Predictable: Kovalev vs Stevenson won't happen.

You are absolutely spinning. The 50-50 isn't a concession by HBO at all, as that's hammered out between promoters anyway and was already agreed to as the split for whoever won the purse bid. Why would HBO even give a **** about the split; it's the total license fee for the fight that's most relevant to them and something they evidently didn't want to compete over.

The fact that you are using "this sport is a business" as a valid excuse for Duva/Kovalev/HBO further demonstrates the spin here, particularly since you can't help but chastise Stevenson for what happened last year out of the other side of your mouth. Here are two facts: Stevenson objectively made a lot more money fighting Fonfara on Showtime than he would have on HBO. Kovalev objectively will make less money fighting whichever non-Stevenson opponent Duva will line up for him on a network which won't have to compete for his services. Which of these sounds like a better deal to you? Why are Main Events granted all of this nuance as an excuse for their actions, yet Stevenson taking a deal which actually made him more money (and not less, as Duva is doing here) not given anywhere near the same leeway?

 

What are you talking about I have twice posted "that the situation sucks for both fighters" and that "Duva bluffed or grandstanded" the fact that I also point out that Stevenson reneged on his verbal commitment last year isn't chastising and making excuses for one side over the other. It's called being objective. Stop cherry picking my statements out of context to suit your agenda. Stop being so sensitive.
Here again: HBO was wrong to pull this stunt.
Duva was wrong to request the mandatory if she couldn't or wouldn't deliver the goods.
Stevenson was wrong last year to pull out of his agreement with the network.
I can understand Duva signing an extension to her asset.
Stevenson should still consider going to HbO to fight Kovalev IMO because he is older and will earn less against any other opponent. The same may be true of Kovalev but IMO he has a stronger marketability and earning potential. As for the 50/50 purse split it's a concession for the fighter and his team. Not the network.

 

Kovalev will earn less against any other opponent too, probably to a greater degree given HBO and Main Events' disinterest in even going to bid for him. Glad you agree though the 50/50 deal isn't in fact a concession by HBO at all and so makes no difference.

 

The fight will make about the same amount of money in the Quebec market than in HBO. And it is Stevenson's camp who is bringing that money, not Kovalev's. So HBO doesn't have that much leverage here.

 

Steveson can fight Pascal, Beterbiev, Alvarez, Bute and make quiet a bit of money from Quebec's market. HBO are making the fight difficult to get signed right now. It is not Kovalev's fault. But it is Kovalev's camp's fault.

 

Actually I see it the other way around.

If Stevensons team did this, they'd be derided high up and low down.

There wouldnt be nearly as many people trying to defend Stevenson as there are people defending Kovalevs team.

It brings up the issue that people want to ignore.

The HBO/Everyone else cold war is alive and well.

People talk about GGG-Quillin and talk about "ducking", but what network would it be on?

Same for a dozen other fights

 

the king of spin returns. shane warne has nothing on you.

the 2 situations are not ana|ogous. while i disagree with the actions of main events here (although 1 has to ask why purse bids were initiated before negotiations), when stevenson switched broadcasters it was to fight someone else. main events have made a counter offer. a significant difference, no surprise you've chosen to gloss over it.

 

revisionist nonsense! schaefer tried to buy oscar out of his own company!

 

In that same article Stevenson's promoter said that Duva should get HBO's offer and he would get PBC's offer and they should go with the higher offer.

With Duva signing Kovalev to HBO she can't do that now. PBC would bring the higher offer, just like she knew they'd win the purse bid.

The first time around Stevenson absolutely killed the fight and this time around Kovalev's team has done the same.

I get it that Duva is aligning herself with HBO, it's almost all that's left since Haymon took all the other channels with him.

She just looks really foolish pushing for the fight and then pulling out of it like this. She's probably made some negative comments(well deserved though) about Stevenson ruining the fight the first time and now she goes and does the same thing.

It sucks that such a good and important fight won't happen, atleast anytime soon, but its even worse because I'm a big fan of Kovalev and it was his team that's to blame this time.

 

I think duva just made a ***** of promoting kovalev, apparently he was getting fairly little for some decent fights and now he's copping on that he should be getting a bit more .this just coincided with steveaons team wanting the fight and now I'm sure duva wants to look out of kovalev a best interests but taking the fight probably would in the in the long run earn him more by being the man at 175. Duva probably wante this to happen but it just didn't work out.

 

whats nonsense? what does schaefer trying to buy oscar out have to do with anything i said?

golden boy was just fine with schaefer at the helm and al haymon there to help....they were doing just fine but oscar wanted to tinker and now his company is ****...they dont have much going for them

 

What rubbish. Duva and Kovalev signed an unnecessary contract extension with HBO after the Pascal knowing already he'd bene made the mandatory and knowing this decision would make the fight more difficult to take place. Their counter-offer would almost net both fighters significantly less money than Haymon winning the purse bid and is no different nor less disingenuous than Espinoza going "well if Kovalev wants the fight he can just come to Showtime" after Stevenson had jumped ship.

 

kovalev is ducking the fight!! if stevenson had done, people will be throwing **** at him!! pure hipocrites!

 

If Stevenson and his team are to be blamed, then he has to be stripped.

 

They absolutely aren't to be blamed and it's Kovalev's silver belt that he was paying sanctioning fees on for no reason now that's the belt most likely to be stripped.