HBO screwed over Kovalev and the fight with Stevenson

Discussion in 'World Boxing Forum' started by HellSpawn86, Apr 1, 2014.


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  1. HellSpawn86

    HellSpawn86 "My heart goes out to you!" Full Member

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    http://sports.yahoo.com/news/will-s...-the-company-failed-him-064820262-boxing.html

    When HBO lost Floyd Mayweather Jr. to Showtime in 2013, its public relations team furiously worked the phones doing damage control. They tried to convince skeptical boxing writers that they'd funnel more money into network newcomers like Stevenson and Kovalev.


    One source told Yahoo Sports earlier in the week that Showtime paid nearly 40 percent more than HBO had agreed to pay Stevenson.


    The question that no one at HBO can answer is at what cost the savings came. HBO lost Mayweather, who went on in his second fight on Showtime to sell 2.2 million in pay-per-view against Canelo Alvarez, another fighter who came up on HBO.


    After losing Mayweather, HBO made the decision to no longer do business with Golden Boy Promotions, which led Showtime to have arguably the best year in its history. Many of the fighters who competed in the compelling Showtime bouts in 2013 were men such as Keith Thurman, Adrien Broner and Danny Garcia – fighters who debuted on and competed regularly for HBO.


    And then, the final stroke was refusing to pay the nearly 40 percent extra to match Showtime's offer to Stevenson. Instead of biting the bullet and locking up a guy who was going to be a cornerstone fighter for it, HBO went the cheap route and passed.


    That leaves Kovalev without a compelling opponent in both the short and long term.
     
    HellSpawn86, Apr 1, 2014
    HellSpawn86, Apr 1, 2014
    #1
  2. HellSpawn86

    HellSpawn86 "My heart goes out to you!" Full Member

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    http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/boxin...ars-adonis-stevenson-next-195631235--box.html

    Showtime Sports' executive vice president and general manager Stephen Espinoza said the deal is for the Fonfara fight, but added, "There is a structure which allows us to continue for multiple fights beyond that."

    Showtime has IBF light heavyweight champion Bernard Hopkins facing WBA champion Beibut Shumenov on April 19 in Washington, D.C. If Hopkins beats Shumenov in that bout, Showtime would likely then pit him with Stevenson. Hopkins told Yahoo Sports last year he had great interest in facing Stevenson.

    "Both Adonis and Bernard have business they need to take care of, but, yes, that is a fight we would be interested in doing," Espinoza said.
     
    HellSpawn86, Apr 1, 2014
    HellSpawn86, Apr 1, 2014
    #2
  3. purephase

    purephase Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Those inclined to blame Stevenson alone will cite articles which say that HBO would have matched the 40% if he had locked in for the Kovalev fight as well. That's fine, but it's also perfectly fine for Stevenson and Haymon to not want to lock themselves in for the long-term. Showtime retaining matching rights is a better deal than HBO deeming that they'll have no competition for carrying Stevenson's next fight and he'll have no choice of opponent either.
     
    purephase, Apr 1, 2014
    purephase, Apr 1, 2014
    #3
  4. Farmboxer

    Farmboxer VIP Member Full Member

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    Stevenson left HBO because he did not want to fight Kovalev..............
     
    Farmboxer, Apr 1, 2014
    Farmboxer, Apr 1, 2014
    #4
  5. Ol' Bub

    Ol' Bub Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    HBO pays the extra 40% without confirmation that Stevenson fights Kovalev
    Stevenson KO's Fonfara on HBO
    Stevenson f*cks off to Showtime because he never had any intention of fighting Kovalev

    Why is this so hard for some people to understand?
     
    Ol' Bub, Apr 1, 2014
    Ol' Bub, Apr 1, 2014
    #5
  6. robert80

    robert80 Boxing Addict banned

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    HBO, did not match the showtime offers to either floyd or adonis, but yet these guys are cowards? Ever heard of the free market folks!!
     
    robert80, Apr 1, 2014
    robert80, Apr 1, 2014
    #6
  7. RSBonos

    RSBonos Boxing Addict Full Member

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    So HBO didn't want to massively overpay for a mismatch (Fonfara) without a guarantee for the Kovalev fight. Sounds like good business to me.
     
    RSBonos, Apr 1, 2014
    RSBonos, Apr 1, 2014
    #7
  8. Koba

    Koba Whimsical Inactivisist Full Member

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    Why would HBO want to overpay for Stevenson vs Fonfara? Both the Haymon signing and Adonis' own comments made it perfectly clear the direction he was going to take...if he was going to SHO anyway (which sems like pretty much a dead cert) how stupid would it be to waste the Stevenson - Fonfara budget just to build Stevenson up for SHO to make even more outa him?

    Also the lead article presents the case misleadingly, suggesting that paying the 40% extra would somehow 'lock' Stevenson in, when of course it'd do nothing of the sort since Stevenson wouldn't sign for the two fight deal. All it would achieve would be draining the coffers for what is no more than a stay busy fight. Some deft moving by Haymon and SHO - sucks as a boxing fan though.
     
    Koba, Apr 1, 2014
    Koba, Apr 1, 2014
    #8
  9. The Mongoose

    The Mongoose I honor my bets banned

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    Everytime I come to these **** threads it seems there's Stevenston fans high fiving each other. Why the hell do you not want to see this fight happen?
     
    The Mongoose, Apr 1, 2014
    The Mongoose, Apr 1, 2014
    #9
  10. Gambino

    Gambino Member Full Member

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    Who wouldnt go elsewhere to do the same job for 40% more
    Money? Get the **** off your high horse. Seriously!
     
    Gambino, Apr 1, 2014
    Gambino, Apr 1, 2014
    #10
  11. janeschicken

    janeschicken hard work! deadicayshin! Full Member

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    :deal
     
    janeschicken, Apr 1, 2014
    janeschicken, Apr 1, 2014
    #11
  12. damian38

    damian38 BigDramaShow Full Member

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    poor Kovalev, he's a victim of his own reign of terror, first he chased Cleverly to cruiserweight, now he's chased Stevenson to Showtime, who necks?
     
    damian38, Apr 1, 2014
    damian38, Apr 1, 2014
    #12
  13. janeschicken

    janeschicken hard work! deadicayshin! Full Member

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    Kovalev, Golovkin and Provodnikov are the most avoided fighters in the game right now.
     
    janeschicken, Apr 1, 2014
    janeschicken, Apr 1, 2014
    #13
  14. Staminakills

    Staminakills Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    how could anyone put prov in with beasts like kov and ggg. they are avoided, prov egts fights all the time but comes up short all the time except for the alv fights...

    the alv fight was his best win by miles, alv took beatings in the bam bam fights which hurt him pretty damn bad. he gets to fight jmm because jmm is wicked old and done and alv is a beaten guy. jmm thinks he will beat mike but i doubt it. 41 yr old thats been in wars against a bigger guy that hits harder. bad bad fight for the washed up jmm
     
    Staminakills, Apr 1, 2014
    Staminakills, Apr 1, 2014
    #14
  15. drozzy

    drozzy AERE Full Member

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    Isn't this what Ward did for the Rodriguez fight? 3M fee, are you fukkin kidding me? For Rodriguez? Edwin Rodriguez? Jesus fukkin Christ.

    On top of that Ward fought in front of 6K in Oakland, whereas Stevenson will bring in 10 to 14K for his next fight - and 20K for Hopkins.
     
    drozzy, Apr 1, 2014
    drozzy, Apr 1, 2014
    #15
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