I think everyone can admit this is indisputably a great thing for any division. How did this come to happen for CW? Could it happen with the HWs? What are the factors at play?
Money. Would have to be a huge payday for the eventual winner and suitable reimbursement for all participants and promoters concerned. The prize pool would need to be in triple figures. my fantasy line up: Joshua Klitshcko Parker Wilder Ortiz Povetkin T.Fury (wildcard) Dillian Whyte Reserves: H.Fury, Brezeale, Pulev
I like this line up alot, but based on resume I'd change Whyte or Ortiz for Pulev. But since this won't happen this year and barely the next, I think Wlad will be out of the game. Joshua, Parker and Wilder deserves the seeding because of thier belts, so Fury takes Wlads place. Then Povetkin, Pulev, Ortiz/Whyte and then I'd like to see the winner of the CW tournament as a Wild Card.
Cruiserweight is not a popular division and it is devoid of stars. Hopefully this tournament will cement many names in peoples minds and finally legitimize this division.
Dawg this **** is going to put the CW division on top. I don't the supermiddleweight tournament will be as good though. I'm still upset Korobov isn't in the SMW tournament.
Yeah, but why did the money materialize for the CWs, and is there any indication it could for the HWs? What were the forces putting this together and is it duplicatable? I'd swap out Whyte for Pulev, but would have the rest of your picks.
Yeah Wlad is likely to retire after his next fight either way. So your saying your lineup would be AJ Wilder Parker T Fury Povetkin Pulev Ortiz CW winner? I like that lineup.
Kiwi, you seem to know more about these tournaments than anyone around here. How'd it materialize for CW (and SMW), and could it happen at HW?
The key to the success of the tournament concept at CW (and SMW is okay too) is that the money is good for those divisions. For it to happen at HW, a total prize pool of at least $150-200 million would need to be offered. If Joshua can make $10 million plus per fight outside the tournament, then the WBSS would have to offer significantly more for AJ to let the WBSS choose his SF and final opponents, schedule, etc., plus Hearn won't be keen on Joshua fighting on a competitor's card. Getting the top few fighters into the tournament is the key because then everyone else will want to be in, Usyk changed his mind when he saw all the other top CWs going in. I think in theory it's possible for it to happen at HW, but it is a huge risk for the WBSS. If they commit large sums of money to the tournament and don't get Joshua, they lose a lot of money. What it boils down to is this: if the WBSS want to make it at HW, they'll have to partner with Eddie Hearn.
The reason why this happens at cw and smw is cause nobody gives a **** about those division. None of these guys is a money machine with a brain dead fanbase that will love them no matter what nobody's theiy fight. The only chance for these guys to get an ok payday is to fight the other best guys in the division other wise nobody will give a fuk. Kind of same in lw. Look how crawford, postol and indingi clash into each other within 1,5 years. At hw you got to many cash cows. Nobody is going to risk to destroy a money machine like aj
