Top Rank series on ESPN to feature: Pac/Horn, Loma/Salido 2, Crawford/Indongo

[Porter's Dad]

What did you think about the fight last night man?

The right guy emerged the victor of this rivalry over their 2 fights.

Kov looked weirdly bad right from about minute 2 of the fight. Sometimes you know very early on that a fighter is not going to win. I know it was close on the cards but Ward seemed in control of the fight from the off. Kov looked sluggish and slow.

I'm a big fan of both guys but can recognise both fighters flaws - Kov's stubborn-headedness and refusal to work properly with trainers - Abel/JDJ - means he's not getting the most of his talent. He's also not as mentally tough as Ward. When Ward was hurt in that first fight, he dug in. Last night, Kov wilted. He was wilting before the last round and low blows. Kov's stamina is also very suspect. He's tried both over-training and resting for both fights and still come up short.

Ward - an incredible will to win means he will always find a way to do so, like Mayweather. But it also means he will do anything to win - headbutts, clinching, low blows. It can't be a coincidence that the same guy is always involved in these things. Ward is my dude but I'm not gonna lie about these things.

He was low-blowing in the first fight too - in a roundtable interview Kov did with journalists before the fight, he said Ward getting low blowing him. I do believe the low blows were deliberate and part of a strategy because seriously, is an American ref really going to take a point away from Andre Ward? No.

But Ward was sharper and better last night. The Kov guys are clinging to the low-blows to discredit the win to make the defeat sting less. But Ward was going to win last night, no matter what. No-one is going to tell me otherwise.

Overall, these two fights whilst never truly barnburners, added a lot to the boxing landscape. This is what happens when great fighters fight each other. So many swing rounds, so many subtle things going on, so many times they cancelled each other out. But Ward, overall, had that small edge. The guy is a born winner.

Time to move on for both guys.

Sorry about the long post, I've just been thinking about it a lot

What did you think of the fight?

[Eff Pandas]

Probably they will start paying boxers depends on how huch they do in the arena instead of a guaranteed check...

Aren't the fighters gonna have a problem with that? I would think they would & probably should if they are getting bigger money with HBO or could get bigger money with another network.

I'm thinking there gots to be more going on here & mainly curious what it is at this point.

He wont be working with a ******er. Hes doing what the UFC is doing with Fight Pass

What..lose money for a couple years?

I'm not sure Fight Pass as been proven to be profitable or not, but they do work with other MMA leagues & other combat sports to provide more content to combat sports fans. If this is a TR ******ing network & they're showing TR fights on ESPN who's paying for the app? Just cats who don't got ESPN I'd assume. Is there THAT much appeal in TR's roster to pay $7.99/mo or whatever? Or will they work with others?

I gotta figure he's got some better end game here then just doing a boxing version of Fight Pass or WWE Network. Or he'll be busto whenever the investor gets tired of spending money.

My assumption is still that there is some proof of concept here that boxing to a wider audience can be a money maker & that Arum either wants to control a bigger piece of the boxing world off of his own content providing app or he's looking to parlay the success of this plan into a deal with the next generation's go to source of watching sports, the Amazon's, the Hulu's, the whoever else becomes a player there. Or maybe ESPN is looking to become a bigger player there. I know they made major changes recently & there future is dependent on them changing with the times now.

Whatever is happening its bigger then just some sh^tty app & Manny & Crawford on ESPN.

[jqSide]

So I'm assuming this will be on a Sunday around 9:00 AM Eastern.

I'm probably still sleeping at that time.

[Porter's Dad]

I'd expect a heavy dose of Gilberto Ramirez, Oscar Valdez and Jesse Magdalena on these cards.

Yeah but they need better dance partners. Actually, Valdez vs Mariaga was a GREAT fight but they're going to have to dig up some good opponents for him from this point. Maybe a remach with Mariaga might be something.

Again, they're going to have to get creative because a glorified in-house Top Rank channel is just PBC all over again.

[Mitchell Kane]

Yeah but they need better dance partners. Actually, Valdez vs Mariaga was a GREAT fight but they're going to have to dig up some good opponents for him from this point. Maybe a remach with Mariaga might be something.

Again, they're going to have to get creative because a glorified in-house Top Rank channel is just PBC all over again.

Gilberto Ramirez-Jesse Hart seems possible.

Arums been on that fight for a a while.

[Eff Pandas]

Didn't realize Loma/Salido 2 was a done deal.

Nobody cares about the Horn match. :/

Casuals & main****** people care about Manny so idk about that. Its a good opening fight show to catch as many new viewers as possible I think.

Think about it, a couple years ago they were paying $60 to $100 to see Manny fight. Now he'll be on ESPN. Thats f#cking crazy almost. I'd bet they get nice ratings for that show & they drop down in future fights that'll seem better to us, but will have less appeal to casuals & main****** fans.

[Beercules]

The right guy emerged the victor of this rivalry over their 2 fights.

Kov looked weirdly bad right from about minute 2 of the fight. Sometimes you know very early on that a fighter is not going to win. I know it was close on the cards but Ward seemed in control of the fight from the off. Kov looked sluggish and slow.

I'm a big fan of both guys but can recognise both fighters flaws - Kov's stubborn-headedness and refusal to work properly with trainers - Abel/JDJ - means he's not getting the most of his talent. He's also not as mentally tough as Ward. When Ward was hurt in that first fight, he dug in. Last night, Kov wilted. He was wilting before the last round and low blows. Kov's stamina is also very suspect. He's tried both over-training and resting for both fights and still come up short.

Ward - an incredible will to win means he will always find a way to do so, like Mayweather. But it also means he will do anything to win - headbutts, clinching, low blows. It can't be a coincidence that the same guy is always involved in these things. Ward is my dude but I'm not gonna lie about these things.

He was low-blowing in the first fight too - in a roundtable interview Kov did with journalists before the fight, he said Ward getting low blowing him. I do believe the low blows were deliberate and part of a strategy because seriously, is an American ref really going to take a point away from Andre Ward? No.

But Ward was sharper and better last night. The Kov guys are clinging to the low-blows to discredit the win to make the defeat sting less. But Ward was going to win last night, no matter what. No-one is going to tell me otherwise.

Overall, these two fights whilst never truly barnburners, added a lot to the boxing landscape. This is what happens when great fighters fight each other. So many swing rounds, so many subtle things going on, so many times they cancelled each other out. But Ward, overall, had that small edge. The guy is a born winner.

Time to move on for both guys.

Sorry about the long post, I've just been thinking about it a lot

What did you think of the fight?

I think you are spot on although I thought Kovalev win the first fight. He is stubborn though and I see that now.

I don't like Wards style due to clinching headbutting etc. But it works.

Kovalev was going to lose last night. I didn't see the fight live I was at a birthday party but my friend told me Kovalev lost via TKO and I choked on my beer


I like Kovalev bur I didn't lose any sleep over it. I troll a lot here but I knew Ward could win this one.

[BrometheusBob.]

Hey this is great news! I didn't even know Loma-Salido II and Crawford-Indongo were confirmed.

[BrometheusBob.]

The right guy emerged the victor of this rivalry over their 2 fights.

Kov looked weirdly bad right from about minute 2 of the fight. Sometimes you know very early on that a fighter is not going to win. I know it was close on the cards but Ward seemed in control of the fight from the off. Kov looked sluggish and slow.

I'm a big fan of both guys but can recognise both fighters flaws - Kov's stubborn-headedness and refusal to work properly with trainers - Abel/JDJ - means he's not getting the most of his talent. He's also not as mentally tough as Ward. When Ward was hurt in that first fight, he dug in. Last night, Kov wilted. He was wilting before the last round and low blows. Kov's stamina is also very suspect. He's tried both over-training and resting for both fights and still come up short.

Ward - an incredible will to win means he will always find a way to do so, like Mayweather. But it also means he will do anything to win - headbutts, clinching, low blows. It can't be a coincidence that the same guy is always involved in these things. Ward is my dude but I'm not gonna lie about these things.

He was low-blowing in the first fight too - in a roundtable interview Kov did with journalists before the fight, he said Ward getting low blowing him. I do believe the low blows were deliberate and part of a strategy because seriously, is an American ref really going to take a point away from Andre Ward? No.

But Ward was sharper and better last night. The Kov guys are clinging to the low-blows to discredit the win to make the defeat sting less. But Ward was going to win last night, no matter what. No-one is going to tell me otherwise.

Overall, these two fights whilst never truly barnburners, added a lot to the boxing landscape. This is what happens when great fighters fight each other. So many swing rounds, so many subtle things going on, so many times they cancelled each other out. But Ward, overall, had that small edge. The guy is a born winner.

Time to move on for both guys.

Sorry about the long post, I've just been thinking about it a lot

What did you think of the fight?

Green'd

[Porter's Dad]

I think you are spot on although I thought Kovalev win the first fight. He is stubborn though and I see that now.

I don't like Wards style due to clinching headbutting etc. But it works.

Kovalev was going to lose last night. I didn't see the fight live I was at a birthday party but my friend told me Kovalev lost via TKO and I choked on my beer


I like Kovalev bur I didn't lose any sleep over it. I troll a lot here but I knew Ward could win this one.

The first fight is a very strange fight to score. Ward did not look good but there were more rounds where Kov did zilch than people will admit. Kov actually looked much better in the first fight and that was his chance to win right there.

Second fight, I thought Kov would win but Ward came in so much sharper.

These guys just need to get away from each other now - not just all the baggage but overall, they shut each other out and won't make for a good fight anymore.

The LHW division is stacked. I mean, did you see Bivol last night? Then you've got Adonis, Gvodzyk, Badou Jack, Smith, Barrera, Alvarez. I'm missing someone else, I am sure. That is one hell of a division.