ITV not happy with Saturday show

leforge · Post by **leforge** » 11 Apr 2007, 15:10

I just read the daily express according to Niall Hickman ITV might not renew boxing contract in June as they are not happy how its being run. If this is the case where will Warren go?

steve689 · Post by **steve689** » 11 Apr 2007, 15:20

Oooh don't tempt me.......

leforge · Post by **leforge** » 11 Apr 2007, 15:25

They did not like the mismatches apparently, they were hoping for Man Ut v Arsenal instead they got Dagenham v Oxford the article says. I noticed there have been a lot less shows recently.

steve689 · Post by **steve689** » 11 Apr 2007, 15:30

Well they should frigging wake up then. Did they invest money without seeking advice first? Did they do this deal blind or what? A simple flick over to some of the fake title pap being served up on SKY should have given them a slight indication what their lucre was going to buy.

They need to demand better quality fights, drop the trinket titles and demand British/European matchups....it's working for SKY, simple.

leforge · Post by **leforge** » 11 Apr 2007, 15:31

They might ditch if they do where will they go?

steve689 · Post by **steve689** » 11 Apr 2007, 15:33

I don't see how an exclusive one promoter deal was of any benefit anyway...Showtime have shown the way with the best fights offered get TV and it has cut out the shit for a start. More or less every show they have on now is a good one, while HBO are treading water a bit. I mean Malignaggi-Cherry?? Come on.

leforge · Post by **leforge** » 11 Apr 2007, 15:36

ITV thought Khan would bring audiences of 10m instead of 4.

nickd · Post by **nickd** » 11 Apr 2007, 15:41

Is anyone surprised? Bar a few exceptions the fare served up on ITV has been average at best.

I mean look at the biggest fighter ITV have - Joe Calzaghe.

1 big fight with Lacy.

And

Ashira
Bika
Manfredo.

Enough said.

caster · Post by **caster** » 11 Apr 2007, 15:42

not happy? no bleedin wonder.

allegedly said 'nobody makes you buy a ticket' which is why I've stopped buying tickets for Sports Network shows. But things are getting that bad, I may not watch them at all - even for free!!

leforge · Post by **leforge** » 11 Apr 2007, 15:44

They had Skelton v Williams twice, Harrison V Williams twice, Harrison V Sprott as main bills. Skelton V krence as well.

Taki... · Post by **Taki...** » 11 Apr 2007, 15:48

It's all gone wrong for ITV. Calzaghe mismatches are par for the course. Warren losing Hatton must have been quite upsetting too, but they must have known Khan wouldn't be getting big fights for 2 or 3 years at least. ITV should've put their foot down when Warren ditched a potential Enzo/Haye domestic superfight in favour of Willy Gunn or whatever his name was... and as for SN floating a potential Macca/Mormeck match later this year. Haye not Enzo is first in the queue there if I'm not mistaken.

leforge · Post by **leforge** » 11 Apr 2007, 15:50

Also the no of pullouts to schedule fights as well.

leforge · Post by **leforge** » 11 Apr 2007, 15:56

I wonder if this is the reason that Hobson v Keeton fight not going on 28th as scheduled on boxrec

Taki... · Post by **Taki...** » 11 Apr 2007, 15:57

leforge wrote:Also the no of pullouts to schedule fights as well.

Can't blame Warren or SN for the Scott Harrison situation. Harrison/Cook was a fight I'd really wanted to see for a long time. I was pretty pissed off when that went tits up, but that was all down to Harrison.

leforge · Post by **leforge** » 11 Apr 2007, 16:00

They knew Harrison was not fit but still went ahead and scheduled it I was there the show was rubbish

nickd · Post by **nickd** » 11 Apr 2007, 16:05

leforge wrote:They had Skelton v Williams twice, Harrison V Williams twice, Harrison V Sprott as main bills. Skelton V krence as well.

Is that meant to be impressive? The Williams v Skelton fights were hideous, Harrison v Williams 1 was one of the worst fights I have ever seen in my life.

leforge · Post by **leforge** » 11 Apr 2007, 16:08

No but they been the main fights Joe fights aside. They only had one Scott Harrison fight. Nelson v Cantore was on iTV 4

Autobarn · Post by **Autobarn** » 11 Apr 2007, 16:15

nickd wrote:Is anyone surprised? Bar a few exceptions the fare served up on ITV has been average at best.

I mean look at the biggest fighter ITV have - Joe Calzaghe.

1 big fight with Lacy.

And

Ashira
Bika
Manfredo.

Enough said.

and the big fight with Lacy was at 1am.

fWank may have just fvcked himself. He had his cake and ate it. He took advantage of an exclusive contract, shat on fights that ppl wanted Enzo-Haye and Calzaghe-Woods, and made some dreadful matches, culminating in the Contender farce.

That said, it was ITV's fault. Why put someone in a position where he can take the piss. I have to say they were clueless and the whole setup stank.

I actually thought ITV were going to let him get away with it. Bit late for them to get upset, it must be said. The only good that can come of this is that it puts pressure on the man to make fights that will deliver.

It's all gone wrong for ITV. Calzaghe mismatches are par for the course. Warren losing Hatton must have been quite upsetting too, but they must have known Khan wouldn't be getting big fights for 2 or 3 years at least. ITV should've put their foot down when Warren ditched a potential Enzo/Haye domestic superfight in favour of Willy Gunn or whatever his name was... and as for SN floating a potential Macca/Mormeck match later this year. Haye not Enzo is first in the queue there if I'm not mistaken.

Frank has some risk taking to do now. I think a lot of us thought that a move back to terrestrial TV was going to be great for UK boxing - while the audience has been bigger I doubt they earned many new fans. Frank's got to stop killing off domestic fights with rival promoters, and must go the extra mile. The guy has so much to offer yet gives so little it's crazy.

It might just be a late ploy from ITV to scare him into doing something good. First thing he needs to do is bring Jermain Taylor over, I'd say. I hear he's upped the offer to $4m.

leforge · Post by **leforge** » 11 Apr 2007, 17:20

I hope so but Joe should have fought someone better this time. The enzo debacle was a really bad match up.

sweetscience · Post by **sweetscience** » 11 Apr 2007, 17:25

there has only been one decent fight i can think of

Earl v;s Katwatever (the aussie)

the rest have been shite

i think the general public need some big all british tear ups

Calzaghe v Froch
Hatton v Witter
Khan v Thaxton/Earl

etc etc

i had to blag the landlady to put the fight on on satday, and when i did no one was interested, even in khan and i live in bolton because its just to easy to call the result

leforge · Post by **leforge** » 11 Apr 2007, 17:29

Witter v Hatton would be on sky. I dont think Warren will entertain Froch as he apparently turned them down reported in boxing news. But he could put Earl V Khan on Skelton v Sprott bill easily achievable. Get Enzo to fight top 5 WBO ranked opponent next there a start.

leforge · Post by **leforge** » 11 Apr 2007, 17:33

Surely Calzaghe v Mundine would be a good fight for July. It was sell he very outspoken and went 12 rounds with Kessler and has beaten some good opponents.

rod riddle · Post by **rod riddle** » 11 Apr 2007, 17:34

Saturday's boxing was sh1te, the last allegedly FW show I went to in December 06 the ring was empty for most of the night and then they wonder why fans start fighting in the stands. The simple reason is, Fwank they want to see a fight, geddit, this is boxing, remember?

fornicate CAlzone and warren and fornicate itv and fornicate boxing!

leforge · Post by **leforge** » 11 Apr 2007, 17:36

The Glenn Johnson v Woods fight was a good one.

Autobarn · Post by **Autobarn** » 11 Apr 2007, 17:38

Warren did put some great fights on - Macca-Hobson 1, Woods-Johnson 3, Earl-Katsidis, Hobson-Keaton 1 - but on the whole it's been showcases rather than fights.