ESPN FNF: Brian Vera vs. Donatas Bondorovas & Jackson Junior vs. Umberto Savigne RBR

It is different insofar that they'd love to set him up with the most legit guy they can find, but nobody good's stepping up.

 

This.

 

Well you've seen more Ishida than I have. I still think saying he gets KO'd within 2 rounds is wrong. I'd wager he makes it to at least the fifth round.

 

Who aside from Mosley was stepping up to face Berto when HBO was buying his bad fights? There were certainly good faith efforts to work with other names in the division, but those were turned down. And isn't it a bit more justifiable to buy bad fights featuring guys in or around the division with the biggest draws in the sport?

 

Stepping up to Berto?! Collazo was a step up, almost too far. You're not saying Berto was being avoided, hence his resume?

Again, with Haymon guys like Berto HBO had a lot less say with opponents. They've tried to match GGG with Macklin, Pirog, Rubio, others. Should they not feature him until someone good is willing to step up, and instead showcase the guys ducking him?

 

I can cite cases of big names at 147 turning down fights with Berto, but I'm hard pressed to think of any instances where Berto turned them down. A Collazo rematch is the only one most people suggest, and of course it's essentially impossible for any fighter promoted by Don King to be ducked in this day and age.

I'd say they should show good fights, particularly since that's their apparent new modus operandi now that the albatrosses that were Haymon and Golden Boy have finally been cast asunder. That or hold off on showcasing him and save the money from airing multiple mismatches to instead entice a worthwhile opponent to fight him. Buying a bad fight does not become a better decision in the absence of Haymon.

 

GGG is given a pass we all know why

 

What big names passed on Berto?

Would you also support keeping Mayweather, Wlad, Ward, Donaire, Martinez off TV unless they can find them more competitive opponents?

 

I have never seen it be okay to fight back to back 154 guys at 160, if this was a Haymon guy what would you say?

 

1. Ishida's last 4 fights were at middle.
2. This is a stay busy fight, 2.5 months after an HBO date, and 2.5 months before another
3. Any top middle was/is welcome to apply. So far only fringe guys like Ishida, Vera, Guerrero showed interest. Know any better guys that want it?

 

His last fight was Rosado? Vera would make better sense than Ishida, are you as kind to Canelo as he has tried to fight Ortiz, Cotto, Kirkland and Williams?

 

Cotto and Pacquiao for a start.

Well I think you can distinguish between cases where guys are already well-established draws, wherein it's at least somewhat understandable why fights are purchased regardless of quality, and those who aren't completely proven draws yet still get promised TBA dates regardless of quality anyway. This latter classification certainly could be applied to Martinez, Donaire, and Ward IMO and the recent promises made to such fighters is why I don't see the Hershman era as likely to be categorically different from his predecessor's (except with the names of the promoters benefitting from such preferential treatment).

Indeed, lest you think I'm being a hypocrite, Martinez's upcoming fight is perhaps the most telling case of this: HBO wouldn't even travel to Mexico or anywhere abroad for an extended period after the numerous production difficulties surrounding Angulo-Kirkland. Yet they'll travel to Argentina for Martinez taking on an opponent with the recognition and caliber of Martin Murray? Especially for a middleweight whose own A-side drawing power in the States remains obscure but who will nevertheless be looking for PPV-sized purses every time out when he fights there?

This isn't to say that this is the only way network decisions should be evaluated but I feel like people are somewhat inconsistent in their criticisms based on how much they like or dislike the fighters and promoters benefiting from them.

 

Ok whatever, so now he's supposed to fight Vera. How's that any better, he needed a sketchy ref job tonight against Bondas lol, and unlike Ishida he was near killed by Kirkland. Like you wouldnt give him **** for fighting Vera.

With Canelo, I gave him little props for most of his matchmaking till Trout. PWill was a risky pick, though coming off a beating. But Kirkland was known to be injured, Ortiz is a welter bum, and then stepping down to Lopez sealed the deal. There was a long queue of legit SWW wanting to fight him: Lara, Molina, Vanes, Rosado...

Come on, just own up, which GGG ducker are you supporting?

 

Gimme some sources on Pac and Cotto ducking Berto.

OK great that you're being consistent. I don't have a problem with Murray since it's a homecoming, and an "event" fight.

Now be constructive for a second. You have a guy you suspect is an elite talent, like the guys that got a chance and IYO are HBO material in uncompetitive fights. How's he gonna get the opportunities to prove his worth off HBO, when there's nobody willing to fight him on HBO? Also keep in mind all of his HBO fights so far were one sided in a fun way, that doesnt hurt.

 

I wouldn't use the duck word for either, but for the Pacquiao fight, it was reported that Berto asked for the least for the date he, Marquez, and Mosley were vying for. Sorry trying to find more substantive links on this, but Rafael had a tweet (now only referenced in forums including the Scene because of its age which said: "By the way, have been told @AndreBerto's team asked for $3.5 million plus PPV upside for the Pacquiao fight. Berto didn't price himself out."). Here's an article which quotes Arum as saying Berto's request was "reasonable" (http://www.examiner.com/article/mos...may-7-arum-offers-olive-branch-to-golden-boys). Marquez and Mosley both requested $5 million, and while one may expect Berto would request less, I also think that indicates a good faith effort at landing a fight against a bigger name.

The Cotto-Berto situation is more a case of he-said she-said since Arum had claimed that Berto was pricing himself out of the fight for months. The most concrete proposal I believe was for the 3/12/2010 date that was also discussed for Martinez-Cotto and ultimately resulted in the dueling Martinez-Dzinziruk and Cotto-Mayorga cards. Arum claimed Berto wanted 1.85 out of a $3 million HBO was willing to put up for it; DiBella said it was out of the total pot altogether. I'm more inclined to believe DiBella here since all parties agreed he had just made a reasonable offer for Pacquiao-Berto, but YMMV. This article has quotes from both: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/chris_mannix/01/21/mayorga-cotto/

Of course continuing to show him is not an unreasonable strategy, but if the only fights he can get are not the most compelling, don't pretend it's not a case of "building stars." And let me be clear: neither of his fights on HBO thus have been really objectionable. The first was somewhat significant, and despite the obscureness of the fighters involved, had as much to do with taking care of an obligation to Pelullo as it did with the guys actually in the main event. And the second of course was not the main event. It's the Golovkin vs. TBA for June talk and the commitment to featuring him once more this year, regardless of the opponent, that worries me, as such promises are what really create opportunity costs.