Comments Thread For: Golovkin vs. Saunders Negotiations To Move Forward

[j0zef]

Casual fans don't care about belts. Matter of fact, most casual fans don't even know who GGG is. Much less what belts he has or doesn't. If you're anything like me, you're the lone hardcore fight fan in your inner circle. And after Nelo-Cotto, the most frequently asked question to me from my friends that are casual fans was, " WTH is GGG guy they kept talking about?"

GGG can play whatever game he wants. But the reality is, to become a crossover star, you generally need to get a stranglehold on the hardcore community first. Then perform on the big stage against a guy that has a good casual fanbase. GGG's ticket to stardom was to either fight Ward in a superfight that the hardcore community would have salivated over. Or, fight Canelo. And whether there's one belt, five belts, or no belts on the line in either of those fights. The interest level would be the exact same. That's what you, amd those that think line you don't understand. The fighter makes the title. Not visa versa.

Completely false. Casual boxing fans don't know that alphabet groups are icky. Casual fans barely remember who Ward is.

Casual fans like a lot of belts, and they like fighters who they have been exposed to previously, like Canelo.

[OnePunch]

Completely false. Casual boxing fans don't know that alphabet groups are icky. Casual fans barely remember who Ward is.

Casual fans like a lot of belts, and they like fighters who they have been exposed to previously, like Canelo.

casual fans never knew who Ward was in the first place.......

[bug0092]

You're not getting it!

It doesn't matter how much or how little seasoned fans like us care about world titles. The fact is that casual fans and general sports fans, who are not into boxing hard-core, care about them a lot, so fighters and promoters have to care about them too, because they bring exposure, recognition, and money.

Do you think K2 would be offering BJS $2million if he didn't have the WBO belt?

They don't want Saunders for who he is, they want another world title unification fight for Golovkin and another belt round his waist when its over to raise his profile and increase his fan base.

That's the way boxing works. K2 and GGG are playing the same game as everybody else in the sport!

It's not so much about raising his profile. It's more about eliminating other "champions" who don't want to fight him. Unification means GGG owns the MW division. Every other fighter at 160 or coming up from 154 will have to go through GGG. There will be no more ducking.

[UNBIASED BOXING]

Casual fans don't care about belts. Matter of fact, most casual fans don't even know who GGG is. Much less what belts he has or doesn't. If you're anything like me, you're the lone hardcore fight fan in your inner circle. And after Nelo-Cotto, the most frequently asked question to me from my friends that are casual fans was, " WTH is GGG guy they kept talking about?"

GGG can play whatever game he wants. But the reality is, to become a crossover star, you generally need to get a stranglehold on the hardcore community first. Then perform on the big stage against a guy that has a good casual fanbase. GGG's ticket to stardom was to either fight Ward in a superfight that the hardcore community would have salivated over. Or, fight Canelo. And whether there's one belt, five belts, or no belts on the line in either of those fights. The interest level would be the exact same. That's what you, amd those that think line you don't understand. The fighter makes the title. Not visa versa.

Canelo vs Golovkin is 10x the size as Golovkin vs Ward.

Golovkin fighting Ward doesn't have anywhere near the implications on GGG's popularity as a boxer as you make it sound it has. Ward isn't even a drawing name, anymore.


Amir Khan vs Danny Garcia didn't even make Danny Garcia into a big star, like you claim, Ward vs Golovkin would do.

[deanrw]

I remember when there was a day when a brash young fighter would do anything to get a chance to fight the main man in a division. It was all about the hunger and desire to be the best.

Now look how it evolved...LOL

[hitking]

Canelo vs Golovkin is 10x the size as Golovkin vs Ward.

Golovkin fighting Ward doesn't have anywhere near the implications on GGG's popularity as a boxer as you make it sound it has. Ward isn't even a drawing name, anymore.


Amir Khan vs Danny Garcia didn't even make Danny Garcia into a big star, like you claim, Ward vs Golovkin would do.

You completely missed my point. My point is that GGG os puttting the cart before the horse. He seems to be maneuvering himself to become a crossover star. And he hasn't even captured the hardcore market yet. Boxing hasn't fallen off that much in the last decade or so. And its proven that a fight the hardcore community is completely into, with little to no mainstream interest, can do about 300K-350K PPV buys. GGG isn't even doing half that. So why not seek out fights that the hardcore community will get 100% behind, like a fight with Ward would have been? That's the way you build negotiating power with a borderline crossover star like Canelo. If GGG had a PPV under his belt with Ward that did 300K+ PPV buys. He would be coming to the table with Canelo with some bargaining power. As it stands now, he has nothing to offer Ginger. He's super high risk, low reward.

[hitking]

casual fans never knew who Ward was in the first place.......

Casual fans don't know GGG either.

[hitking]

Tell that to Andre ward!

If a boxer keeps winning belts, and defending them with spectacular KO's, he'll be a hit with hard-core fans and his promoter has the job of selling him to casual sports fans.

GGG is doing ok. His purses and audience figures are increasing with every fight he has.

Dude, spectacular KOs don't mean anything if its a bum on the receiving end. Its all good bruh. Just like the GGG diehards were dead wrong about how big a splash Gennady was gonna make in his PPV debut and had to eat crow. Y'all are dead wrong on thia issue too. And when of plays out, egg will be on face again.

[hitking]

It's not so much about raising his profile. It's more about eliminating other "champions" who don't want to fight him. Unification means GGG owns the MW division. Every other fighter at 160 or coming up from 154 will have to go through GGG. There will be no more ducking.

If the Canelo fight doesn't get done and Ginger is stripped, making GGG the BC champ. Then he beats Saunders for the BO and is "undisputed." And Nelo is still there between 154 and 160. Do you think other fighters' main middleweight target will be GGG, for all the belts? Or Canelo, for a bigger payday?

[Mike_R]

I think Canelo's pride is being sold short in a lot of posts. I believe he wants the Golovkin fight. There are examples of Canelo taking ill-advised fights over the last couple of years, I don't think this is very different.

I think we will see it, when and under what circumstances who can say? But I think we'll see the fight. Canelo moving to 160 is inevitable, and if GGG doesn't move up- which isn't looking likely as they continue to push unification- it's going to reach a fever pitch.

Canelo's pride has trumped his management's desires before. Not to mention he could potentially beat GGG.