It's Official! Showtime to host super middleweight tournament featuring top fighters!

Discussion in 'World Boxing Forum' started by Antwuan Maxx, Jul 3, 2009.


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  1. Chillman

    Chillman Well-Known Member Full Member

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    Latest developments in the Kessler/Sauerland vs Palle saga over at boxing scene

    The saga of Mikkel Kessler keeps on moving. Sauerland Event continue their talks with Danish promoter Mogens Palle to take over the promotional rights of the WBA super middleweight champion. Palle says that he was in the dark about Showtime's planned super middleweight tournament and Sauerland tried to swerve him by taking over Kessler without disclosing any details about the tournament.
    If all goes as planned, Kessler would face Andre Ward in November. Other tournament fighters include Arthur Abraham, Carl Froch, Jermain Taylor and Andre Dirrell.
    "I have been fooled. I have been sidetracked and I was only supposed to be used to make a deal so Mikkel could be a free man and earn millions," Palle told Ekstra Bladet.
    Palle says the two offers made by Sauerland are far from what he's looking for, but he never revealed his number. He does want to let Kessler go but only under the right financial terms.
    "They made two offers. The first one was for 250,000 Euro. That's ridiculous. Especially when I see that Mikkel can make up to 7 million euros through the new initiative of Sauerland. They then offered 750.000 dollars. That's far from being fair enough for us to let Mikkel go," Palle said.
    "I would like to get out of my engagement with Mikkel, but it has to happen in a decent and fair way. I'm 75 years old, and I have used a lot of money on building Mikkel to what he is today. I have always had the risk with Mikkel, when he was on his way up. And without my work he would never have gotten the fight with Joe Calzaghe and five million dollars in his pocket. So I won't be paid off with a ridiculous amount."
    Palle gave Chris Meyer, CEO for Sauerland, three options to go by. The press conference to announce Showtime's tournament is scheduled for July 13 so time to close the deal is running out. Kessler's first bout would not be until November so that gives them some time.
    "Either the courtcase (against Kessler) goes on as planned, or Mikkel will fight the three fights that we have options for. It can be the title defense, a fight with Mads Larsen and a third fight. The last possibility is that Sauerland pays a realistic and decent amount for me to let go of the deal with Mikkel," said Palle.
     
    Chillman, Jul 8, 2009
    Chillman, Jul 8, 2009
    #181
  2. IntentionalButt

    IntentionalButt Guy wants to name his çock 'macho' that's ok by me

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    Palle's like one of those she-beast wives who has to make divorce a living hell even though marriage had grown unbearable. One of those "Why the **** didn't I get a pre-nup" situations. :patsch
     
    IntentionalButt, Jul 8, 2009
    IntentionalButt, Jul 8, 2009
    #182
  3. Antwuan Maxx

    Antwuan Maxx Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Apr 23, 2006
    Yeah, it definitely would be. And looks like it may be closer to reality today...

    "According to mikkelkessler.com there will be a pressconference today in Copenhagen at 16.00 CET.

    The statement on Kessler's homepage states that the following people will attend:

    Mikkel Kessler
    Mads Oeland, CEO of Danish Elite Athletes Association
    Lawyer Martin Dahl Pedersen
    Kromann Reumert
    and Mikkel Kesslers NEW promoter."

    :happy
     
    Antwuan Maxx, Jul 9, 2009
    Antwuan Maxx, Jul 9, 2009
    #183
  4. pasky2000

    pasky2000 Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Maybe the poster of Kessler...
     
    pasky2000, Jul 9, 2009
    pasky2000, Jul 9, 2009
    #184
  5. IntentionalButt

    IntentionalButt Guy wants to name his çock 'macho' that's ok by me

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    CET? :huh

    edit: got it, GMT +1 :good
     
    IntentionalButt, Jul 9, 2009
    IntentionalButt, Jul 9, 2009
    #185
  6. Bodysnatcher

    Bodysnatcher Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Oct 27, 2007
    edit
     
    Bodysnatcher, Jul 9, 2009
    Bodysnatcher, Jul 9, 2009
    #186
  7. IntentionalButt

    IntentionalButt Guy wants to name his çock 'macho' that's ok by me

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    So six EST +6....it's now 1:41 EST (or 13:41...plus six would be 19:41...)

    Press conference already happened!!!!!!!! What's the news??
     
    IntentionalButt, Jul 9, 2009
    IntentionalButt, Jul 9, 2009
    #187
  8. laffie

    laffie Montreal Full Member

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    Jan 5, 2008
    That leaves nothing for Bute in the next two years. That's a nightmare. No Showtime, no Froch, Kessler, Abraham, Ward, Taylor, Dirrell. Two of hiis best years wasted.
    Interbox and GBP: try to be part of the tournament. That would make 8 fighters. They haven't announced the details of the rematch between and Bute, it's still time. That would be the first fight of the tournament.

    Please...
     
    laffie, Jul 9, 2009
    laffie, Jul 9, 2009
    #188
  9. Rock0052

    Rock0052 Loyal Member Full Member

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    It will leave something for Bute, particularly since there's nobody left on HBO for Chad Dawson to fight besides him. Look for the Andrade rematch, Dawson, and Allan Green as his upcoming fights.
     
    Rock0052, Jul 9, 2009
    Rock0052, Jul 9, 2009
    #189
  10. Antwuan Maxx

    Antwuan Maxx Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    This content is protected


    Details on the news site regarding fights. :yep
     
    Antwuan Maxx, Jul 9, 2009
    Antwuan Maxx, Jul 9, 2009
    #190
  11. laffie

    laffie Montreal Full Member

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    After Andrade, that's 2 fights, one very good, the other ok, in two years. That's not much.
     
    laffie, Jul 9, 2009
    laffie, Jul 9, 2009
    #191
  12. Taranazan

    Taranazan Member Full Member

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    Jun 16, 2009
    You can add Pavlik once he beats Sturm, plus another mandatory next year. I<d rather see Bute in the tournament, but he still can get some good fights.
     
    Taranazan, Jul 9, 2009
    Taranazan, Jul 9, 2009
    #192
  13. IntentionalButt

    IntentionalButt Guy wants to name his çock 'macho' that's ok by me

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    That's not a bad schedule.
     
    IntentionalButt, Jul 9, 2009
    IntentionalButt, Jul 9, 2009
    #193
  14. IntentionalButt

    IntentionalButt Guy wants to name his çock 'macho' that's ok by me

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    Who in this sport consistently fights nothing but great fights, constantly?

    Even Pacquiao has the occasional Hector Velazquez or David Diaz.
     
    IntentionalButt, Jul 9, 2009
    IntentionalButt, Jul 9, 2009
    #194
  15. Antwuan Maxx

    Antwuan Maxx Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Apr 23, 2006
    http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/boxing/news/story?id=4317510


    Showtime's six-man super middleweight round-robin tournament is on.

    Without giving out specific details, the network issued a media alert Thursday afternoon inviting media to a "ground-breaking boxing announcement" on Monday afternoon at Madison Square Garden in New York.

    Showtime announced six fighters would be present: 168-pound titleholders Carl Froch (25-0, 20 KOs) of England and Mikkel Kessler (41-1, 31 KOs) of Denmark; middleweight titlist Arthur Abraham (30-0, 24 KOs) of Germany, who is moving up in weight; former undisputed middleweight champion Jermain Taylor (28-3-1, 17 KOs) of Little Rock, Ark., and rising American super middleweight contenders and 2004 Olympic medal winners Andre Ward (19-0, 12 KOs) of Oakland, Calif., and Andre Dirrell (18-0, 13 KOs) of Flint, Mich.

    Also scheduled to be in attendance are Showtime boxing chief Ken Hershman, who carried the load in putting the ambitious project together, and the promoters of each fighter: Wilfried and Kalle Sauerland (Abraham and Kessler), Mick Hennessy (Froch), Lou DiBella (Taylor), Gary Shaw (Dirrell) and Dan Goossen (Ward).

    "The six fighters, who have a staggering combined record of 161-4-1 with 117 knockouts, their respective promoters, and Hershman will all be on hand for this historic press conference," the press release said.

    The final, critical piece of the puzzle was solved earlier Thursday when Sauerland Event signed Kessler, who had been in a dispute with former promoter Mogens Palle, to a promotional contract.

    Although Showtime has been tight with details, ESPN.com obtained a copy of the master contract, which outlines the particulars.

    The tournament, which will consist of nine preliminary bouts followed by the semifinals and final, begins Oct. 10 and is supposed to finish in May or June of 2011.

    Win or lose, the six fighters will each fight at least three times with the top four advancing to the semifinals based on their point totals. Fighters get two points for a win, an additional point if it's by knockout and one point for a draw. There are all sorts of contingencies for situations such as a no contest or a tie in points. Contractually, mandatory bouts cannot interfere with a tournament fight.

    The tournament is scheduled to begin with a split-site doubleheader on Oct. 10. In England, Froch will face Dirrell and in Germany, Abraham will face Taylor.

    On Nov. 7, probably in Oakland, Kessler will defend against Ward. Other matches include Abraham against Dirrell in January in the U.S.; Froch against Kessler in March in Europe; Ward against Taylor in spring 2010 in the U.S.; Ward facing his Olympic teammate in summer 2010 in the U.S.; Froch against Abraham in summer 2010 in Europe; and Kessler against Taylor in the U.S. in fall 2010.

    The semifinals would take place in January 2011 with the final to be held in the U.S. in May or June.

    Tournaments of this caliber are rare in boxing. The last one that comes close was in 2001, when promoter Don King put together the World Middleweight Championship Series with HBO. It was far less complicated because it involved only three fights and four fighters -- Bernard Hopkins, Felix Trinidad, William Joppy and Keith Holmes -- all of whom were promoted by King. Also, all three fights took place at Madison Square Garden over the course of six months.

    In that tournament, Hopkins beat Holmes to unify 160-pound belts, Trinidad moved up from junior middleweight to knock out Joppy to take his belt, and Hopkins knocked out Trinidad the final in an upset to become the undisputed champion.

    -----------------------


    :bbb
     
    Antwuan Maxx, Jul 9, 2009
    Antwuan Maxx, Jul 9, 2009
    #195
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