What is the problem with Adonis Stevenson?

[N/A]

Before Stevenson joined Al Haymon/Showtime there was talk of having him fight Kov. He signs up to fight Fonfara. He holds HBO up for more money for rights to that fight, then holds HBO up for ridiculous money to fight Kovalev.

Nobody held up anybody. HBO had matching rights. Stevenson's job was to go get the best offer he could and then HBO had the right to match it. The best offer Stevenson could get was from Showtime because they wanted him to fight Hopkins. At the time, Hopkins was considered the man in the division, not Kovalev. All HBO had to do was match and Stevenson would have been fighting Kovalev. HBO decided to be cheap and let Stevenson walk over $50,000. That is not a ridiculous amount of money. You're characterizing the situation very unfairly.

Stevenson was on record - multiple times - saying he would fight Kovalev "...if the money is right". That's a duck bro.

No, taking the bigger fight for more money is not a duck. All HBO had to do is kick in $50,000 to match and Stevenson would have gladly fought Kovalev. This is prize fighting. Wanting to fight the biggest name for the biggest prize instead of the smaller name for a smaller prize is common sense.

He already knew HBO wasn't going to pay top dollar on him because that's not how HBO works.

Well then blame HBO. Stevenson is supposed to take short money because that's "how HBO works" when SHO is offering more? What universe do you live in?

Fast forward to 2016. HBO is now on one side of the table, Showtime on another side of the table, with Main Events on the other side not able to pay the money the purse bid would swell to, thus forcing Kov to fight on Showtime, which is a violation of his HBO contract.

This is why facts are so important. Kovalev's HBO contract had expired. That is what is so crucial about Kovalev ducking the very 50/50 purse bid he had demanded.

HBO had matching rights on one last fight, but Kovalev didn't want to risk losing to Stevenson, so instead he signed another HBO deal.

In the scenario you presented, where Showtime offered more than HBO, forcing Kovalev to fight on Showtime, that would NOT have been a violation of his HBO contract as the last fight of his deal with Pascal, he was a TV free agent, and he was only stuck with HBO if HBO matched the offer. So the scenario you're presenting is impossible because if HBO doesn't match the offer, it's not a violation.

You've allowed HBO & Main Events to distort your view of this situation because Haymon doesn't speak. So his adversaries know they can lie as much as they want and nobody will call them out on it.

[Combat Talk Radio]

Nobody held up anybody. HBO had matching rights. Stevenson's job was to go get the best offer he could and then HBO had the right to match it. The best offer Stevenson could get was from Showtime because they wanted him to fight Hopkins. At the time, Hopkins was considered the man in the division, not Kovalev. All HBO had to do was match and Stevenson would have been fighting Kovalev. HBO decided to be cheap and let Stevenson walk over $50,000. That is not a ridiculous amount of money. You're characterizing the situation very unfairly.




No, taking the bigger fight for more money is not a duck. All HBO had to do is kick in $50,000 to match and Stevenson would have gladly fought Kovalev. This is prize fighting. Wanting to fight the biggest name for the biggest prize instead of the smaller name for a smaller prize is common sense.




Well then blame HBO. Stevenson is supposed to take short money because that's "how HBO works" when SHO is offering more? What universe do you live in?




This is why facts are so important. Kovalev's HBO contract had expired. That is what is so crucial about Kovalev ducking the very 50/50 purse bid he had demanded.

HBO had matching rights on one last fight, but Kovalev didn't want to risk losing to Stevenson, so instead he signed another HBO deal.

In the scenario you presented, where Showtime offered more than HBO, forcing Kovalev to fight on Showtime, that would NOT have been a violation of his HBO contract as the last fight of his deal with Pascal, he was a TV free agent, and he was only stuck with HBO if HBO matched the offer. So the scenario you're presenting is impossible because if HBO doesn't match the offer, it's not a violation.

You've allowed HBO & Main Events to distort your view of this situation because Haymon doesn't speak. So his adversaries know they can lie as much as they want and nobody will call them out on it.

Let's summarize what you said.

"Stevenson wanted more money than what was being offered, despite how small a difference. So he took the money to fight the current top guy instead of going after the fight the fans wanted."

I agree. That's a duck. Period point blank. Because guess what? He never faced Hopkins either. The whole money deal was smoke and mirrors to get the hell away from Kovalev at the time.

I find it funny you got so many people talking about how Fighter A "priced himself out" and call it a duck of Fighter B, yet Stevenson does it (no matter HOW SMALL a difference) and gets a pass because he went for the bigger payday.

[Sparked_26]

Is Bellew the best win of his career nowadays ?

At that time Bellew was seen as domestic level. Having gone life and death with Ovil McKenzie a few times.

he likely gets paid too much to fight non-elite competition.

He's 40 now and has to make 175. He looks spectacular when he does fight but he's at that age now where I will literally bet money against him even against the level of competition he currently fights at. It will pay off at some stage.

[N/A]

"Stevenson wanted more money than what was being offered, despite how small a difference. So he took the money to fight the current top guy instead of going after the fight the fans wanted."

You're not understanding how business works. HBO had last right of refusal. Which means Stevenson has to go out and get the best offer he can and then HBO chooses whether to match or not. HBO chose not to match. Stevenson did go after the fight the fans wanted -- Hopkins. Far more fans would have been interested in a Hopkins-Stevenson WBC/WBA/IBF unification than Kovalev-Stevenson.

That's a duck. Period point blank. Because guess what? He never faced Hopkins either.

He didn't duck Hopkins, Hopkins ducked him. Stevenson was the most feared man in this scenario. Stevenson went after Hopkins when Hopkins was considered the toughest challenge. Hopkins ducked and went after Kovalev because Kovalev was considered the lesser challenge.

I find it funny you got so many people talking about how Fighter A "priced himself out" and call it a duck of Fighter B, yet Stevenson does it (no matter HOW SMALL a difference) and gets a pass because he went for the bigger payday.

Hopkins was considered the tougher fight at the time. Why would you criticize Stevenson for going after the biggest fight in the division?

Also, why did you lie and say Kovalev was under an HBO contract when he wasn't? His contract was expired when the purse bid was called. You claimed otherwise. We can't just ignore that you posted blatantly false information and now you're refusing to correct the record.

[Combat Talk Radio]

I think I understand now

The problem Stevenson has is the same problem Gamboa had: being one-dimensional. It's just that he hasn't faced anyone who would show him how one-dimensional he is.

I noticed a few things watching him fight. First, he tries to fight like James Toney a lot, except that he leaves himself wide open after he throws. Now that he's older I expect that to happen a lot more.

And now that Jack is in front of him, Jack is the type of fighter that could upset Stevenson. What worries me is that Jack also leaves himself open and appears to have a glass jaw. A C level fighter in Derek Edwards knocked him Bambi in the first round off a counter overhand right, right over the jab, perfectly timed, then again off a clumsy clinch. Jack's jab is what keeps him safe - if Stevenson times him with an overhand left the same way...Jack's going to sleep.

[IMDAZED]

You're not understanding how business works. HBO had last right of refusal. Which means Stevenson has to go out and get the best offer he can and then HBO chooses whether to match or not. HBO chose not to match. Stevenson did go after the fight the fans wanted -- Hopkins. Far more fans would have been interested in a Hopkins-Stevenson WBC/WBA/IBF unification than Kovalev-Stevenson.




He didn't duck Hopkins, Hopkins ducked him. Stevenson was the most feared man in this scenario. Stevenson went after Hopkins when Hopkins was considered the toughest challenge. Hopkins ducked and went after Kovalev because Kovalev was considered the lesser challenge.




Hopkins was considered the tougher fight at the time. Why would you criticize Stevenson for going after the biggest fight in the division?

Also, why did you lie and say Kovalev was under an HBO contract when he wasn't? His contract was expired when the purse bid was called. You claimed otherwise. We can't just ignore that you posted blatantly false information and now you're refusing to correct the record.

I’m reading and he’s not intrrested in facts. Gets in the way of a good narrative.

[Derranged]

He's made a good career out of being inactive and avoiding significant risk. Other boxers try this but are not quite as successful.

[bojangles1987]

The fact he actually is a pretty good fighter is what makes his "reign" so disappointing. He could be the best fighter in the division but he doesn't take any chances to prove it. I don't get it. I don't know if it's him, his management, his promoter, or some combination of them all. Time and time again he doesn't take good fights while everyone around him does.

[bojangles1987]

You're not understanding how business works. HBO had last right of refusal. Which means Stevenson has to go out and get the best offer he can and then HBO chooses whether to match or not. HBO chose not to match. Stevenson did go after the fight the fans wanted -- Hopkins. Far more fans would have been interested in a Hopkins-Stevenson WBC/WBA/IBF unification than Kovalev-Stevenson.




He didn't duck Hopkins, Hopkins ducked him. Stevenson was the most feared man in this scenario. Stevenson went after Hopkins when Hopkins was considered the toughest challenge. Hopkins ducked and went after Kovalev because Kovalev was considered the lesser challenge.




Hopkins was considered the tougher fight at the time. Why would you criticize Stevenson for going after the biggest fight in the division?

Also, why did you lie and say Kovalev was under an HBO contract when he wasn't? His contract was expired when the purse bid was called. You claimed otherwise. We can't just ignore that you posted blatantly false information and now you're refusing to correct the record.

Hopkins did not duck Stevenson. Hopkins took the Kovalev fight because Stevenson's side was stalling and hemming and hawing rather than make the fight. There was some scenario where Hopkins was going to lose his belt that Stevenson's side appeared to be waiting for rather than make the fight.

Stevenson absolutely did not "go after" that fight.

[Superbee]

Here we go again...

Hopefully tonight will shut up the conspiracy bytches ... It's all politics guys... Hopkins did it, Kovalev did it, Alvarez did it...Stevenson did it.... They all did it ! ... smh ...