This content is protected The World Boxing Classic was the brainchild of Sr. Vice President of Showtime Sports, Ken Hershman, has said in the past that Bute was "not invited to participate" in tournament without elaborating as to why.
"We were never presented a proposal from Showtime. Bute would have happily entered the tournament," said Majeski. "How is Jermain Taylor in? He has lost three of his last four. What have Dirrell or Ward ever done?
Rumors are that Ward would have refused to fight in tournament if Bute had been allowed in, not to mention Ward's getting all of his fights in his home town. Dirrell had threatened to pull out if the fight was not in his home town, so it appears that Ward got his way and Dirrell pulled out?! Those were the rumors.
Actually Detroit. Dirrell had faked an injury to get fight in Detroit in his last fight. As far as anyone knew, Dirrell did not have a concussion from his last fight. What was his injury? Who knows?
"We were This content is protected This content is protected (NOT AN OFFER) from Showtime. Bute would have happily entered the tournament," said Majeski. "How is Jermain Taylor in? He has lost three of his last four. What have Dirrell or Ward ever done? [url]http://www.examiner.com/boxing-in-dallas/showtime-tournament-already-flawed[/url] "IBF champion) Lucien Bute was not invited (to participate). He's a great champion but this tournament works. Not one promoter or fighter objected to the first-round draw. They all said ‘put me in front of anyone.’ Each promoter feels their guy is ready to take this tournament.’ [url]http://www.eastsideboxing.com/news.php?p=20447&more=1[/url] The fight announcement comes just two days after Showtime formally unveiled plans for a super middleweight tournament that includes six of the top fighters in the 168-pound division, including titleholders Mikkel Kessler and Carl Froch, Jermain Taylor, Andre Ward, Andre Dirrell and Arthur Abraham, who vacated a middleweight title to move up in weight last week. Bute and Andrade, however, were not invited to participate despite strong resumes. [url]http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/boxing/news/story?id=4330348[/url] With three Europeans filling half the slots, SHOWTIME bowed to geography and American insularity and ignored the Romanian-born, Canadian citizen, opting instead for three U.S.-born fighters –ex-middleweight champion Jermain Taylor, Andre Dirrell and recently crowned WBA super middleweight title holder Andre Ward - to fill out the lineup. [url] [/url]
Spot on! Gary Shaw reminds me of the character Ed Norton played in Primal Fear: Play the neurological card for Dirrell and clap at the end when the lawyer figures out that he was the dog that the tail wagged. This neuro excuse is the death knell to boxing's funeral with the plug pulled. A fall back and punt excuse for a young upstart who was extremely lucid in his ringside commentary on Ward v. Green, yeah okay. Boxing is now to be discussed in a posthumous state. Good while it lasted old girl, I'll miss you! :-(
only way to save this tourney is a huge offer to tempt calzaghe out of retirement for a fight with ward
Andrade , Pavlik , Bika , Stieglitz could be put against Ward ...but i just don't want to see the 3rd group stage anymore.
I know a lot of people on here aren't fond of Dirrell but I really don't see what he has to gain from pulling out of a fight with Ward. It would have been a massive payday and a shot at a world title. It's not like Ward is a concussive puncher either so I doubt he'd fake a brain injury if he was worried about getting a 'legit' one from the fight. I didn't even think he was much of an underdog either tbh, it was a 50-50 fight. People might point to them being friends but I doubt they'd sign up to fight each other in the first place if they were that worried about it
I'm a cynical ******* but I kind of believe this Being labelled neurologically damaged is not going to do much for a fighters marketability or career prospects.