"Showtime's Super Six World Boxing Classic semifinal dates have been set, although neither bout has a set site yet. Andre Ward is due to defend his super middleweight title against Arthur Abraham on May 14, although Abraham is first taking an interim bout outside the confines of the tournament Feb. 12. In the second semifinal on May 21, Carl Froch defends his version of the 168-pound title against Glen Johnson. The winners are due to meet later in 2011 to bring to a conclusion the tournament that began in October 2009. Both fights are supposed to take place in the United States, but DiBella, Johnson's co-promoter, said they will consider going to Froch's native England for the right money. He said Mick Hennessy, Froch's promoter, is lobbying for the fight to be in England." -ESPN.com Both semis in America? How is that fair? "Would go to England for the right money"? Would Ward go to ****in Germany for the right money??????? I'm sure Sauerland is very excited to have Abraham fight Ward in the USA. :huh
+1 No issue claiming the Bell Centre would be full for such a double-header. I wonder how much revenues they could scramble separately, between say Oakland and Nottingham. :think The Ward fight will probably end up being held in LA.
The initital agreement among the promotors was (among other things): 1: Ward was to fight all his groupstage fights in Oakland. 2: The semifinals and final was to be staged in the US. I'm sure that part 1 was needed to get Ward into the tournament. Part 2 was likely a demand from the major sponsor of the supersix american network Showtime. If any of the involved promotors don't like it, well they shoudn't have signed to participate. Simple as that. It has nothing to do with fairness. It's just the way the cards was dealt.
This. Also, Ward has been absolutely dominant in his two group stage wins. He's either dominating Abraham too or Abraham's knocking him out, there's no middle ground because Abraham is too passive/inactive durign a fight to win a decision. Hometown won't factor in the outcome.
Abraham has every right to pull out if this is in Oakland, I hope he does. This only fighting at home **** is nonsense.
Dirrell first wanted Vegas(judging by his comments during Ward-Green), then Detroit. Ward wanted Oakland, and they never signed a contract, and then **** hit the fan and Dirrell dropped out. Bika-Ward wasn't in the Super Six, and was merely there to keep Ward in line with the other fighters(don't want the Germans screaming he got a free rest or some ****) and also to provide an American Handcuff to Froch-Abraham. Have the fight in Vancouver, Canada then. Also, Nobody has gotten dicked in Oakland because Ward has solidly won every single fight. Kessler got **** stomped, whether it was there or Vegas or the core of the Sun. Green got mauled. Bika got out worked. Were the some of the score cards way to wide, yes. Were they wrong. No.
Every other fighter has had to travel, and Ward should too. It really isn't fair to those involved that Ward has been able to stay home the entire time. Furthermore, even with the losses, Abraham is the bigger draw, therefore it makes sense to hold the fight in Germany.
Do you think the cards in Germany would well reflect say, a fight in which Ward wins 10 rounds (of which most are close ones due to AA not being as bad an in-fighter as some ESBers think) by giving Ward a wide UD? Naaaah, in that kind of scenario Ward or AA wins an SD. It's Sauerland territory. :deal