Little snipped in Keith Idec's piece in another place caught my eye: Remember when Pulev was still officially with Sauerland and Hearn and Kalle both bid on the purse bids for an IBF eliminator with Dillian Whyte? Hearn narrowly beat Kalle, suggesting each of them had a similar valuation on the fight, but a third mystery bidder Epic Sport drastically outbid them both. Soon after Pulev bought himself out of the contract, signed with Epic Sport and after both Whyte and Miller declined the trip to Bulgaria, Hughie Fury took the opportunity and lost in Sofia. Within a month or so I think Pulev signed with Top Rank:. This man is one of the most experienced in world boxing and certainly won't learn anything fighting Bogdan Dinu. So, what's Arum's plan? Force it to purse bids, outbid Eddie and get AJ on ESPN? Bring the fight to the US and hire Adalaide Byrd? Make a play for AJ's international rights? Or is this just Arum making sure Top Rank are represented in the glamour division?
Arum, Haymon. They just want to get all these big fights based in America. They are noisy when they want to try take control and bring it to the States and go deadly silent and turn off the emails when the offers come to take a fight outside of America. So it makes me wonder whats so special in taking these fights to America? Well thats where the robberies happen ofcourse. Anybody think Wilder would of got a draw after losing to Tyson Fury in the UK or anywhere else? Anybody think Wilder would of been given extra recovery time against Ortiz in the UK or anywhere else? Until these American promoters can get the fights made in America under their control in their venues with their judges then they have absolutely no interest what so ever in making a fight with anybody deemed a risk.
Ultimately the Pulev fight going over there won't bother me too much, because I think AJ finishes him before the judges become an issue. There's another fight though that I really didn't want to see moving across the pond...
as if Britain, Germany, and other countries don't do the exact same thing, perhaps worse. never seen a ref help a downed fighter back to hjs corner until supposed world beater Cleverly needed help vs Kovalev.
Yeah that example is a shocker i hold my hands up to that one, there is no defending Cleverly being carried to his corner. But i just see what is going on in America over recent years is taking dodgy refereeing and dodgy judging to a whole new level. America was labelled as the Mecca of Boxing, to be fair it still is, but it is also labelled now as the Mecca for corruption in the sport. It seems to happen on a monthly basis these days and fights dont even have to be close to edge it to the home fighter. It seems the people in charge know who they want to win and as long as it makes it to the final bell they will get the decision they want regardless. It is out of control in the States now.
Fair comment, no country has a monopoly on home cooking where boxing is concerned. I'm less focussed on the potential to rig the judges and more on what Arum will do when it comes to negotiating the fight. Hearn will want DAZN as the US broadcaster, will he be forced to involve ESPN?
ever seen the Ali-Norton trilogy? Norton beat his brains out thrice. got one decision. sports have always been rigged and boxing is only above Pro Wrestling, MMA, and Roller Derby.
Most will assume he'll try and win the purse bids and hope Pulev can somehow last the distance with his jab and grab tactics and then they can win a controversial decision. But I don't see that happening. What he might really be trying to do is win the purse bids, sell the UK rights to BT forcing Joshua to vacate his IBF belt rather than violate his deal with SKY. That way he gets a piece of the title and then can make Fury/Pulev for the vacant belt. Fury of course wins and then he has a world champion on ESPN who is recognised and popular, giving ESPN a real say in the division. Danger is Hearn goes in with a huge bid knowing Fury has to back out if he makes the fight on DAZN as it violates Fury's deal with ESPN. That makes Fury look bad if hes forced to do that.
I can’t see Joshua dropping any of the belts. If anything they would take it to pursebids. Let ESPN bid a massive amount for what is not that much of a sellable fight in the US at 5am for a UK PPV and BT may not even want that fight if they having to pay out to market someone who will never fight on their platform again. Would be different if it was a mega fight. Let ESPN expose Joshua to a mainstream audience in the US for a good payday whilst they pay him great money. Look good knocking Pulev out in 4-5 rounds then put him back on DAZN with a much bigger profile and Hearn can turn around and say that he works with other promoters and platforms. Why’s doesnt Fury or wilder do the same.
How about Arum/Fury/ESPN having played Wilder/PBC/Showtime and the WBC by accepting the postponement of the pursebids, until they made their deal? What if they do go for the pursebids now, and are planning to outbid team Wilder? Will Wilder be allowed if he needs to fight on ESPN instead of Fox/Showtime? Team Fury would be calling the shots, which gives him an edge to win the fight. Or will Wilder have to vacate because of contractual obligations?
This content is protected Just seen this sounds like Wilders playing the field. Let’s see if loyalty to Haymon comes above his own career and the glory. Or if Haymon and Showtime are going to take their first big loss.
