Kovalev rejected $6 million, got $12 million from GBP

[RJJ-94-02=GOAT]

Callum Smith and Billy Joe Saunders might be calling GBP’s bluff, much like Kovalev did.

Kovalev knew he was one of two opponents DAZN approved for Canelo’s next fight and knew Canelo didn’t want to fight GGG. So he told told GBP to f**k off and the result was an offer that doubled. Instead of $6 million (which every Canelo fan said Kovalev should jump on), Kovalev made $12 million.

Smith and Saunders might be doing the exact same thing.

They know Canelo won’t be fighting at 175 next because his team has said that.

They know Canelo won’t fight GGG. They know he won’t fight Charlo because De La Hoya made that rejected offer public. They know he won’t fight Andrade because Canelo’s been avoiding him for a decade. They know he won’t be fighting Caleb Plant because Plant said it won’t happen. They know it won’t be Murata because those negotiations fell apart and the results were made public.

It’s either them, Benavidez (which also isn’t likely) or someone no one wants.

So they’re playing it smart and trying to get as much money as possible.

Let’s see if Canelo fights one of them or schedules a fight no one cares about.

Kovalev is a far bigger draw in the US than Smith/BJS. He also had the 175 lb title as a bargaining chip.

Smith and BJS aren’t in that strong of a position. If they end up getting a better deal then fair play, if they don’t... they’ve made a HUGE MISTAKE.

[ShaneMosleySr]

I don’t watch boxing for free.

If it’s not sustainable, that’s too bad.

They probably shouldn’t have set the market rate for a Canelo opponent at such a high mark then.

I’m not going to root for Canelo’s next opponent to get screwed over because it might hurt GBP, DAZN or is. We don’t know that it will.

But are you an idiot? You don't ask yourself whether it's sustainable?
Here you are who can't even answer simple questions how much
you pay per year watching boxing.
You watch everything for free do you?
Yet you're so generous when it comes to spending other peoples' money.

[ShaneMosleySr]

Very respectable point of view.

I'm gonna reserve judgement because i don't know if the Saunders and Smith camps are still negotiating or not. They shouldn't expect to get what Kovalev got but they have every right to get as much as they can. With that said, they shouldn't overplay their hands either because Canelo is the golden ticket and sometimes you have to bet on yourself to get what you want. A win over Canelo gaurantees higher purses in the future and they can't beat him if they don't fight him.

[ShaneMosleySr]

I think they’re in a stronger position than they’re being credited for.

Acceptable opponents for Canelo are:

Charlo (negotiations fell apart), Murata (negotiations fell apart), Andrade (Canelo has avoided him for 10 years), GGG (Canelo refuses to fight him), Plant (says he won’t fight Canelo next), Benavidez (haven’t heard anything about him being considered at all), Bivol (175 has been ruled out for the next fight and likely the future as Canelo has vacated), Beterbiev (see Bivol), Smith and Saunders.

That’s a list of 10 people and almost all of them have been crossed off for one reason or another.

Kovalev is a far bigger draw in the US than Smith/BJS. He also had the 175 lb title as a bargaining chip.

Smith and BJS aren’t in that strong of a position. If they end up getting a better deal then fair play, if they don’t... they’ve made a HUGE MISTAKE.

[Eff Pandas]

Ok that’s cute, factor this in... canelos money is guaranteed regardless of who he fights... Kovalev, although not the same fighter he was years ago, brought a name a belt in a different weight class and enhanced canelos legacy. Canelo made history with Kovalev and that’s what team canelo and gbp paid for... Kovalevs name brings weight to a legacy. Callum and bjs, although they may be tougher fights in this moment then Kovalev, don’t enhance that legacy as much as the Krusher did

Tend to agree with this. I do think BJS & Callum have leverage but not as much as Kovalev did. Canelo wanted Kovalev. Lotsa ppl were into that fight. Few gaf if Canelo fights BJS, Callum or someone random. Think more ppl would rather see GGG or Beterbiev (even if he's off the table with a fight scheduled). So BJS & Callum got leverage cuz they are apparently on the shortlist & are easily made since they are DAZN guys but they don't got the leverage of being Canelo's choice opponent like Kovalev did.

[Robi13]

Tend to agree with this. I do think BJS & Callum have leverage but not as much as Kovalev did. Canelo wanted Kovalev. Lotsa ppl were into that fight. Few gaf if Canelo fights BJS, Callum or someone random. Think more ppl would rather see GGG or Beterbiev (even if he's off the table with a fight scheduled). So BJS & Callum got leverage cuz they are apparently on the shortlist & are easily made since they are DAZN guys but they don't got the leverage of being Canelo's choice opponent like Kovalev did.

Exactly and I can almost guarantee that canelo paid Kovalev because he wanted to go for they FOTD too... that was his best shot at it, to add a 4th division in his resume

[DaNeutral.]

This is ridiculous. Hearn and DAZN has ggg and Andrade signed and you blame pbc that canelo can’t get a fight?

Smith and Smith, DAZN guys reject offers and you blame Plant, a pbc guy that hasn’t received an offer yet.

At some point dude be a boxing fan and hold your fellow Brit accountable for not giving you the best fight possible for the cash cow of the sport.

If not, at least hold Hearn accountable for rejecting the Callum offer. When you thought haymon rejected offers you killed him.

Saunders and Smith are looking for a better deal, both have said they want the fight. Plant has straight up ruled himself out.

[rickJen]

I don’t watch boxing for free.

If it’s not sustainable, that’s too bad.

They probably shouldn’t have set the market rate for a Canelo opponent at such a high mark then.

I’m not going to root for Canelo’s next opponent to get screwed over because it might hurt GBP, DAZN or is. We don’t know that it will.

So how much do you pay per year?

Will you be paying for the Wilder/Fury fight?

Do you know why it's on PPV and the price is that much?

[RJJ-94-02=GOAT]

I think they’re in a stronger position than they’re being credited for.

Acceptable opponents for Canelo are:

Charlo (negotiations fell apart), Murata (negotiations fell apart), Andrade (Canelo has avoided him for 10 years), GGG (Canelo refuses to fight him), Plant (says he won’t fight Canelo next), Benavidez (haven’t heard anything about him being considered at all), Bivol (175 has been ruled out for the next fight and likely the future as Canelo has vacated), Beterbiev (see Bivol), Smith and Saunders.

That’s a list of 10 people and almost all of them have been crossed off for one reason or another.

Canelo can literally fight anyone though... if he fought Munguia would that really affect his finances compared to fighting Smith/BJS?

Us real fans would care cause we wanna see better matchups than that but the casuals won’t really care who he fights. Smith and Saunders are just names on a long list of potential opponents. They have very little bargaining power.

[maguirre]

So how much do you pay per year?

Will you be paying for the Wilder/Fury fight?

Do you know why it's on PPV and the price is that much?

No way anyone can see the Wilder-Fury fight other than steal it.

It's on PPV because fighters have to be paid in millions and millions of dollars.

I think the guy is operating on the assumption that money simply grows on trees. That people who invest their money on entertainment do it purely out the generosity of their hearts. We as consumers don't have to pay for it as if movies, for example, were produced to simply to entertain people and moviegoers get free passes to see them.