The Heavyweight Champion of the World is Fighting Tonight

:nut What? It was a huge fight dude, golota was even the betting favourite i think. He was regarded by many as the best heavyweight out there after those 2 fights with bowe. DOnt make **** up

 

The Wlad-Peter fight is a credible title match. Of course we want either a career-defining fight for Wlad or something else that will cause a huge buzz, but it is at least as good as the vast majority of heavyweight title matchups during the last forty years.

 

Agreed. It was a big enough fight to be on pay per view in the States and Lennox was not a popular fighter in America. He only made it on pay per view when he had a big named attached to him. So, you're right...it was a big fight.

 

As a big boxing fan that follows the heavyweight division closely, I would love to see the Wlad/Peter fight live on HBO. Not on ESPN deportes, where Im forced to listen to it in spanish. Thats one time I would take Kellerman's gay voice instead.

That being said, you can't blame HBO. The numbers don't lie, Wlad and Vitali do low numbers for HBO when they fight. Vitali has done a little better than Wlad. His fight with Arreola did good numbers, but that's only because of the high latino population in the states watching the fight. Vitali's name made little to no difference, just the fact he had a title and his fans were hopping to see their fighter become the first latino heavyweight champ.

 

Really? Here's what Finkel is saying about the numbers:

If you put the Klitschkos up on HBO with popular, credible US contenders then they do decent numbers. Unfortunately, over the last couple years there are no US based HWs that fit that description. Can't really blame the Klits for that.

When they put Lennox in the ring up on HBO beating up unknown, medicre contenders like Mavrovich how well did that do compared to his fights with Holyfield and Tyson?

 

If you read my post before, I said Vitali did good numbers when he fought Arreola and gave the reason why he did so well numbers wise. He was fighting an exciting latino heavyweight, their are alot of latino's in america. Thats why the fight did good numbers for HBO.

Wlad/Peter was back in sept of 05, since then he's created very little buzz in the states. Thats why him and his brother rarely ever fight on HBO, and are reduced to having their matches shown on ESPN or the internet, and sometimes not at all. Face it, they are unpopular heavyweight champs outside of Europe.

 

Where's the evidence? I'm not suggesting that they do great numbers. But I have never heard anyone from HBO come out and say that they were losing money on their fights. Perhaps there are more profitable alternative...that's fine. But you can't sit there and tell me that you know that they are losing money on their fights, because you don't. If you have some applicable numbers, please share them with the group....I'm not daring you here. I'm just saying that I've never seen them.

 

I remember a poster posting the numbers Wlad did when he fought Chagaev on espn, as well as Vitali's numbers the following week when he fought Gomez. They were pretty bad to say the least.

I will search for the numbers as you requested, but the proof is in the pudding. If HBO knew they could make money on the Klits, they would. Before the Iggy, they used to show every Wlad fight. Now they don't. It's like that fight was the last straw. As a boxing fan, I love being able to watch Wlad and Vitali fight, but from a business stand-point I understand why they're fights are not shown on tv much anymore.

 

THis is correct.

If it were seen as a competitive heavyweight fight, it would have generated more insterest. But Wlad is having to recycle beaten opponents, given that he's already taken them all down, and is has to pick over the remnants in order to stay active and keep his mandatories met.

 

It's not regarded as an overly competitive fight based on Peter's weak performances, really. It's also just that any fight other than Klitschko vs. Haye underwhelms.

 

No, I'm not saying that they make a lot of money. But the popular theory that they are unpopular in America is just that, a popular, unsupported theory. The truth is that we don't know how good their rating are. In my opinion, HBO doesn't air their bouts for one simple reason: it's more expensive to produce a bout overseas. If they lived and fought in America their fights would be shown.

 

Well, that's simple. HBO had a 6 or 7 fight deal that ended before the Chageav fight. Hence, no more Wlad. Again, I'm sure they weren't making a profit. You don't 86 a fighter when you're making a profit. But my guess is that the only reason they weren't making a profit is because of overseas expenses. It's the same reason why they aren't showing David Haye fights. They'll only show these fighters if they agree to come to America and fight who they want them to fight.

 

That is an interesting point, though most of Wlad and Vitali fights are fought in Germany. That didn't stop HBO before. The tape delays kinda suck, but I could live with it.

Ask the average american who Wlad Klitschko is. You will often times get one of two answers, "I have no clue" or "Isn't that the tall guy that dates Hayden Panettiere?" Outside of boxing fans, Wlad or his brother is not that well known in the states. They are far from the global figures Tyson and Holyfield were during the 80's and 90's.

 

In my opinion the dull atmosphere is a total reflection of Wlad's dull reign as champ.

 

Ross Greenburg doesnt like Eastern Euro's!