If Kovalev / Duva DON'T Accept Ward's terms, then Kova was content with the Loss

[Dip_Slide]

Let's not jump into conclusions, we don't know what terms were agreed upon in that rematch clause and we don't know if Ward is demanding anything more than what was written in the rematch clause, same for Kovalev. Only time will tell who's being reasonable with their demands and who isn't.

I think Kovalev shouldn't be that desperate for the rematch because if Ward really retired then Kovalev will get a chance to get his belts again just like if he fought Ward, worst case scenario is if the fight fell apart and Ward decided to keep the belts hostage and thus delaying good fights from happening between the top guys like Kovalev, Beterbiev, Alvarez, Stevenson, Jack and Gvozdyk. Would love to also see Ward against these guys but it's most probably never going to happen.

Legacywise I think it would REALLY hurt Ward if he didn't give Kovalev that rematch he truly deserves and that's why I think the same split of the first fight is fair because Ward needs Kovalev just like Kovalev needs him.

[LockardTheGOAT]

Ward can't retire on that "victory" unless he has no problem bowing out in shame. It was close, but most people didn't think he won that fight; I expected Mayweather to chime in and support the black fighter over the white one like he virtually always does, but even he didn't think Ward won. A rematch must be contested to remove all doubts.

[billeau2]

Ward wins the rematch against Kovalev, and Roc Nation crosses the street over to Showtime (Cotto is almost done, so Ward is the talent that they've hitched the company to).

Versus Adonis Stevenson (to unify the belts and the division) and the spectacle of a Joe Smith Jr fight (will leave that for another conversation) are both massive events, and then you've got the que set up for a lot of good fights to take as his title defenses (Beterbiev or Cleverly/Braehmer winner in NYC, Jack in Las Vegas, and then the other possible defenses as options for Oakland).

People always cast their doubts, but Kovalev-Ward sold over $3m worth of tickets, with a lot of folks in the building their to root on Andre Ward. Doubt Oakland if you want, but Ward's basically put 10k people into the building for his last 4 fights at home (selling over $700k in tickets each time out).

America's last male Olympic boxing Gold medalist, light heavyweight kingpin, p4p #1 fighter in the sport, and a genuine good guy (father of 4, married his high school sweetheart, persom of faith without being preachy about it, never in any trouble, etc) with good charisma? Floyd's set a ridiculously high bar, but it's not like Ward isn't going to generate a ton of money (including the expansion of his endorsements profile)

You got me pegged wrong. I am all for Ward. Those fights you mentioned? Ward is clearly better than all those guys. Kovalev is a much bigger fight. Sure, if he was 25 cleaning out the division and waiting for things to develop...Someone has to convince the same fan base, the ones that are not breaking the door down for the rematch, to pay for those fights...and as I am sure you know Oakland has massive pockets of latino fans! Latino fans being the most supportive..You have a pocket in Richmond that is little Tijuana! So there is an audience there.

But you know what? I can see your point. I sure hope you are correct. Heres the problem: and please understand my point here, because its not a diss on Ward or the East Bay, both of which are a big part of my life (taught in the Bayview in San Francisco)...These idiots like Roc Nation, who think boxing is easy money? They need to get off their duff and PROMOTE WARD!! I agree that Ward has to price himself well...its up to his promoters to make sure this fight gets sold and people get paid, that is why they get paid.

[billeau2]

If you're at the point where you're earning over $500k per year to fight, I'm fairly certain that you're no longer filing personal income taxes.

Ward likely has long had his LLC structure settled out (where revenues are taxed at significantly below the top personal tax rate of 39.6% federally, and most expenses that helped generate the revenue for the LLC, ie training expenses, can be written off as business expenses and significantly lower the amount of money actually subject to tax).

Federal/state/local/excise taxes likely net out to 30%-35% of his take, and likely less than that depending on what else he's done with his money.

Lets say it is at 30% for the sake of argument. Every time you buy something you are taxed, except real estate...that adds about 10% on that 30%...And unless you shelter the money in a structured Life Insurance contract, or anuity that is well designed? guess what you pay on any profits?

When you have money on the table, as earned income you get taxed to death... thats a fact. Now having said that? the 30% low end of your figure is unrealistic. ill let you figure out what it amounts to...hint: its way over 50%.

Do you know how LLC's work? Hint: they are not a tax shelter, they are a liability shelter. Yes, accountants help. There are ways to minimize. The biggest problem is that earned income is money that the IRS gets a look at. Our society, very unjustly taxes earned income at a premium.

[Tankdestroyer]

Ward is still trying to recover mentally from this past "gift". he must feel like bradley post pacquiao 1 lol...death threats n schit

[Eff Pandas]

Ward was the challenger, so it was Kovalev's camps prerogative to make sure that there was a rematch in place. Let's remember the situation; Kovalev was the one with the longterm HBO deal, Kovalev was the fighter that HBO was pushing, and HBO wouldn't have agreed to air any of Ward's fights were it not for the reality that he was going to fight Kovalev. If Kovalev won the first fight, it is quite likely that any talk of a rematch would've been deaded by Kovalev/HBO ('respect to Ward, but moving on to bigger/better fights' story).

Chavez Jr is fighting Alvarez in May, the fight is supposed to be a big one, and there's a rematch clause in place.

I doubt that Chavez Jr has any terms for the rematch already set (though there's an understanding that he'll get paid better, I doubt that he has any points on the gate already set).

I'm sure there is ALWAYS some money talk in rematch clauses for high profile TV/PPV caliber fights. Even if its just the winner will get a higher split. I think part of the reason to sign a rematch clause is to insure you ger more money this time for submitting to it with the bigger names &/or to insure a nice payday next time around too.

I mean in particular with this fight which I think most everyone knew had a chance to bomb on PPV it'd be of extreme importance to have guidelines in place to insure you don't get $5M for this fight, win it & get $2M or $3M or just get less money the next time around. What sense does it make for Ward's career to have won a fight & take less money in the rematch? Legacy is cool, but legacy doesn't increase your bank account.

[Lester Tutor]

What the press should be asking, to filter out theory since we're not getting details from either side, to either or, is:

"Which venue would you like for the rematch?"
"Do you feel, since you won, and you came to him for the initial fight, that splits should favor your necessities"?
"Do you think, in actuality, that if Duva and Kova really wanted this fight it can be again?"
"What are your wife''s thoughts on the rematch?"
"Do you think fans should be optimistic about a rematch because it's what they want?"

[al-Xander]

If Kovalev / Duva DON'T Accept Ward's terms, then Kova was content with the Loss

If you use common sense you would be putting this on Ward instead of Kovalev, who has no history of demanding more than he is offered. You need to figure out who or which entity is willing to make an offer. It's certainly not Duva, HBO, maybe Roc if they're willing to lose money again. Ward has to make some adjustments, or retire.

[The Big Dunn]

This seems really simple. Ward should honor the rematch clause. If he makes a fair offer and kov turns it down, move on and fight someone else.

[Lester Tutor]

If you use common sense you would be putting this on Ward instead of Kovalev, who has no history of demanding more than he is offered. You need to figure out who or which entity is willing to make an offer. It's certainly not Duva, HBO, maybe Roc if they're willing to lose money again. Ward has to make some adjustments, or retire.

The pressure is on Kova and Duva. Knockdowns happens in boxing. The best of the best, champs, since the advent of the sport champs can get knocked down and continue...it happens. The fact that so many Ward haters gravitated on the knockdown amplifies insecurities for all the time they focused strictly on Kovalev.

The fact of the matter is, it was a close fight. Not a ''robbery.'' This is the same exact post Pac losing propaganda strategized to give Top Rank the benefit of the doubt.

Until DUVA, not Kova, at least acknowledges a ''close fight,'' NOW, then we can see faster progress. Money is money, better than nothing. There's more prestige around Ward's name, his image, who he's fought, what he's accomplished than Main Events' current roster. It's best she gets another fight with Ward and make him happy again. Or do we want to revisit her purse bid fallout with Stevenson, because..ironically, money...is involved...

C'mon people. wake the fug up