Comments Thread For: Kovalev's Promoter Frustrated, Expresses Doubt on Ward Fight

[PunchyPotorff]

This happened after the 2nd Pascal fight when Kovalev was a free agent. His HBO contract was over. she pulled out of the purse bid and resigned with HBO.

Are you saying Kov now has no HBO contract anymore? When did that happen?

[PunchyPotorff]

Duva got everything she wanted #1 WBC ranking and a purse bid.... She still RAN anyway. Duva is not putting Kov in the ring with anybody that can crack. Her HBO contract is hurting her and her fighter...it's on HBO ppv where people won't see it. If it were on Showtime or PBC tons more would see it...and the money would be better. Dumb move.

I don't agree with your spin, but anyway, if Kovalev is unhappy with how his career is moving along, he can and will probably move on when the contract is up. So far he seems content where he is. And he takes on whoever is available, like GGG and most others do. Like I've said before, I'll have to see how things go in his career over the next couple years... but at this point I don't think he's ducking anyone, and he seems to improve every fight.

[MrRolltide91]

Oh I hate when I get to these articles so late. Anyway, lets brake this down.

Rocnation/Ward agreed to a fight but never agreed to a location, just agreed to exclude two specific locations, Oakland and Russia. So knowing this, how does Duva assume that the fight will be held at T-Mobile? And why is she surprised when Rocnation informed her that they never agreed to a location? She states there was a previous deal with Itskowich (who's no longer with Rocnation) with MGM, however MGM owns many properties and based on current info available, there was no agreement on venue.

Kathy Duva -"The on-sale should've happened now. They were saying we need signed contracts, blah, blah, I don't think I've ever done a fight where contracts with an arena were signed before they went on sale. "- See more at: http://www.boxingscene.com/kovalevs-....C09UZyB9.dpuf

This is probably the biggest load of schit I have ever read from a promoter, I mean it has to be up there with some Arum classics. If you read this quote and seriously some how pivot to Ward being the problem, then I thank you for proving your bias. How can you sell tickets to a venue that doesn't exist? When I purchase this ticket, will it say venue and seat TBD? I could seriously brake her statements down even further but there is really no need. Duva most likely had some sort of deal with T-Mobile arena, and she's trying to use media negotiating tactics to strong arm Rocnation into a venue that she prefers. Gag the Bich, give her the same treatment Arum got from both Mayweather and Pac after they met in that hotel room, and watch how quick this fight gets negotiated.

Exactly.......

[JUNIABOY]

This is very ****** of Ward & his team. I mean, what other venue is out there that is going to make the fighters & their promotion more money than Vegas?! Seriously?! I mean, wouldn't moving the fight to NY give more of an advantage to Kovalev because of the large Russian population on the east coast?! And wouldn't both sides make less money because of the tax structure there?! Sh#t, why not just fight in Hawaii already since it's the half-way point between Russia & Oakland?...at least the fans can get in a tropical vacation too!

I don't understand how RocNation can put a stop on ticket sales. For me, who gives a f#ck if Ward showd up for this mini-presser or not. It's the ticket sales that matter. That's the fact that most of these "casual" fans are ignoring. F#ck the presser. What about the ticket sales? Don't they want to make money?! Why put a stop on ticket sales when there is no other venue which would make them more money than Vegas?

Look, there is only 1 other venue in the entire world that would make both sides more money than Vegas: Moscow, Russia. That's it! Stop playing games, Ward. You fail to make fans that way.

[JUNIABOY]

Why is it always something when it's time for Kov to make a big fight. When Kathy begged WBC for the mandatory spot she got it and when it was time for Stevenson vs Kovalev to go to purse bid she pulled out of the fight and had Kov vacate his #1 spot with the WBC. Now it's time for Kov to fight Ward and here she go again with some BS. Kathy is the problem here. She doesn't want to lose the only gravy train she's had in a while. God she gets on my nerves.

You definitely don't know all the information on what happened there. Stevenson's team failed on 2 occasions before it ever went to purse bid to make the fight. Duva knew that she had no chance to win the purse bid due to being a smaller company. That's why they pulled out instead of losing all control of the fight as the A-side. Stevenson is a duck. No question about it. If the guy really wanted the Kovalev fight, it would have been made years ago while he was still with HBO.

[JUNIABOY]

4 all we know where he's holding out 2 get the fight in Oakland.. curious what the contract says 4 for each fighter... Roc Nation is not noted 4 paying well to the guys who fight...

The contract says they can't fight in Oakland or Russia. But it's been announced since June that the Kovalev/Ward fight would be held in Vegas at the T-Mobile Arena. Now, if RocNation or Ward has a problem with that venue, how come they waited 2 months to say something? Bad business for the rookie promoter RocNation. Either that, or Ward doesn't want the fight. And there's only 2 ways to get out of the HBO contract: retire, or take HBO to court.

[JUNIABOY]

Calm down,
It's just a presser that Ward said he would not attend...this has nothing to do with the fight not happening.

It's alarming what Ward's team is doing. What other venue is it going to be?! MSG isn't going to make them more money simply because of NY's tax structure. The only venue which would make them more money is if it was fought in Moscow, Russia. Can't fight there since it's in the contract. So, seriously, what other venue could RocNation be talking about?! Are they having problems convincing Ward to leave Oakland to fight in Vegas? Sounds like problems over there. Ward fans should be concerned.

[JUNIABOY]

Rubio was 100 to 1 mismatch
Monroe was 100 to 1 mismatch
Wade was 150 to 1 mismatch at Westgate.

Hypocrite.

What are YOU talking about, CaneloMaidana? Ward got out of the Brand fight without a scratch! Why the f#ck would he need 3 days to recover?! You're stretching it. Btw, you brought up all GGG opponents that GGG destroyed by KO. And he was all smiles & ready for the next fight afterward. Ward couldn't even knock Brand down. And now he needs an entire week to recover from fighting 40-year-old Brand?! GTFOH

[JUNIABOY]

Duva got everything she wanted #1 WBC ranking and a purse bid....

She still RAN anyway.

Duva is not putting Kov in the ring with anybody that can crack.

Her HBO contract is hurting her and her fighter...it's on HBO ppv where people won't see it.

If it were on Showtime or PBC tons more would see it...and the money would be better.

Dumb move.

****** argument. Why would more people see a ppv fight on Showtime over HBO? HBO has waaaaaay more subscribers. LOL. You're just looking for any excuse now.

[JUNIABOY]

maybe its just cause what duva has done in the passed but to me this seems like duva trying to make drama where there is none

Well, then she's doing a much better job promoting the event than RocNation. What's their excuse again for holding up ticket sales?