It's official: Kovalev/Stevenson not happening soon

[zorndeslammes]

Yvon Michel's twitter states that Main Events has informed them that they're not going to bid on the fight when it goes for WBC purse bids, and has offered a 50/50 purse split based on the biggest amount a network can offer. Neither guy is a PPV attraction yet, and realistically, HBO or Showtime isn't going to offer more for this fight than Al Haymon would on his own. Main Events is also rumored to be saying that they can't do the fight off HBO, which, LOL. C'mon. So the fight isn't gonna happen. Blame Main Events as much as anyone for not being willing to work out a deal for their guy and instead trying to pass him off as being the new Roy Jones Jr.

[ikorolev]

Here is more detail:

http://www.BS.com/kovalev-main ... bid--89746?

HBO has contractual rights for Kovalev's next fight, so clearly the Stevenson fight can't happen next. Stevenson running from HBO made his fight with Kovalev complicated, not the Main Events.

[zorndeslammes]

Here is more detail:

http://www.BS.com/kovalev-main ... bid--89746?

HBO has contractual rights for Kovalev's next fight, so clearly the Stevenson fight can't happen next. Stevenson running from HBO made his fight with Kovalev complicated, not the Main Events.

In this case, Main Events actually spent their own money to get the WBC to make Kovalev a mandatory in spite of not being ranked by them previously. Apparently they never considered the possibility that Al Haymon might actually go to purse bid with them and win it, because clearly they had no intention of making the fight happen unless it was under their control. Yvon Michel basically said later that them pulling out and offering a 50/50 deal is a non-offer. They're trying to save face by making it look like Haymon somehow prevented this fight when everything that happened was their own genius idea.

Also LOL at HBO treating Kovalev with such reverence as a draw that they would never be able to work out a deal to release him for a fight to Showtime if the money was right.

[ClivePatrickLyons]

We can all see who doesn't want the fight Team Stevenson milking it for all they can Kovalev will destroy him.,

[zorndeslammes]

We can all see who doesn't want the fight Team Stevenson milking it for all they can Kovalev will destroy him.,

If (or when, since it's this Friday) Al Haymon wins the purse bid, how does that prove Stevenson's people don't want the fight? If Kovalev and his management see Haymon plunk down 5-6 million and Kovalev is back on HBO fighting for $400K instead against Mohammedi, they'll probably be heated and rightfully so.

LOL at this:

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/boxing/se ... soc_trk=tw

Don King and Bob Arum are laughing at the complete ridiculousness of blaming currency devaluation and the threat of other contests.

[Tarkus]

Main Event got owned completely. What a blunder from Duva. Did not she foresee this would happen with all her "experience" shes very proud of. Kovalev must be right pissed. While Stevenson I imagine hand in hand with Yvon and Al are now dancing with delight.

[benion]

Here is more detail:

http://www.BS.com/kovalev-main ... bid--89746?

HBO has contractual rights for Kovalev's next fight, so clearly the Stevenson fight can't happen next. Stevenson running from HBO made his fight with Kovalev complicated, not the Main Events.

His next fight is a mandatory against mohamedi or whatever his name is. The Stevenson fight was later in the year

[zorndeslammes]

Oh, in case you guys forgot, the Kovalev/HBO deal everyone's saying was an obvious blocking point? Signed last month. AFTER the date for the purse bid was made known.

[ikorolev]

Oh, in case you guys forgot, the Kovalev/HBO deal everyone's saying was an obvious blocking point? Signed last month. AFTER the date for the purse bid was made known.

Are you saying that they signed a one-fight deal a month ago ? A source ?

[zorndeslammes]

Oh, in case you guys forgot, the Kovalev/HBO deal everyone's saying was an obvious blocking point? Signed last month. AFTER the date for the purse bid was made known.

Are you saying that they signed a one-fight deal a month ago ? A source ?

I didn't say they signed a one fight deal. They signed a multifight deal. Their previous deal expired after the Pascal fight. To be honest though, I can't find an announcement that they extended the deal. So either they signed a deal with HBO in the last 15-20 days or they're lying about it being a roadblock.

[diddy]

What a total f'n shocker. And as Adonis looks more awful with each passing fight his confidence dwindles and the chances of the fight gets less and less. I dont think it ever happens.

[ikorolev]

Oh, in case you guys forgot, the Kovalev/HBO deal everyone's saying was an obvious blocking point? Signed last month. AFTER the date for the purse bid was made known.

Are you saying that they signed a one-fight deal a month ago ? A source ?

I didn't say they signed a one fight deal. They signed a multifight deal. Their previous deal expired after the Pascal fight. To be honest though, I can't find an announcement that they extended the deal. So either they signed a deal with HBO in the last 15-20 days or they're lying about it being a roadblock.

I think their previous deal expires with his next fight.

[ReggieDiggs]

Main Event got owned completely. What a blunder from Duva. Did not she foresee this would happen with all her "experience" shes very proud of.

Fwiw I think Kathy is one of the hardest working idiots in boxing business today. If you ever think you aren't smart enough just look at Kathy & know you can achieve if you just put some elbow grease in it.

[ReggieDiggs]

Details about Sergey's contract situation. If he gots a contract it sounds like he's signed a new one.

It appears to be a mere formality, but Sergey Kovalev’s representatives and HBO Sports executives must come to terms on a new contract if the undefeated light heavyweight champion is to continue fighting exclusively on that premium cable channel.

The multi-fight contract Kovalev signed with HBO several days before beating Cedric Agnew last March 29 in Atlantic City expired following Kovalev’s impressive eighth-round technical knockout win over Quebec’s Jean Pascal (29-3-1, 17 KOs, 1 NC) on Saturday night in Montreal. Main Events chief executive officer Kathy Duva, whose company promotes Kovalev (27-0-1, 24 KOs), has been discussing a new contract with HBO Sports brass and fully expects the network’s successful partnership with the Russian knockout artist to continue.

It is possible that Kovalev’s next fight, a mandatory defense of his IBF light heavyweight title against France’s Nadjib Mohammedi (37-3, 23 KOs), won’t be broadcast by HBO. Duva remains optimistic, however, that the network will televise a seventh consecutive Kovalev bout in June or July.

“We’ll work through it,” Duva said. “We want to work with HBO. We love working with HBO. I’ve said consistently this is the way to build a star. We’ll figure it out. We’re talking to them constantly and we will come up with something because they are the No. 1 network – they’re the ones I want to work with. I love the idea of boxing on network TV and it’s great for the sport. But when it comes down to actually being able to generate revenue, it’s a different ball game. We’ll keep playing with HBO.”

http://www.BS.com/hbo-main-eve ... eal--88647

[klitoris]

Why can't that crazy Russian promoter (who won the Klitschko/Povetkin purse bid) out-bet everyone by like 5 mil? This fight makes much more sense in Russia, than that one anyways.

[Chepppaaa]

if hbo and shw can get together for may-pac, than why not for kov-stev...

eff politics

[victor-romeo]

Stevenson needs Kovalev way more than the other way around at least as far as making money goes. Then again what good would it be for Stevenson to get a big pay day and have his brains scrambled by Kovalev probably all the better Adonis this fight doesn't come off. Adnois approaching 40 and obscurity.

[ClivePatrickLyons]

We can all see who doesn't want the fight Team Stevenson milking it for all they can Kovalev will destroy him.,

If (or when, since it's this Friday) Al Haymon wins the purse bid, how does that prove Stevenson's people don't want the fight? If Kovalev and his management see Haymon plunk down 5-6 million and Kovalev is back on HBO fighting for $400K instead against Mohammedi, they'll probably be heated and rightfully so.

LOL at this:

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/boxing/se ... soc_trk=tw

Don King and Bob Arum are laughing at the complete ridiculousness of blaming currency devaluation and the threat of other contests.

The thing I right about is this KOVALEV PUNCHE'S THE SOUL CASE OUT OF STEVENSON. ........WHO'S DUCKING WHO I'M NOT REALLY SURE OF THAT :??

[ReggieDiggs]

Stevenson needs Kovalev way more than the other way around at least as far as making money goes.

Idk about that. I think they both get paid if they fight each other so its not like there is a superior need for a big pile of money. I think both would fight the other in a minute.

[tiny_acres]

Stevenson needs Kovalev way more than the other way around at least as far as making money goes.

Idk about that. I think they both get paid if they fight each other so its not like there is a superior need for a big pile of money. I think both would fight the other in a minute.

I think you are right that if up to the fighters neither would decline the fight.
It is a promotional problem and it will not happen any time soon.

[ajwesty13]

that doesn surpise me at all can i guess that adonis doesnt fancy it?... dont blame as Kovalev is a beast

[ikorolev]

Why can't that crazy Russian promoter (who won the Klitschko/Povetkin purse bid) out-bet everyone by like 5 mil? This fight makes much more sense in Russia, than that one anyways.

Kovalev is far less popular in Russia than Povetkin or many other boxers living there, and only hardcore fans know who Stevenson is while people know Klitchkos.

[ReggieDiggs]

It is a promotional problem

100%.

People love to say Adonis is a bitch or will love to say Sergey is a bitch in a week I imagine, but these situations aren't as simple as one boxer or another being a bitch. You gotta worry about TV contract sh!t, Abc belt sh!t, Promotional contract sh!t, probably even to a lesser degree manager or other moving parts who expect money from you sh!t all while trying to be training at an elite level in a business you can get killed doing & while making sure you aren't getting screwed over from any of the above directly or indirectly from making the maximum amount of money possible so you haven't spent 20 years or whatever getting hit in the head for less then you coulda gotten for yourself & loved ones.

[koolkc107]

Wow!

This sure looks like it is Kovalev's folks backing out.

You can't keep calling Stevenson a duck if it the other party responsible for the fight not happening...

[ikorolev]

This was an expected issue with network incompatibility. At this time, it is none of the fighters' fault. However, if Stevenson didn't run from HBO to Haymon, the fight wouldn't have this obstacle. When deciding to sign with Haymon, Stevenson knew that it made a fight with Kovalev REALLY hard to make.