Ward is taking a huge paycut to make this fight happen.

[Motorcity Cobra]

Purses from Oakland: Andre Ward $850k, Alexander Brand $30k. Not a typo. #boxing #WardBrand

— Dan Rafael (@danrafaelespn) August 6, 2016

Per @danrafaelespn, Ward will make $850K vs. Brand. Been told HBO paid less than 1/3 of that 4 license fee. Good thing Beyonce makes big $$$

— Keith Idec (@Idecboxing) August 6, 2016

[PunchMeIDareYou]

Who gives a f_uck. Are you his accountant?

[DoktorSleepless]

Who gives a f_uck. Are you his accountant?

Good news. It's not ****ing up the HBO budget as much as we though.

[FrankieClutch]

Well it's a tune up fight. He shouldn't make all that much for the fight if we're being objective

[Pigeons]

Wow, only $30K for Brand.

[DoktorSleepless]

Per @danrafaelespn, Ward will make $850K vs. Brand. Been told HBO paid less than 1/3 of that 4 license fee. Good thing Beyonce makes big $$$

— Keith Idec (@Idecboxing) August 6, 2016

This is explains what Rafael said in this chat about Shabranskyy asking for too much.

http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/chat/_/id/52198/boxing-with-dan-rafael

Budget aside, there are very few willing and available fighters to face Ward. That is just fact. As for Shabranskyy, he was offered the fight per Golden Boy and the Ward camp and turned it down. I was told he asked for more than double the available HBO money for the entire bout.

[Motorcity Cobra]

Wow, only $30K for Brand.

From Idec's tweet sounds like they HBO paid less than $300,000 for the fight. I guess that's why there is no televised undercard. I could've bought this fight

[Eff Pandas]

If Ward beats Kovalev he needs to tell HBO to go f#ck themselves & go talk to Showtime or Haymon if his contract with Roc Nation is up too.

[-DSG-]

HBO is saving up to have GGG,Canelo, and Crawford on HBO before the year is over.

[RespekonMyName]

From Idec's tweet sounds like they HBO paid less than $300,000 for the fight. I guess that's why there is no televised undercard. I could've bought this fight

... Imagine if a few thousand Boxingscene posters came together and bought a fight on a purse bid. That would be hysterical.