It's official: Kovalev/Stevenson not happening soon

[jujigatame]

If Kathy Duva hadn't decided to withdraw her charge from consideration for the WBC's purse bid for the title bout between Kovalev & Stevenson, Groupe Yvon Michel (funded by Al Haymon’s enormous wealth) would have almost certainly won the right to promote and televise the contest on Showtime. It would have been their right to completely ostracise Main Events and HBO from having any involvement in this bout or being able to reap any financial rewards (other than taking a small stake from Kovalev’s purse).

In this case would Kovalev have been in violation of his contract with HBO?

[zorndeslammes]

So what would happen if Haymon/Michel actually won the purse bid and tried to put the fight on?

If the purse bid happens and they win, they get the rights to make the fight in a specific period of time. If Kovalev's people refuse to make the fight, he'll be dropped from his mandatory position and the process at the WBC starts over with that. The WBC is, of course, scum, and who knows what they'll now do.

[benion]

Ok

[ikorolev]

Kovalev's contract with HBO expired after his last bout, but she negotiated a renewal at the expense of the Stevenson fight!

... and this is based on ?

[ikorolev]

By the way, links to full letters from ME and GYM are here: http://www.BS.com/team-stevens ... ers--89800?

[ReggieDiggs]

Kovalev's contract with HBO expired after his last bout, but she negotiated a renewal at the expense of the Stevenson fight!

... and this is based on ?

Yea idk that the new HBO deal is necessarily a fact. The news yesterday is the first time Sergey being contractually obliged has been mentioned post-Pascal so I'm not 100% sure this wasn't just the thing to say due to the circumstances that would appear more favorable from Kathy's POV. It would seem to me if HBO has resigned Sergey this would have been newsworthy.

[zorndeslammes]

If there's no HBO deal, then the only impediment to the fight is Kathy Duva. I suppose if we find out Kovalev/Mohammedi is happening on internet PPV, there wlll be little doubt who the culprit is. No one's gonna step away from blaming Haymon though. They're all too hardwired now to do it.

[ReggieDiggs]

If there's no HBO deal, then the only impediment to the fight is Kathy Duva. I suppose if we find out Kovalev/Mohammedi is happening on internet PPV, there wlll be little doubt who the culprit is. No one's gonna step away from blaming Haymon though. They're all too hardwired now to do it.

I can't imagine Kathy wants to leave HBO. I can't imagine HBO doesn't want Sergey fighting on HBO. BUT the fact that nothing has been released by HBO to suggest Sergey has resigned makes me believe nothing is signed, nothing is official as of yet.

And lol the Haymon stuff is irrational. Its gonna be a long time before some people quit talking like Al like he's the new Don King, which is about the furthest thing from the truth from EVERYONE I've seen interviewed that have talked to Al personally & have had dealings with him.

[zorndeslammes]

Duva has all the reason in the world to not make the fight except for the small problem that Sergei Kovalev probably realizes he is making a fraction of what he could if he would leave her and head over to Haymonland. He sure seemed to be aware of that issue after he only came home with $125K for beating Hopkins talking about buying his kids diapers and stuff. I was Kovalev, I'd be furious right now.

People want to blame the ills of the sport on Al Haymon. Did it kinda suck when he made Peter Quillin give up his belt? Yeah. But that situation is basically identical to this one.

[benion]

This is why we have the Muhammad Ali act. Duva & Main Events did what was best for their company, not their fighter. Where the hell is Kovalav's manager? He's supposed to be getting the most money for his fighter. Maybe Kovalev needs an advisor

[ReggieDiggs]

This is why we have the Muhammad Ali act. Duva & Main Events did what was best for their company, not their fighter. Where the hell is Kovalav's manager? He's supposed to be getting the most money for his fighter. Maybe Kovalev needs an advisor

Very true. The landscape of boxing has greatly changed since those Ali & Sugar Ray days. Ali & Sugar Ray wouldn't have been able to do half the things they did with the murky environment todays fighters gotta contend with between promoters, TV companies & abc belt groups. Specifically the power promoters have & the lack of decision making ability fighters have is disturbing & disheartening as a fan. And in the event you do try to hold your promoter accountable for their failure in your estimation your only recourse is to sit for a year(s) like Mikey Garcia, Julio Cesar Chavez & Andre Ward have all done lately.

[BAD INTENTIONS]

Been saying fornicate promoters for a minute. I really been enjoying fergusg's fair evaluation of the situation.

Based on the royal duck standards, Kovalev is ducking Stevenson. However, it is in the same way Stevenosn ducked Kovalev. BUT, we need to hear the details of the Kovalev contract before making conclusions.

Stevenson sells out Montreal and a fight with Kovalev would be a premium ticket. I also think that this fight could land on PBC on NBC and would do great ratings. It's only HBO supporters who can act like Kovalev has any advantage in these negotiations. And even with that it seems he still was offered a great deal.
Stevenson can make great money in Montreal against Pascal.
Stevenson can make great money against Chavez Jr.
And if he is what he seems to be, Beterbiev might be everything Kovalev is, and Stevenson could fight him.

Kovalev gets to sit and wait for any 168 pound fighter who isn't with Haymon to move up. I don't know how long we're gonna have some divisions that aren't entirely on PBC.

[victor-romeo]

I’ve decided to review the top 30 light heavyweight fighters in order to produce a list of those men that can be considered by Kathy Duva as viable Sergey Kovalev opponents (as there are no marketing, political or contractual obstacles that have to be overcome to make those bouts).

I believe that are fourteen 175lb-ers in Al Haymon’s stable:

• Adonis Stevenson - A Groupe Yvon Michel and an Al Haymon fighter contracted to Showtime
• Eleider Alvarez - An Al Haymon fighter
• Artur Beterbiev - An Al Haymon fighter
• Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. - An Al Haymon fighter
• Thomas Oosthuizen - An Al Haymon fighter
• Andrzej Fonfara - An Al Haymon fighter
• Tommy Karpency - An Al Haymon fighter
• Sakio Bika - An Al Haymon fighter who lost his previous bout to Adonis Stevenson
• Gabriel Campillo - An Al Haymon fighter who has already been KO'd by Kovalev
• Vyacheslav Shabranskyy - An Al Haymon fighter
• Chad Dawson - An Al Haymon fighter who lost his previous bout
• Lucian Bute - An Al Haymon fighter
• Mike Seals - An Al Haymon fighter
• Humerto Savigne - An Al Haymon fighter

Eleven top-rated light heavyweights have either already been beaten by Kovalev or have recently tasted defeat to other opponents:

• Jean Pascal - Has already been KO'd by Sergey Kovalev in his previous fight
• Bernard Hopkins - Has already faced Sergey Kovalev and lost badly
• Dmitry Sukhotsky - Was stopped in five rounds by Adonis Stevenson in his previous bout
• Blake Caparello - Was stopped inside two rounds by Sergey Kovelav
• Enzo Maccarinelli - Was defeated by Juergen Braehmer in his penultimate fight
• Ryno Liebenberg - Lost his last two bouts against Al Haymon fighters (Oosthuizen & Alvarez)
• Thomas Williams Jr - Has recently been stopped inside five rounds by a previous Kovalev victim (Campillo)
• Vasily Lepikhin - Tasted defeat in his previous bout against Kovalev's stablemate (Isaac Chilemba)
• Karo Murat - Lost badly to Hopkins and failed to beat Campillo, both were previous Kovalev victims
• Travoris Could - Lost his last three fights badly and was KO'd in two rounds by Adonis Stevenson
• Robin Krasniqi - Was stopped by Juergen Braehmer in his most recent bout

That leaves just five viable opponents for Kovalev:

• Juergen Braehmer - A viable option as he's promoted by Sauerland
• Isaac Chilemba - A Main Events fighter, so he's a viable opponent
• Nadjib Mohammedi - A Main Events fighter and Kovalev's next opponent
• Erik Skoglund - Promoted by Sauerland, which means he's a viable option for Kovalev
• Bob Ajisafe - An unbeaten Matchroom fighter, which means that a bout against Sergey Kovalev is feasible

It’s safe to say that it’s far too early to propose bouts between Kovalev and the likes of Skoglund & Ajisafe, which means that the 175lb landscape is now pretty barren for Kathy Duva’s man!

Which 175lb-er do you believe could realistically be matched with Sergey Kovalev? :??

Thank you for your excellent list, Kovalev will fight Mohammedi next, and then has Chilemba, and Pascal rematch as possibilities to fill time as the terrain changes, maybe HBO will offer Andre Ward a whole pile of money and we can see him and Kovalev fight a classic. Stevenson, is yesterday's news, only thing interesting about him is seeing him get smashed as he is such a unlikeable character.

[crusader]

The very first sentence of that article suggests that 'Kovalev's representatives' were attempting to renew his HBO contract, not that it has been renewed (though it may have been).

[ReggieDiggs]

The very first sentence of that article suggests that 'Kovalev's representatives' were attempting to renew his HBO contract, not that it has been renewed (though it may have been).

http://espn.go.com/boxing/story/_/id/12 ... -bid-order

You with the links that say nothing or answer no questions all the time ffs brother get your sh!t together

Bro that just says that Kathy says.

Why isn't HBO saying? HBO got it out there that they signed Roman Gonzales just weeks ago. You telling me a resigning of Sergey isn't newsworthy? No one leaked that, HBO, all the guys on twitter that are up on behind the scenes details from boxing business to Amir Khan dick pics aren't hearing about this?

I got no doubt Sergey's "contractually tied" to HBO as she says even if there isn't a new contract. Any respectable level company that works in combat sports with half a brain has a matching clause (ie any offer she gets from another company HBO can match it to keep him with HBO), but that don't mean that can't be dead tomorrow if the right things go down.

[koolkc107]

I’ve decided to review the top 30 light heavyweight fighters in order to produce a list of those men that can be considered by Kathy Duva as viable Sergey Kovalev opponents (as there are no marketing, political or contractual obstacles that have to be overcome to make those bouts).

I believe that are fourteen 175lb-ers in Al Haymon’s stable:

• Adonis Stevenson - A Groupe Yvon Michel and an Al Haymon fighter contracted to Showtime
• Eleider Alvarez - An Al Haymon fighter
• Artur Beterbiev - An Al Haymon fighter
• Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. - An Al Haymon fighter
• Thomas Oosthuizen - An Al Haymon fighter
• Andrzej Fonfara - An Al Haymon fighter
• Tommy Karpency - An Al Haymon fighter
• Sakio Bika - An Al Haymon fighter who lost his previous bout to Adonis Stevenson
• Gabriel Campillo - An Al Haymon fighter who has already been KO'd by Kovalev
• Vyacheslav Shabranskyy - An Al Haymon fighter
• Chad Dawson - An Al Haymon fighter who lost his previous bout
• Lucian Bute - An Al Haymon fighter
• Mike Seals - An Al Haymon fighter
• Humerto Savigne - An Al Haymon fighter

Eleven top-rated light heavyweights have either already been beaten by Kovalev or have recently tasted defeat to other opponents:

• Jean Pascal - Has already been KO'd by Sergey Kovalev in his previous fight
• Bernard Hopkins - Has already faced Sergey Kovalev and lost badly
• Dmitry Sukhotsky - Was stopped in five rounds by Adonis Stevenson in his previous bout
• Blake Caparello - Was stopped inside two rounds by Sergey Kovelav
• Enzo Maccarinelli - Was defeated by Juergen Braehmer in his penultimate fight
• Ryno Liebenberg - Lost his last two bouts against Al Haymon fighters (Oosthuizen & Alvarez)
• Thomas Williams Jr - Has recently been stopped inside five rounds by a previous Kovalev victim (Campillo)
• Vasily Lepikhin - Tasted defeat in his previous bout against Kovalev's stablemate (Isaac Chilemba)
• Karo Murat - Lost badly to Hopkins and failed to beat Campillo, both were previous Kovalev victims
• Travoris Could - Lost his last three fights badly and was KO'd in two rounds by Adonis Stevenson
• Robin Krasniqi - Was stopped by Juergen Braehmer in his most recent bout

That leaves just five viable opponents for Kovalev:

• Juergen Braehmer - A viable option as he's promoted by Sauerland
• Isaac Chilemba - A Main Events fighter, so he's a viable opponent
• Nadjib Mohammedi - A Main Events fighter and Kovalev's next opponent
• Erik Skoglund - Promoted by Sauerland, which means he's a viable option for Kovalev
• Bob Ajisafe - An unbeaten Matchroom fighter, which means that a bout against Sergey Kovalev is feasible

It’s safe to say that it’s far too early to propose bouts between Kovalev and the likes of Skoglund & Ajisafe, which means that the 175lb landscape is now pretty barren for Kathy Duva’s man!

Which 175lb-er do you believe could realistically be matched with Sergey Kovalev? :??

Just a pleasure to post with someone who isn't afraid to have a take and present it in a straightforward and rational manner.

Whether we agree or disagree, you are an asset to this board.

This is what I was talking about.

That list of viables has absolutely NO sizzle on it.

All of the money fights have to go thru Haymon right now, and Duva is intelligent enough to know that.

Yet, she did what she did anyway.

Sergei doesn't strike me as a foolish man and if I had to bet on what would happen, look for him and Main Events to part company soon unless Duva makes this right.

[Freedom2013]

Kathy Duva (Main Events) doesn't have the money to make a decent purse bid.

So she pulls out a few days before it was to take place, making Kovalev look bad.

Kovalev needs a better promoter, one with more money like Golden Boy, K-2 or Rabinsky.

[Baby Face Finster]

• Travoris Could - Lost his last three fights badly and was KO'd in two rounds by Adonis Stevenson

For someone who is always harping on about facts why don't you get your own facts straight. Other than that, good list.

[jujigatame]

Kathy Duva (Main Events) doesn't have the money to make a decent purse bid.

So she pulls out a few days before it was to take place, making Kovalev look bad.

Kovalev needs a better promoter, one with more money like Golden Boy, K-2 or Rabinsky.

I thought part of the problem for Golovkin is that K2 doesn't offer big purses to his opponents, so he can't attract big names?

[Freedom2013]

I thought part of the problem for Golovkin is that K2 doesn't offer big purses to his opponents, so he can't attract big names?

K-2 has money.

I think it's actually because Cotto doesn't want to take a brutal KO loss to GGG. It would be PPV anyway.

But Main Events has made two good fights for Kovalev (Pascal and Hopkins) so overall they've done a very good job for him.

He may have outgrown them by now though.

[koolkc107]

WBC isn't happy about this either.

WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman was unhappy when he learned of Duva’s decision, and said he planned to send her a letter in response on Wednesday.

He told Yahoo Sports, “She is clearly saying by her words that the WBC is at fault. I clearly want to say that this is very disappointing. The WBC did something unprecedented, which is to make Kovalev, the champion of three other organizations, the mandatory challenger for the WBC champion, whoever it would be, Stevenson or anyone else, because he always wanted to be the WBC champion. This is a very unfortunate decision.”

[ReggieDiggs]

WBC isn't happy about this either.

WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman was unhappy when he learned of Duva’s decision, and said he planned to send her a letter in response on Wednesday.

He told Yahoo Sports, “She is clearly saying by her words that the WBC is at fault. I clearly want to say that this is very disappointing. The WBC did something unprecedented, which is to make Kovalev, the champion of three other organizations, the mandatory challenger for the WBC champion, whoever it would be, Stevenson or anyone else, because he always wanted to be the WBC champion. This is a very unfortunate decision.”

lol send a letter.

All the details of this is kinda comical tbqh. What is f#cked up is Sergey is getting f#cked over by Kathy & I think or at least arguably believe HBO too. If there isn't actually a signed deal with HBO, as I don't believe there to be (I bet they just are still linked due to a matching clause, cuz no re-signing has been announced by HBO or any of the thousands of minions who leak that sorta sh!t), Sergey would do himself a favor by getting in touch with Al Haymon. Get Sergey fighting on national TV where a few million will be watching him & he'll become bigger than he is currently, make more money than he is & won't have all this jumblef#ckbullsh!t type stuff to deal with.

[koolkc107]

WBC isn't happy about this either.

WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman was unhappy when he learned of Duva’s decision, and said he planned to send her a letter in response on Wednesday.

He told Yahoo Sports, “She is clearly saying by her words that the WBC is at fault. I clearly want to say that this is very disappointing. The WBC did something unprecedented, which is to make Kovalev, the champion of three other organizations, the mandatory challenger for the WBC champion, whoever it would be, Stevenson or anyone else, because he always wanted to be the WBC champion. This is a very unfortunate decision.”

lol send a letter.

All the details of this is kinda comical tbqh. What is f#cked up is Sergey is getting f#cked over by Kathy & I think or at least arguably believe HBO too. If there isn't actually a signed deal with HBO, as I don't believe there to be (I bet they just are still linked due to a matching clause, cuz no re-signing has been announced by HBO or any of the thousands of minions who leak that sorta sh!t), Sergey would do himself a favor by getting in touch with Al Haymon. Get Sergey fighting on national TV where a few million will be watching him & he'll become bigger than he is currently, make more money than he is & won't have all this jumblef#ckbullsh!t type stuff to deal with.

Exactly.

It will be Haymon or someone else that can get him the big fight.

Kathy had better get her head out her butt fast and reconcile herself with dealing with Al.

Or she will lose Sergei, who is no fool.

[ReggieDiggs]

The second article written yesterday contained quotes from Kathy Duva that justified her decision to withdraw her fighter from the WBC’s purse bid, which she claimed was due to Sergey Kovalev being “contractually tied to HBO.”

I have always believed that you were one of the most informed members of the forum, which is the reason why I’m surprised that you’ve not been able to do the maths.

30 days ago Kathy Duva says that Kovalev is a free agent and negotiating a contract extension with HBO, but yesterday she stated that Sergey was contractually tied to HBO… does that not tell you something? Do I really need to explain what must have occurred in the 29 days between the two interviews with Kathy Duva?

Why have you criticised the links I’ve supplied when they clearly contain the answers to the questions posed in blazing Las Vegas style neon lights?

Cuz you aren't actually answering the question just saying the same non-committal thing Kathy, and only Kathy, has said. The reality is Sergey is contractually tied to HBO regardless of his contract running out. I can tell you that much. So him being contractually tied to HBO doesn't = a new contract being signed.

Big companies love to lock you in nowadays. In combat sports its par for the course to sign matching agreements so even if HBO's contract has ran its course they have matching abilities for any offer a competing company brings to Sergey moving forward until they decide to make him an offer or decide to not match another offer.

For all the links you are posting (I'm all for links, but you do post a f#cking lot of them about nothing or virtually nothing - maybe you just think everyone is retarded & are encouraging them to read & attempting a public service idk man) I don't see the one HBO or anyone else with HBO connections or who leaks HBO info where it says Sergey has resigned. I don't see details on how many fights it is. How long its for. The amount. I don't see anything cept Kathy saying something about being tied to HBO, not celebrating a new contract or 4 fights or with them til 2017 or w/e. Sometimes you gotta read between the lines. Thats the thing I think you miss sometimes.

[Evander]

Does look like Kovalev's people have dropped the ball, Stevenson is willing to do a 50/50 as is Kovalev so what's the problem let it go to a bid.