Another Kovalev blatant duck to avoid the unification of all LHW championship belts.

[soul_survivor]

I'm fine with criticizing. I'm just telling it like how it is.

If you want to criticize Duva for backing out of a purse bid, go for it. I already did. To portray that as ducking is pretty ridiculous though.

That's pretty much my stance on it. I doubt Kovalev would duck anyone but Duva is limited in terms of her options and her ability. I don't think she knew how to ge tthrough the purse bid, afraid of losing the fight and moving from HBO, which feels like her safety net.

But that's the whole point, when the fight had the best chance of getting made, it was Kov's team that turned away and said no. Not Stevenson.

[Raonic]

It was based more on that they thought they were gonna lose the bid... If the hbo deal is so lucrative, it should have been able to land Kovolev his biggest fight..
Honestly on PPv kovolev-Ward does just about the same amount of business as kovolev-Stevenson would do on PPv ...

HBO exclusive deals and HBO purse money are completely different. What they offer you in a contract isn't exactly the same amount they'll offer you in a purse bid...

The contract itself was lucrative for a fighter in his position. That doesn't mean that HBO is going to cash out more money to do a purse bid otherwise.

[Raonic]

That's pretty much my stance on it. I doubt Kovalev would duck anyone but Duva is limited in terms of her options and her ability. I don't think she knew how to ge tthrough the purse bid, afraid of losing the fight and moving from HBO, which feels like her safety net.

But that's the whole point, when the fight had the best chance of getting made, it was Kov's team that turned away and said no. Not Stevenson.

For sure this time it's Kovaelv's party that backed out this time (Stevenson backed out the first time) and if you want to criticize them, I'm fine with it but the pro-PBC guys never do that.

[soul_survivor]

For sure this time it's Kovaelv's party that backed out this time (Stevenson backed out the first time) and if you want to criticize them, I'm fine with it but the pro-PBC guys never do that.

Stevenson never backed out though, he signed a lucrative contract with Haymon, who got his fighters exclusive deals with Showtime and CBS. The fight was nowhere close to being finalised and at the time, it looked like Stevenson v Hopkins/Pascal was more likely. Those two fights, for whatever reason, Stevenson and/or his team did not want.

The purse bid was the closest we have ever gotten to a fight between the leading LHWs around and Kov/Duva turned it down. So I can understand why the PBC diehards (dunno why people would be hardcore fans of only one promotion) want to troll Kovalev fans. Kovalev and Duva are digging their own little hole in this argument.

[boliodogs]

Kovalev is the best light heavyweight in the world and fears no other light heavyweight. Stevenson is the ducker and always has been. If Stevenson ever fights Kovalev he will lose by KO in my opinion.

[Raonic]

Stevenson never backed out though, he signed a lucrative contract with Haymon, who got his fighters exclusive deals with Showtime and CBS. The fight was nowhere close to being finalised and at the time, it looked like Stevenson v Hopkins/Pascal was more likely. Those two fights, for whatever reason, Stevenson and/or his team did not want.

The purse bid was the closest we have ever gotten to a fight between the leading LHWs around and Kov/Duva turned it down. So I can understand why the PBC diehards (dunno why people would be hardcore fans of only one promotion) want to troll Kovalev fans. Kovalev and Duva are digging their own little hole in this argument.

Last I remember, they pretty much had an agreement for the fight to have been set up next (that's why Kovalev fought in the undercard in Montreal) and Stevenson signed with Haymon before it was set up though maybe I'm wrong on that. And it was easily much closer when both fighters last fought on HBO and both said they wanted to do the fight but Stevenson signed a contract with Haymon knowing that it would've jeopardized the fight. (FWIW that contract he signed didn't actually pay him much more than what Kovalev's been making with HBO).

So if Kovalev is criticized for making a decision that cost the fight this time around, then Stevenson making a decision should be criticized as well when he pretty much new it would've cost the fight back then.

Duva making a decision to back out of the purse bid for her best interest despite the fact that it cost the fight is no different than Stevenson making a decision for his best interest and costing the fight. Just like Duva knew backing out of the purse bid ruins the chances of the fight, Stevenson signing with a guy for his best interest despite knowing it would've jeopardized the fight is no different.

And even then, it's not like Kovalev is the only guy Stevenson has a problem with. It was the same with Hopkins AND Pascal with both saying it was difficult to arrange a deal with him. So what exactly am I supposed to think about the guy?

[ThatDude44]

It's not Kovalev, he'll bang with anybody but he's being managed with a vendetta.

[TheThirdEye]

So where are all these "Big Fights" Stevenson ran away from the Kovalev fight and signed with Haymon for?

Hopkins invited Stevenson to join Showtime in march 2014, to unify 3 major belts (IBF, WBA and WBC). Showtime put millions on the table to get Stevenson, while he and Kovalev had no contract with HBO. So after HBO failed to match Showtime financial offer, Stevenson changed network.
But 10 days after B-Hop won his second title against Shumenov, on 04/29/2014 Mama Duva decided to sued Showtime, Golden Boy & Al Haymon, which have no business with this non sign contract issue.
Kathy Duva created her lawsuit scam, to plot a settlement under table with Golden Boy for dropping this phony lawsuit in exchange of an unification bout between Hopkins and her protege Kovalev, and thus make Stevenson-Michel-Haymon stumble in the process.
Which is the reason why this Lawsuit got dropped the day after Hopkins and Kovalev reached an agreement to unify their titles. Golden Boy team weren't bright enough to realise this lawsuit was going nowhere, otherwise HBO would have backed up this phony complaint. But Golden Boy have taken the bait, due to the fact they also needed an excuse to reconnect with HBO.
That's why the Stevenson and B-hop fight never happen, Hopkins left...

And about Jean Pascal, he fueled a depreciation campaign against Stevenson using all forms of media at its disposal to force Stevenson to give up to accept a equally split purse, when he was valued at 30% by the WBC. While Stevenson was waiting for the WBC purse split 70-30, Pascal find a 60-40 deal with Kovalev and moved out of his WBC 1st position. Not to mention, to avoid losing the high value the WBC Diamond belt brought him when he left the Yvon Michel organization for Interbox; He, Greg Leon and Kathy Duva build up a plan to convince the WBC of positioning the winner between him and Kovalev mandatory to Stevenson. Which is how he avoided to get stripped from that WBC Diamond belt.

Anyhow, for team Duva it was just a commercial prank used to enhance the market value of Kovalev with HBO, as you noticed Kove team rejected the 2 purse bid the WBC ordered following their previous agreement. The first rejection was made when Kovalev had no contract, and the second denial was done when Kovalev was under a new contract with HBO.
Besides these "IN ADVANCE" excuses, it's a shame to witness how team Kove are preparing boxing fans to accept their 3rd obvious duck.
It's not a coincidence you see it coming too, Kovalev is fake...

It only takes 1 clean left, ONE

[i'm a fun haver]

Hopkins invited Stevenson to join Showtime in march 2014, to unify 3 major belts (IBF, WBA and WBC). Showtime put millions on the table to get Stevenson, while he and Kovalev had no contract with HBO. So after HBO failed to match Showtime financial offer, Stevenson changed network.
But 10 days after B-Hop won his second title against Shumenov, on 04/29/2014 Mama Duva decided to sued Showtime, Golden Boy & Al Haymon, which have no business with this non sign contract issue.
Kathy Duva created her lawsuit scam, to plot a settlement under table with Golden Boy for dropping this phony lawsuit in exchange of an unification bout between Hopkins and her protege Kovalev, and thus make Stevenson-Michel-Haymon stumble in the process.
Which is the reason why this Lawsuit got dropped the day after Hopkins and Kovalev reached an agreement to unify their titles. Golden Boy team weren't bright enough to realise this lawsuit was going nowhere, otherwise HBO would have backed up this phony complaint. But Golden Boy have taken the bait, due to the fact they also needed an excuse to reconnect with HBO.
That's why the Stevenson and B-hop fight never happen, Hopkins left...

And about Jean Pascal, he fueled a depreciation campaign against Stevenson using all forms of media at its disposal to force Stevenson to give up to accept a equally split purse, when he was valued at 30% by the WBC. While Stevenson was waiting for the WBC purse split 70-30, Pascal find a 60-40 deal with Kovalev and moved out of his WBC 1st position. Not to mention, to avoid losing the high value the WBC Diamond belt brought him when he left the Yvon Michel organization for Interbox; He, Greg Leon and Kathy Duva build up a plan to convince the WBC of positioning the winner between him and Kovalev mandatory to Stevenson. Which is how he avoided to get stripped from that WBC Diamond belt.

Anyhow, for team Duva it was just a commercial prank used to enhance the market value of Kovalev with HBO, as you noticed Kove team rejected the 2 purse bid the WBC ordered following their previous agreement. The first rejection was made when Kovalev had no contract, and the second denial was done when Kovalev was under a new contract with HBO.
Besides these "IN ADVANCE" excuses, it's a shame to witness how team Kove are preparing boxing fans to accept their 3rd obvious duck.
It's not a coincidence you see it coming too, Kovalev is fake...

It only takes 1 clean left, ONE

So Kathy Duva stole both of Stevenson's "Big Fights" for Kovalev? Now she's keeping all of Kov's belts away from Stevenson?
Damnation. She's just burning the whole ****ing LHW town to the ground lol

[daggum]

if people really want this fight to happen they will root for the pbc to fail. unless that is you are enjoying your quillin-zerafa lil fights