Bute doesn't need to prove **** to Ward. And out of all the Super Six guys Ward has probably had the easiest schedule (Bika, Green, Abraham coming off two losses...). And how does Bute prove he is on Ward's level? Showtime won't let him fight Froch and Kessler doesn't want to know.
Have to agree, if not Froch then who can Bute fight if Ward doesn't want him. Did Showtime turn Froch-Bute down because of the two fight deal? Or just they dont want to see the fight.
They want an America allegedly (this is all coming from Eddie Hearn, Bute's team haven't said anything).
Ward has had a very tough scheduale IMO. Kessler, Green (****), Bika (awkward), Abe, and Froch. In the same time frame, Bute has got his revenge on Andrade (who probably knocked him out in the first fight), Miranda, Jesse Brinkley, Magee and Mendy. The golf in opposition is huge. Like i said, I want to see the fight, but i feel Bute has beat a top tier opponent. How does he do that? It is extremely difficult for him when Showtime pull this ****. I wouldnt be heartbroken with a Hopkins, Pascal or even a Dirrell fight. But i dont think any of these names are better than Froch at 168. I wouldnt see the logic at Showtime rejecting Froch, but accepting Dirrell
But what do you all think is the real reason? They accepted Bute vs Johnson and all the other garbage he has been fighting. Maybe they want to wash their hands of Froch?
It's a difficult situation for any FW fighter to fight a fellow Brit with a rival promoter who has ties with Sky. What channel would Froch-Clev be on for a start?? Froch-Kessler would be a good rematch. As for Showtime, they obviously would love Ward-Bute but in terms of the wider public, Bute is only big in Montreal and Ward isn't very big anywhere even though he's a tremendous fighter. Difficult to see the two sides meeting anywhere near the middle especially with Goossen involved. It was only because it was the Super Six final and Ward was contracted to it that they got him to travel elsewhere within his own country.
Perhaps, but i doubt it. Maybe they really are pushing Ward to fight Bute. Perhaps it will be hard for them to market a Froch fight as he just lost. Or perhaps they dont want anyone ****ing up their plan of a Ward - Bute fight, and Froch just may do that
I'd be shocked if they didn't specify that the winner of the Super Six has to have his next x amount of fights on Showtime. Bit of a random question along similar lines, now that Hershman has gone to HBO would they hypothetically ever have Andre Dirrell back on there? I know he pissed them off a few years back, but the situation might have changed with the new man in charge.
If we want to get all conspiracy theorist-y the new guy at Showtime used to work for GBP. They might be pushing Bute into a Hopkins fights cos there's not really a lot out there for either guy. And honestly IMO Bute would handle Froch quite comfortably and that'd make a rematch an almost impossible sell. Bernard doesn't want to fight Dawson again and he's not going to fight one of the young guns coming up. So Bute might be ideal for him. Same with Lucian, Pavlik turned the fight down, Ward doesn't want it atm, Froch has being turned down and Kessler's fighting Stieglitz so Hopkins makes sense. The only other opponent I can think of is Dirrell but that twat shouldn't get a big fight after the **** he pulled with the Super Six. Honestly, I'm not too fussed if we don't immediately get Bute/Ward but they should really be looking to make it by the end of the year. I think Ward might be fighting the other Dirrell brother next as he's the WBC mando. Not a great fight but not bad as well.
If the new head honcho at Showtime used to work for GBP he's obviously going to favour them.... their relationship with HBO is bound to tail off with Greenburg being axed and Herschman coming in. It might be that they are looking to keep things in house from here-on, there's plenty of interesting matchups that they can make without having to involve Froch and Kessler. I think both guys will find themselves on the outer unless they can grab a couple of titles and elevate themselves into a strong position.
How the **** can they force Ward to face Bute when he already said Bute ain't worthy enough to step in a ring with him ?