOBODY debuts in the Pro ranks ready to topple the top guys. NOBODY.

3) Your logic of forcing a vacate/ soft opposition makes you seem like an idiot. Team Beterbiev is on record saying how they beat Kovalev in the amateurs and how they'd beat him again. If they're not ready then don't call out the king of 175.

This ain't the Amateur ranks, Genius. This is PROFESSIONAL prize fighting - and there is a HUGE difference between the two. If you had a clue about boxing, you'd already know this. Unfortunately, YDKSAB...

[kafkod]

Kovalev isn't the champion @ 175. Stevenson is. Get your facts straight...

Kovalev holds 3 world championship belts, is No 1 LHW with every reputable rating panel, and is fighting the best men in the division.

Stevenson is a discredited paper champion.

The fact that you think the best way to take his titles is by using purse bids to force him to vacate speaks for itself.