Chris Mannix: HBO may be interested in Klitschko-Jennings

Too soon. Way too soon.

 

Comes down to wich brother.
Wladimir is a big no no. Vitali is another story.

 

When you get your shot you take your shot!

 

Please, let Wladimir face Jennings.

Yes, Jennings may improve and accumulate more wins to make the match more meaningful down the line, but nobody else is willing to fight him and Jennings probably is the best option available, as Povetkin won't dance for some time, haven't really heard a peep out of Pulev, and the other "touted prospects" in Fury, Price, and Wilder have no intention.

I would like this fight. I wonder what the plan would be? Show it live than also on tape delay as an opener to a card, as they did with Vitali/Charr?

 

May 4th
Wladair Vs. Jenning
Trout Vs. Canelo
Mayweather Vs. Guerrero

 

:deal

 

HBO needs to put Wladimir back on TV. Despite the slow rounds, the KO is a winner with the public. Wlad may jab someone to near death but that left hook or right hand he lands.... people throw money at that.

 

X 2, well said. I agree. Bottom line is HW's sell and is the most publicized division in history.

A lot of the market are potential casuals who are more likely to be enticed by a "heavyweight championship" than a "IBF/WBO unification junior welterweight match," for example.

And, a lot of the aging audience I'm guessing and I somewhat know, aren't exactly turned on by most of the fighters and the bravado, tats, jewelry, etc. The Klitschko's are the opposite of that.

Perhaps there could have been better match making if HBO had been willing to throw down on them more rather than abandon them. I mean straight up just off the top of my head, probably going to sound dumb but off the top of my head HBO could have thrown down for the recent run of Vitali to retirement. Keep most of the fights in Europe but play the "Max Schmeling said you must conquer America, you know this! I've heard you say it in your documentary." angle on him and do New York, old school MSG, somehow try to market that as a HW scene. Rather than a lot of pointless one siders HBO has shown over the years and horrible overpaying for shitty fights with essentially prospects, create a HW scene by throwing them on the undercards. Someone would emerge. Not what they did with Chris Arreola. Get a bunch of Arreola's and throw them at each other relentlessly, that's how you create a worthy opponent, not even an opponent but HW's used to be and are still talked about nearly as much as any division, good or mostly bad nowadays. The HW division is perhaps the worst now because their top 30 guys hardly ever, ever fight. Less so than other divisions. But you can't tell me that they could not make good HW fights had they made some more consistent decisions and not been bossed around years back, for the amount of money they've shed on shitty fights, for example, a lot of Berto fights and totally skipable ones like Pavlik/Locket and **** like that.

 

Don't kid yourselves. when push comes to shove Jennings will not take the fight. Then all the douche-bags who do not give a crap about Jennings will start crying their K2 "slave contract" garbage again. like the predictable parrots they are.

I assume this fight will be in Germany and now apparently early May? You could hold that outdoors in a soccer stadium at that time of year. Unfortunately the best choice of opponent (Povetkin) apparently wants nothing to do with the fight.

 

Sure; That would be great in an ideal World. In the interim, please forgive me if I do not hold my breath...

 

The problem for HBO is, they want to promote a USA champion. Or at least a contender. Wladimir ALMOST appealed to the public when he started dating Hayden. (No Joke) - His style held him back but his KOs kept people coming back.

I'll never forget the buzz he created after laying Brock out.... people ate that **** up.


I can't blame them for dropping Wlad but I disagree with it. They basically want Wlad with Vitali's persona. Wlad was instilled by Steward to fight smart and safe, and you'll find the KO.

I'd really like to see how Wlad adjust after Stewards passing.

No joke, I've been out of the mix for a bit, how tenative was he in his last fight?

Possibly he may open up more as time goes on?

 

He beat the living dog**** out of Wach. Threw a ton of punches, landed a lot. No tentativeness. Power straights and Wach hardly flinched.

Wlad got hit by one shot at the very end of one of the middle rounds, 6 or 7 I think. I mean, he was not even slightly stunned, but it was a decent shot and he quite literally never takes those shots. Wach missed with the whole follow up flurry, but that was his one highlight in addition to showcasing that night one of the best chins a Klitschko opponent has ever shown. The size wasn't anything either. Klitschko fought and looked noticeably taller than Wach.

 

You're kind of re-writing history, there.

Wladdy opened up a LITTLE, but only maybe 3 or 4 times during the fight. It was still a dismal performance, just that coming from Wlad it seemed amazingly aggressive.

I'm not complaining, exactly, but you make it sound like Wlad has suddenly become some kind of offensive monster, which is very far from true.