Does this fight sell above 250k? The problem is Kovalev is a virtual unknown. Ward isn't a big draw either but we can gauge with the Barrera fight his TV ratings. Boxing fans will buy this fight. And that's it.
This fight now comes to SUPER status. 250k? I am not LEARNED with your Avenue/and "stats" there of. Matching these two SHOULD have a "motion effect" inside of the Sport ("I'd imagine"). Along with Gennady ("minus fraud IBO") v. Saul Alvarez NOTHING COULD BE BIGGER RIGHT NOW. Oh, Floyd vs ggg. Floyd - Manny perhaps though, it's "sick". Put Kovelev vs Ward, and Fury vs Wilder on SAME CARD. Call it "Double Bonanza" & see for yourselves what bonanza you have. Though, Wilder-Fury is "plastic" next to Kovelev-Ward.
It´s going to be modest at 200k. I highly doubt anyone is expecting big numbers, because after all, this is the fight that sets up the next star. First time PPV numbers rarely are big.
Probably these numbers. Latinos by and large will bypass the fight, except the core latin fans. Blacks will buy this fight in droves. But there's only so many core black boxing fans. Kovalev unfortunately has maybe 100k fans in the US. When this fight gets near, it will be talked about constantly by the boxing world, but outside of it, no one will really pay attention. A question: does the winner of this fight really become the next star? Assuming Kovalev beats Ward. And? People will say, a Russian dude beat an American boxer. Next?? These guys just don't have a fanbase. Kovalev should join Povetkin's promoter and call it a day. He can be a hero in Russia. As for Ward, he's just another good black American fighter. He has competition from the Errol Spence's, Broner's, Crawford's, Charlos, Jrocs, etc.
Stars take time and competition to build. There is a reason why Ward was so keen on pursuing Pavlik and Chavez Jr.
They already sold 50K PPV's. People are so excited about this fight that they are wanting to pay in advance.
:deal The truth is the truth. People like spectacles. If neither guys sells it there is nothing HBO can do. The winner becomes just the winner. There are no more organic superstars left. HBO is about to make every fight PPV to make up for those fight purses they promise. Fighters over there will have to start pulling the promotional weight.
