No problem with the second line at all I totally acknowledge Eddie has created a PPV fighter in Whyte He knows his audience And i know how business works Being a big Wrestling fan in my teens taught me that yes the best talent doesn't always make the most (Hulk Hogan) And that translates to the entertainment industry, no need to educate me I personally cant understand why Whytes popular, he is a horrible man with limited talent I must admit however he has made tremendous improvements since the AJ loss But Whytes demands now are a bit over the top Where else he gonna go? Warren? Nope not if he wants PPV loot PBC? Possibly but can't see them paying him what he demands esp in the USA Same goes with Top Rank
So if he's in a 'where does he go' scenario why not make the most of his opportunity and try to earn as much as he can? You say you know how business works. What's the issue for Whyte here? That nobody is going to buy it? And if that happens, they drop the price or he's not PPV at all. Simple supply and demand. Where is he going to go? Why does he need to think about going anywhere - he's doing well and selling well as it stands. Not sure I get your point.
Tony, all of the above is possible as Hearn allows it in regards to Whytes demands yes? What would Whyte do if Eddie said no? Im aware Eddie is making a chunk off him right now so yes is easy to say by the way Im just curious what you think Whyte would do if he said no
I’m looking forward to whytes future, he’s come on since the AJ loss, ok he’s not exactly stopping every opponent put in front of him but these are world class fighters so it’s expected. I think he could beat AJ in a rematch. I don’t see him beating fury but I see him having very close fights with the likes of wilder, Ruiz and usyk right now I hope him leaving tibbs was a good move good luck to him!
Music is a lot more subjective than what constitutes the peak of a sport.. The step up from Bellew's best win at cruiserweight to Usyk was grand canyon sized. Had Bellew entered the cruiser WBSS like he should (and which was bloody brilliant), the chances are he doesn't make it out of the quarters. And he definitely would've been smashed by anyone in the semis. Dorticos, Breidis and Gassiev all dismantle him. And for the record had he entered that tournament I'd have been behind him 100%. It was only since the Haye circus fights that I went off him (was a huge fan of his at LHW).
But the entire point I'm making is that the peak of a sport in terms of talent and the peak in terms of popularity are not the same. Sometimes they are, but on so many occasions the biggest ticket seller and the best boxer aren't the same person. A fight which people have long deemed one which got away in British boxing was of course Hatton v Witter. Many saw Witter as the worst type of opponent for Ricky and whilst in all probability more experts (so to say) were picking Hatton, there was enough debate to make it a serious discussion. But there the similarities end, because Hatton was selling out a football stadium against someone nobody knew, whilst Witter was a face in the crowd barely know outside boxing circles, despite both being domestic world champions in the same weight division and about level par in terms of talent. Is that fair? That's not really the question. The question which always comes back about this discussion is that if enough people don't want to buy it, PPV will fail. But seriously - hundreds of thousands buy it, and this forum is about the same few dozen or so moaning about it. It's not reflective of the wider world to be honest.
PPV changes everything, certainly helping boxing become a niche sport. I can't say I'm the most well-versed with Cooper's history, but I find it hard to believe Whyte is a modern-day version. And regardless it certainly doesn't justify charging £20 for fights like Whyte vs Rivas. And it also doesn't mean boxing fans should shrug our shoulders and let this stuff slide. Hearn said himself he was on the fence with Haye vs Bellew, effectively said he wasn't sure they'd get away with it. That was a particular low point, but I'm sure he'd go lower if he could.
It will be more than a few dozen who aren't happy with these PPVs. A lot of the time sports gain popularity by word of mouth, individual boxers and even PPV events will be hugely influenced by how word spreads. I talk to people about boxing all the time, maybe I'll speak to 20 'casual' fans about the Whyte fight over a few months, guys who know how much I get into it. No doubt I'll tell them a few facts and how it doesn't warrant being on PPV. Those 20 fans might each talk to 10 other people themselves having taken on board what I've said, some will prob ignore it, some not. There'll be thousands of people who think similar, and there'll be a ripple effect. On the other side you'll have Eddie Hearn spinning it all the best he can (along with PR staff who themselves will get creative). The final PPV buys will reflect the public mood at the time. Of course to you, as long as it makes Eddie Hearn money then it's all good. Doesn't mean people who care a bit more about boxing won't try to offer a bit of balance and keep things honest. And that will have more of an effect than you seem to think.
You're acting like it's brand new. It's been in Britain for a quarter of a century and abroad for a lot longer than that. It's not going away unless people stop paying for it. It lives or dies on sales. Bellew Haye may be your particular nadir but it sold an absolutely massive amount.
Whyte looks a modern day Matt Skelton - one undercard fight with Dull Boy Pakora and deemed a PPV Star for life.
What do you mean 'care more about boxing?' Just sounds like the same old tired nonsense from people moaning because they want everything cheaper. They could sell this at ten quid a pop and the same people would still moan. I know you want to pretend you're somehow 'better' than the people who buy these fights, but nobody really cares. You can pretend it's having some terrible effect on the sport but it's been around for donkeys and the figures recently are through the roof. Boxing is booming in the UK and in far healthier shape than it was twenty years ago.
To be fair, you do. It's just the way the sport is promoted. Same thing applies in boxing; the best don't necessarily get the coverage, but the more flamboyant? They're certainly pushed to the front so to speak. Hence why Ben Stokes smashing sixes all over the park is going to be pushed as the face of English cricket ahead of Dom Sibley quietly picking up a higher batting average. I'm also not sure you've really clarified why you think some of these fights are bad for the sport. Example - Haye Bellew I. A fight you presumably viewed as a disgrace. It did massive numbers. The rematch did even more. So if the first fight was a joke/bad for boxing/ruining the sport, in real terms with regard to people watching it, it did the business. You seem to have a very real problem with Hearn being a good promoter. It's literally his job to do the best business he can for the people he promotes, and sell as many viewers/tickets as he can.
It was a con. The fight did massive numbers because they mislead the public into thinking it was a competitive fight. One of the fighters only had one leg ffs.
