Comments Thread For: Stevenson's Promoter Reacts To Claims By Andre Ward's Coach

[BIGPOPPAPUMP]

Yvon Michel, promoter for WBC light heavyweight champion Adonis Stevenson, has hired back at the recent statements that were made by Virgil Hunter, the head trainer of IBF, WBA, WBO light heavyweight champion Andre Ward (32-0, 16 KOs) - who two weeks ago announced his retirement from the sport. According to Hunter, there was simply no money in a fight with Stevenson. Ward had made high seven figure paydays for both Sergey Kovalev bouts and wasn't willing to take a step back in the pay department when it came to Stevenson or anyone else.
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[JRS1980]

That was shockingly coherent, and spot on.

[rrayvez]

Ward already beat the guy Stevenson has blatantly ducked. No sense for ward to wait around for Stevenson because ay the end if the day, Stevenson doesn't want that smoke. He's content to fight the Andrew fonfaras of the world. Twice.

[slimPickings]

Maybe we get to see a fight between Kovalev and Adonis.

[N/A]

Ward already beat the guy Stevenson has blatantly ducked. No sense for ward to wait around for Stevenson because ay the end if the day, Stevenson doesn't want that smoke. He's content to fight the Andrew fonfaras of the world. Twice.

you dont feel silly calling adonis the ducker when he agreed to fight kovalev when kovalev was his mandatory and kovalev pulled out of the fight?

[Edward90]

Well, with Stevenson record of making great fights that fans have been asking for, how can I argue... I'm not saying that there isn't some truth in what is said in this article, but pretending like Ward and Stevenson should be on the same payscale is laughable. It is what it is. Ward's retired. Let's move on...

[McNulty]

That was shockingly coherent, and spot on.

Hard to argue with that man. Ward is ducking Adonis, real talk.

[AdonisCreed]

What this guy said makes perfect sense. Andre Ward is a good fighter no doubt but let's be honest he was definitely no ppv attraction I mean his numbers speak for themselves. He doesn't have the attraction value like Cotto, Alvarez, May or Pac!!! And that's the truth! Mayweather fought freaking a bum like Andre Berto and still did double of what ward has done, Pac-Bradley 3 brought in better numbers. And Ward fought a legit KO artist in Kovalev and still didn't sale much. As great a fighter as Ward was he didn't have the star power to draw huge crowds or bring a million ppv buys. That's just how it is.

[kej718]

That man told no lies. Kovalev side was tough for Ward to negotiate with. Remember he was talking about retiring after the last fight. Stevenson's side ask for the date of the last Purse bid to be pushed up and Duva and her team backed out after requesting the Kovalev be the #1 contender by the WBC and guaranteeing him a 50/50 split which was unheard of before this. There is no money co promoting with Duva. Look what happened with the Barerra and Beterbiev fight. Barerra could have fought Kovalev in his next fight but they low balled him and they have the same promoter.

Also the last fight Ward talked about seriously was Bellew before his retirement, and Stevenson stopped him. The point is these guys fight for the money at a certain point in their careers.

[Pigeons]

Michel slapped Ward around in that interview. I doubt Ward responds, but even if he did, what would he say? Everything Michel said is true. Ward was overpaid for the Kovalev fights and believes he deserves outrageous paydays based on his skill despite his lack of box-office appeal. His promoters lost millions of dollars each time he fought Kovalev. I don't really understand why they did it, but hey more power to him for getting that money I guess.