You can't back that statement up. Martinez has shown throughout his career that he is willing to fight in the other guys backyard.
There angle should be the champions defending against the best possible opponent. Wheres the angle with Andy Lee? He is irish and its near St Patricks day but he has never beat a top 20 fighter. Better off putting Duddy in he is a bigger name of thats what your trying to do.
Zbik was prepared to go to the USA. Someone gave Martinez an opportunity and he took it. Lee was given an opportunity and he didnt take it agaisnt Vera yet he gets the shot over Zbik who is a top 10 with everyone.
whats your argument hear. explain to me why Zbik was rejected in favour of Andy Lee based on HBO's boxing strategy they outlined a few months ago which is for the best to fight the best and no soft touches for there champions.
Right!! That'll sell to the American sports fan!!:good He's a bigger name over there than Zbik, he has Irish support, the fight will be easier to promote both on TV and at the arena.... You think the average American fight/ sports fan gives a **** that "the German guy" is top 5 but Andy Lee is only top 15?
What the hell as all that go to do with you just making up statements like "Martinez wouldn't travel to Germany"?
Did you not learn anything from Haye vs Harrison? Hopkins vs Jones Jnr, Mosley vs Mora. All examples of making fights because someone is a name. I could make 10 fights with Martinez against a bigger name than Andy Lee but those fighters wouldn't deserve the shot more than him. HBO viewing figures have been going down for the last 5 years. If they continue to decline they will pull out of boxing. In the past 5 years fights like this between the number 1 in a division and guys around 20th have made for uncompetative fights which have driven away viewers. HBO continue to make this mistake. The way to gain viewers is by consistantly putting on good fights. The best way to sell boxing is boxing.
I don't know how you bring up the "best fighting the best" point when we are talking about Zbik! Lee will get better ratings imo. Do you not agree?
Then surely you should be calling for Pirog, Sturm or Golovkin. Zbik has earned a fight with Martinez more legitimately, but it's hardly the "most competitive" fight for Martinez.
Im just trying to show that rankings are garbage across the board. I mean Martin Murray is at 6th behind Lee, only because of winning a shitty international belt. Come march 12th Lee will be top 5 with the WBC also.
What about Khan vs. Kotelnik? Or possibly Dunne vs. Cordoba? Guys getting shots because they can shift tickets doesn't always end up bad when the challenger is young and determined. All the fights you listed there, involve guys who are really old, I don't think it's a good comparison.
the fight wont be for the WBC title mate. the rankings for the governing bodies are **** but the rankings for the ring, boxing site, boxing news, boxing monthly, espn are valid.
Whats to learn? Its boxing, money talks and always has. I'm not the one who gets wound up about random fights happening/ not happening every couple of months. HBO is a TV channel. They will do what is best for TV ratings, not what they think is in the best interests of boxing or what is "fair". Is Martinez-Lee that worse a fight than Martinez-Zbik? Of those 2 opponents at least Lee has an interesting angle to help sell the fight on.