Callum Smith has now recieved an offer to fight Billy Joe Saunders on BT Sport PPV

So do we all. Do we all want to see Smith vs. BJS of course we do. But just commenting on the reality of the situation. We won’t get the fights if the fighters aren’t paid correctly nothing about being a promoter it’s just reality.

Smith just made £6m and a million in his last two fights and now is expected to take the same to fight Saunders who just beat Isufi. There’s a reason the fight ain’t happening.... it’s not fan promoters. Pay the man a purse he wants to get in the ring and get his face punched for, the fight happens.

 

You’re completely wrong. Don’t forget I told every one about Canelo fielding before it was announced. Then I told everyone about Canelo Jacobs before it was announced. Hes agreed to fight Smith in the UK, May next year but I’m sure they were targeting Wembley. I don’t think anything has been signed yet but that’s the plan - from Canelo’s team not Smiths.

 

I don't understand your point here. It reads as though Smith should earn more because Saunder's last fight was against a no-mark, which doesn't really make sense to me. There's an argument that Smith should receive more because Saunders represents tougher opposition than his last two fights, but that isn't what you put.

I wasn't aware of the figures till you put them there, but if that's the case, £7million for two fights must make Smith one of the UKs highest earning boxers? Not been funny, but that's PPV fighter money. Smith has not proved that he is a bonafide PPV fighter - how many tickets does he even sell? Smith brothers aren't as widely supported as people make out. I bought nosebleeds for Saunders vs Lee (with L Smith vs Kelly Jr as chief support) and was moved to great seats at the bottom of the lower tier - the place wasn't even half full.

Fact of the matter is, both fighters have beaten similar level of opposition, are around the same level in support and both bring a belt to the table. 50/50 is fair. The winner will get more in the future.

 

If that is the case then fair enough. If he has some sort of agreement to face Canelo next year then not fighting Saunders now would not be a “stone cold duck” as I said previously.

However if that is the case then it’s a similar situation to Fury boxing some walkovers before Wilder next year but the Hearn fanatics have slated Fury for his “easy” opponents.

People need to apply the same energy to both instances.

Regardless I’m sceptical. I could see Canelo fighting Golovkin, Kovalev/Yarde, Ramirez, possibly even Saunders all before Smith.

 

People are contradicting themselves big time here. They keep saying that Saunders has no commercial value and that he fights in leisure centres and can’t sell tickets. Then they are arguing that Frank should make a bigger offer for a fight with Smith because it’s a big fight. Instead of skirting the issue just flat out concede that Smith ain’t taking it because it’s a very hard fight. If Isufi beat Saunders and was the champ Smith would 100% fight him for an easy belt for peanuts.

It’s also worth pointing out that the reason why Smith has been paid so highly in some of his recent fights is because the Groves fight was funded by the Saudis for the WBSS in a similar way to Khan-Dib most likely, and he earned good money against N’Dam because it was a Joshua PPV undercard and because DAZN overpay for everything. That’s all. Let’s not act like Smith has been the pure reason for these big purses. I am still sceptical he is a bigger name in Britain than Saunders.

 

Smith’s next fight is likely to be a relative no mark in Liverpool. Let’s see how well he sells that compared to Saunders in the capital with a much bigger catchment area with a strong undercard with Dubois etc at the copperbox. That will give us an indication who’s bringing what to the table.

 

Callum Smith isn't a bigger name than Saunders. Callums win over Groves barely got any coverage. Suddenly he is this superstar lol it is nonsense. Saunders is known for doing stupid **** but he is still more well known.

 

It’s not a true indicator because the Liverpool cards are always stacked with local fighters. I’d expect Liam Smith and Fowler to be on that for starters and probably Price if he gets through Allen quickly.

 

Liam and Callum won’t be on the same show unless it’s at Anfield/Wembley.

Fowler is fighting in August so won’t be ready for Smith’s first fight (if it’s in Liverpool, it might be in the US).

The copper box show will be stacked with local fighters too.

 

I’m not saying 50/50 isn’t fair. But I am saying 50/50 with a £1m guarantee makes no sense if you are Smith and would make the same money to fight the likes of Monroe Jr or triple that to fight the likes of Bivol or Direll and 10 times that for Canelo.

I think the argument neither are ticket sellers and the fact both have a belt one of which got given a belt the other is the Ring champ and went through WBSS to get it, is a weak argument when his value tells you he is being paid more despite not being a draw.

Let’s change the name of the boxers to sway away from bias toUsyk and Briedis. Usyk is reportedly getting $3m to fight on DAZN against Takam. We cannot prove he is a ticket seller as he fights away from home. Both guys bring 2 Cruiserweight belts to the table. Let’s say Briedis offers Usyk 50/50 with a £1m guarantee your his promoter do you two him to take that deal. Or fight on DAZN and Sky for better money against lesser opponent with the potential of cashing in big time on the AJ fight.

It’s the very close to being the same thing. Do I want to see the fight yes. Would Smith fight BJS for £3/4m yes. Do I understand why he wouldn’t fight for the offer on the table yes. Also do we know what BT PPV numbers have been like?

 

Why should Smith fight Saunders?

People don't want to touch Saunders with a barge pole because of his previous.

If Smith has any chance of a Canelo fight he should hold off and take that, if he can't get that try and fight Saunders at Anfield.

 

What previous is that? Failing a drug test? Canelo did the same thing. Getting injured and having to pull out? That happened to Groves with his shoulder and the date for the final took an age to be an announced.

Again say it like it is. They don’t want to touch Saunders with a barge pole because he is so damn good.

 

More to do with his history of pulling out fights.

See Andrade and Martin Murray.

 

Weak excuse. **** happens in boxing. And that hasn’t been cited as an excuse by Gallagher or Hearn.

 

It's not a choice between Smith fighting Canelo or BJS though is it, they aren't mutually exclusive. Why can't Smith fight BJS in September then Canelo in December?

We should either expect a counter offer from Hearn, or an opponent for Smith in September who's better the BJS.

Anything else is an inexcusable SWERVE!