Yeah, it's pretty clear cut actually. We are not talking about negotiations where both are used to fighting big fights away and have shown (not just words!) that they are willing to take risks.
I think you'll find that that's you for swallowing whatsoever **** Bute and his team throw your way. Seriously, who is more likely to duck who? Kessler (a man who has travelled to Wales and Oakland to defend his titles against Calzaghe and Ward respectively) or Bute (a man who has never travelled away from home and a man who has fought nobody full stop)? Don't even get me started on Johnson. The man is called the road warrior for a reason - he'll fight anyone, anywhere, anytime aslong as the money is somewhere near right. If Bute gave him anywhere near an acceptable offer Johnson would be on the next flight to Canada. Bute is a fraud and isn't even relevant at 168 untill he fights someone with a pulse. Do you really think it's a coincidence that EVERY worthwhile opponent he's negotiated with has came out and said his terms are an absolute joke? Keep in mind the fact that all the top guys at 168 are facing each other. Froch has travelled to fight Kessler, Johnson, AA, Taylor and now Ward. Kessler has travelled to fight Calzaghe and Ward and has fought Froch at home. AA has travelled to fight Froch, Dirrell and Ward aswell as Taylor at home. Even Dirrell with less than 20 fights has travelled to fight Froch and has fought AA at home. Ward, okay, he hasn't travelled and has rightly recieved alot of stick for it but at least he has fought Kessler, AA and now Froch. ALL of the top guys at 168, without exception, are fighting the top guys and all of them, bar Ward, have travelled away from home to do it. No moaning about the money not being right or anything, untill, of course, Team Bute get involved.
Any confirmation yet of a counteroffer from the Johnson side? No. My sense is there are a few options on the table and that Johnson is not the biggest return of them all. The probabilities according to you or to other posters of such and such guy not ducking Bute means sweet ****all. Nowadays it's all about risk assessment and Bute is a huge risk for everyone. Also consider Showtime's input. They want a big showcase for Bute before putting him against Ward or Froch in 2012. I'm counting the hours before an announcement is made.
Where would Kessler get nearly 3 mil? Where would Pavlik get nearly 2 mil? Where would Johnson get almost 700K(if the 350 is guaranteed)? Most haters agree that Bute is a fraud for fighting in Canada, but that's where he makes the most money, allowing his team to make such large guaranteed purse splits. Should he fight in Zimbabwe? Or Vegas? Either place would make his haters happy, but wouldn't bring the kindof money to make those offers. Most haters agree that he is a glass jawed fighter. Well, obviously Johnson, Kessler, Ward, Froch, and Pavlik disagree, or they would be flying into Montreal and taking his ****.:deal
Not at all... But people have to understand why fighters feel they need bigger payouts if you are traveling to an opponents home, aside from making more in other previous fights.
Bute put peoples in the seats so even his opponents want to fight here for the money , and if you want a belt you need to come and get it! Not many champions travel to defend there title.
Boxing is a business and I could see why guys like Pavlik and Johnson would want a bigger payday. Its nothing against Bute, but you have to understand the risk of fighting in someones home and getting paid an amount in which they could make with a lesser opponent in the states.
Yes i agree ! in fact i think that for now Bute popularity is working agains't him , they all think that Bute make huge money and they want there part of it but I-box isn't a big organisation and Bute biggest purse was 1,2 million and he only made more then 1 million 3 times in his career!