BoxRec

A surprise bidder beat out the promoters of Dillian Whyte and Kubrat Pulev on Thursday to earn the right to promote their IBF-mandated heavyweight elimination match.

Epic Sports & Entertainment, a New York-based company that’s new to the boxing business, submitted the winning offer of $1,500,111 during a purse bid at the IBF’s headquarters in Springfield, New Jersey. The company, with which longtime boxing attorney John Wirt is involved, easily surpassed the offers submitted by Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing (Whyte) and Team Sauerland (Pulev).

Hearn bid $831,111. Team Sauerland bid $801,305.

Hearn and Kalle Sauerland had been negotiating a deal to stage the fight either in London, where Whyte lives, or Pulev’s native Bulgaria. They requested a one-week postponement last week of the IBF’s purse bid because they thought they could come to an agreement without going to purse bid.

It wasn’t clear as of Thursday afternoon when the Pulev-Whyte fight would take place or where Epic Sports & Entertainment would bring it.

Epic Sports & Entertainment must submit signed contracts from Pulev and Whyte to the IBF by June 8 to move forward with the fight.

According to the IBF’s rules, the fight also must take place within 90 days of Thursday, by August 24.

The 37-year-old Pulev (25-1, 13 KOs) is the No. 2-ranked contender in the IBF’s heavyweight rankings. Whyte (23-1, 17 KOs) is ranked No. 4.

The higher-ranked Pulev is entitled to 75 percent of the winning purse bid, which amounts to $1,125,083.25. Whyte would receive 25 percent of that bid, a total of $375,027.75.

The Pulev-Whyte winner would become the mandatory challenger for Anthony Joshua’s IBF title.

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Surprise turn of events. I guess the fignt is taking place on USA?

Seems weird for the split to be 75-25.

Is that normal?

Horse wrote: ↑24 May 2018, 18:55 Seems weird for the split to be 75-25.

Is that normal?

IBF are strange. They have the 75-25 split for world titles and final eliminators. I'm sure the remaining orgs have it a 50/50 for a final eliminator. Eddie tried appealed to have it more even, but they decline.

I've noticed. Hearn never bids high at purse bids. Always loses them.

$1.5 million on Whyte vs Pulev??

Boxerbeetle wrote: ↑24 May 2018, 19:19 $1.5 million on Whyte vs Pulev??

It's better than 80% of the purse bids we see for world title fights.

The fight would be huge in Bulgaria.. Whyte also had a good turnout against Browne. It would be a similar turnout vs. Pulev because his name is known by UK fans. Although most of casual AJ fans likely won't remember anyone that he's fought let alone not fought.

Pulev will definately take this fight now. He's getting over $1m for a bloody eliminator!!

Who else can say that really??

If he wins, he's guaranteed another bumper payday vs. AJ..

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑24 May 2018, 19:30 Pulev will definately take this fight now. He's getting over $1m for a bloody eliminator!!

Who else can say that really??

If he wins, he's guaranteed another bumper payday vs. AJ..

And in modern boxing, if he loses he can just fight one comeback fight against a taxi driver and be back in the mix

Very suprising outcome.

Epic sports trying to get in on the recent interest in the heavyweight division.

If the Joshua/Wilder fight gets made soon they can obviously eek off the huge promotional push that fight will no doubt get.

Not sure it will happen now though, not with the splits being so wide.

Horse wrote: ↑24 May 2018, 18:55 Seems weird for the split to be 75-25.

Is that normal?

Seems wierd to me, I'd get it if Pulev was champ but just becuase he's ranked a bit higher seems ludicrous

Nightmare Roy wrote: ↑25 May 2018, 03:12

Horse wrote: ↑24 May 2018, 18:55 Seems weird for the split to be 75-25.

Is that normal?

Seems wierd to me, I'd get it if Pulev was champ but just becuase he's ranked a bit higher seems ludicrous :stop:

I suppose they assume that promoters will make a stronger effort to move up the rankings in order to get the best outcome, although it's a strange procedure.

Pulev vs Whyte is a damn good eliminator for this era though. Probably solidify either as the number 4 hw if not 3 for the time being.

What happened to the billion dollar man ?

Black Sam Bellamy wrote: ↑25 May 2018, 03:39 What happened to the billion dollar man ?

I've noticed Hearn usually always bids low on purse bids. I think if he can't negotiate a deal, and a fight enters bids, he's not assd anymore lol..

Also, I believe the DAZN deal is for USA.

TBH, the 7-25 is ridiculous. Should be a 50/50 split. Whyte would be getting peanuts compared to Pulev.

Does anyone think Whyte will go ahead with this?

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑25 May 2018, 03:50

Black Sam Bellamy wrote: ↑25 May 2018, 03:39 What happened to the billion dollar man ?

I've noticed Hearn usually always bids low on purse bids. I think if he can't negotiate a deal, and a fight enters bids, he's not assd anymore lol..

Also, I believe the DAZN deal is for USA.

The winning bid was from USA.

BigDoofus wrote: ↑25 May 2018, 03:59

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑25 May 2018, 03:50

Black Sam Bellamy wrote: ↑25 May 2018, 03:39 What happened to the billion dollar man ?

I've noticed Hearn usually always bids low on purse bids. I think if he can't negotiate a deal, and a fight enters bids, he's not assd anymore lol..

Also, I believe the DAZN deal is for USA.

The winning bid was from USA.

I meant for Matchroom Boxing USA. I;m not sure, but isn't it a separate company? Like a sister company to Matchroom Boxing?
Either that or Hearn doesn't believe an eliminator should be for BIG bucks.

It throws a huge spanner in the works. Pulev is more than capable of beating Dillian, who isn’t very good, which ruins AJ-Whyte 2, which Eddie has wanted ever since he found out AJ could take a punch from Whyte and still knock him out. Povetkin (who Price nearly chinned...) then Pulev? Sky Box Office viewers are in for a real treat! Let’s roll!

Strange move IMO.
As a one off event in the USA where neither man is likely to be a big draw it will be difficult for the show to make any money.
Couple that with it being a one off as the promoters don't retain an interest in either boxer, what have they really got to gain?
I don't see this contest taking place.

leejonesjnr wrote: ↑25 May 2018, 04:17 Strange move IMO.
As a one off event in the USA where neither man is likely to be a big draw it will be difficult for the show to make any money.
Couple that with it being a one off as the promoters don't retain an interest in either boxer, what have they really got to gain?
I don't see this contest taking place.

This fight would draw big in UK and even bigger in Bulgaria. Wouldn't draw in USA. Like you said, I don't know that they'll gain.

The background of this fight's set up has already been strange with Whyte allegedly taking some other offer and now there's such stuff. Well, the fight is finally likely to take place, that's good.

mickey1975 wrote: ↑25 May 2018, 04:16 It throws a huge spanner in the works. Pulev is more than capable of beating Dillian, who isn’t very good, which ruins AJ-Whyte 2, which Eddie has wanted ever since he found out AJ could take a punch from Whyte and still knock him out. Povetkin (who Price nearly chinned...) then Pulev? Sky Box Office viewers are in for a real treat! Let’s roll!

Or Whyte pulls out of eliminator, gets a little bit more than his $375k he would have got, and has a straight shot at Joshua.
BEEF 2 PPV and Joshua pockets nearly all the casual's cash.

BigDoofus wrote: ↑25 May 2018, 03:57 Does anyone think Whyte will go ahead with this?

For 25% he'll tell them to shove up their arses

Nightmare Roy wrote: ↑25 May 2018, 19:50

BigDoofus wrote: ↑25 May 2018, 03:57 Does anyone think Whyte will go ahead with this?

For 25% he'll tell them to shove up their arses

He's getting more compare to what Hearn bid.

mickey1975 wrote: ↑25 May 2018, 04:16 It throws a huge spanner in the works. Pulev is more than capable of beating Dillian, who isn’t very good, which ruins AJ-Whyte 2, which Eddie has wanted ever since he found out AJ could take a punch from Whyte and still knock him out. Povetkin (who Price nearly chinned...) then Pulev? Sky Box Office viewers are in for a real treat! Let’s roll!

povetkin and pulev would be a better win combo then anyone else has. im not sure if your serious mocking that

a guy could have fought 100 percent 0-20 clubfighters, yet would move straight into the top world 3-4 if he beat those two

jamamb wrote: ↑26 May 2018, 00:16

mickey1975 wrote: ↑25 May 2018, 04:16 It throws a huge spanner in the works. Pulev is more than capable of beating Dillian, who isn’t very good, which ruins AJ-Whyte 2, which Eddie has wanted ever since he found out AJ could take a punch from Whyte and still knock him out. Povetkin (who Price nearly chinned...) then Pulev? Sky Box Office viewers are in for a real treat! Let’s roll!

povetkin and pulev would be a better win combo then anyone else has. im not sure if your serious mocking that

a guy could have fought 100 percent 0-20 clubfighters, yet would move straight into the top world 3-4 if he beat those two

Povetkin and Pulev would easily be Fury’s 2nd and 3rd best opponents faced.