Comments Thread For: HBO Exec on Kovalev-Ward, Kovalev-Stevenson Possibilities

[aboutfkntime]

I'm pretty sure outside of Hopkins and Pascal kovalev has only fought sxrubs, that have done nothing since. Fonfara, Stevenson, Bieterbiev, are clearly the top guys at the weight. Pascal just got handed a gift decision his last fight. The only reason he's fighting krusher again is because kovalwv can't draw worth craps and they need pascals name recognition in Canada.

The biggest names at 175 were Hopkins/Stevenson/Pascal.

Kovalev beat two of them.

I don't recognise lineage, as others do, so I got Kovalev ahead of Stevenson based solely on those two wins.

And if you are going to put Beterbiev up there, simply because he passes the eye test..... then chuck Andre Ward in there somewhere as well please

[TheThirdEye]

Regardless to all that, the one thing I know for almost certain (maybe 80% sure) is that Stevenson vs Kovalev won't be happening next year. I think HBO will clearly value making a fight with 2 HBO names (Kovalev vs Ward) in the 2nd half of the year) over making Kovalev vs Stevenson in June. I personally favor Kovalev to beat Stevenson as most others seem to, but the reality is I nor most fans don't have anything on the line as big as HBO does. If Kovolev gets put to sleep by Stevenson the allure of two undefeated HBO fighters get diminished greatly. No reason in the world to risk that. Kovalev is more likely to happen than its been since they both were with HBO, but it won't happen til after Kovalev vs Ward & that likely means it doesn't happen til 2017.

ERROR

Did you forget about the IBF mandatory around the end of april 2016. You already know a unification always have a pass over a mandatory, Barrera is a higher risk than Pascal, and the main issue is; What would be the best choice between risking 3 belts against younger Barrera for few $.$$, or picking the highest belt for the Undisputed title against older Stevenson for major $$ $$$ $$$.$$.
I doubt Kovalev will drop the IBF title, therefore Kathy Duva must know what to do next. But she is so used to lie & bluff, I wonder if she understood Al Haymon is only waiting after a women who is fighting alone, making things difficult just because she likes the feeling of thinking she has the upper hand over Haymon.

Is that it, is she senile or what ?

[MDPopescu]

I'm pretty sure outside of Hopkins and Pascal kovalev has only fought sxrubs, that have done nothing since. Fonfara, Stevenson, Bieterbiev, are clearly the top guys at the weight. Pascal just got handed a gift decision his last fight. The only reason he's fighting krusher again is because kovalwv can't draw worth craps and they need pascals name recognition in Canada.

... OK -- they should fight each other then... They're all with Haymon.

[Eff Pandas]

ERROR

Did you forget about the IBF mandatory around the end of april 2016. You already know a unification always have a pass over a mandatory, Barrera is a higher risk than Pascal, and the main issue is; What would be the best choice between risking 3 belts against younger Barrera for few $.$$, or picking the highest belt for the Undisputed title against older Stevenson for major $$ $$$ $$$.$$.
I doubt Kovalev will drop the IBF title, therefore Kathy Duva must know what to do next. But she is so used to lie & bluff, I wonder if she understood Al Haymon is only waiting after a women who is fighting alone, making things difficult just because she likes the feeling of thinking she has the upper hand over Haymon.

Is that it, is she senile or what ?

ERROR

lol this guy

I know you are the guy who is overly focused on Stevenson vs Kovalev but the fight isn't THAT big. Its a hardcore boxing fan fight.

And idk what difference Barrera makes in this or Duva so much either. But it sounds like Barrera is attempting to be taken out of the way by Ward right now, but again I don't think this is about titles or mandatories or unifications or Barrera or Duva or the fighters themselves. This is about HBO. And I gotta assume HBO more greatly values Ward, an undefeated HBO fighter in the P4P discussion vs Kovalev, an undefeated HBO fighter in the P4P discussion than making the Stevenson fight since it doesn't make as much sense for HBO.

Duva would gladly spread her ass cheeks for HBO if asked & its probably asking more from her to risk a Ward fight on a Stevenson fight than a Stevenson fight on a Ward fight. Both fights can still be made, but it seems obvious to me you make the HBO vs HBO fight first for maximum benefit for HBO.

Maybe, just maybe Peter Nelson is gonna be a no bs, take risks all the time, flying by the seat of his pants head of HBO boxing like we've not seen in awhile just making the best fights all the time. And if he is we will certainly see an attempt to make Kovolev vs Stevenson in June even if they aren't successful in doing so (I tend to think HBO wanting to make that happen is just step 1 in that road & getting the sides to agree is a whole other ballgame btw), but I personally believe its far to risky to take that fight & diminish the importance of the fight vs Ward. I just can't envision that making much sense to most of the higher up HBO decision makers.

Maybe I'm wrong, I hope I am as I definitely think thats the best fight to make in June, but I think its probably a lot simpler decision to make. I think its too early to make a call on Nelson being driven as much by making the best fights now in his bigger role with HBO as he was previous to this role, but this fight just being attempted to be made previous to the Ward fight will say a lot about Nelson's reign with HBO for sure.

[aldo5408]

ERROR

Did you forget about the IBF mandatory around the end of april 2016. You already know a unification always have a pass over a mandatory, Barrera is a higher risk than Pascal, and the main issue is; What would be the best choice between risking 3 belts against younger Barrera for few $.$$, or picking the highest belt for the Undisputed title against older Stevenson for major $$ $$$ $$$.$$.
I doubt Kovalev will drop the IBF title, therefore Kathy Duva must know what to do next. But she is so used to lie & bluff, I wonder if she understood Al Haymon is only waiting after a women who is fighting alone, making things difficult just because she likes the feeling of thinking she has the upper hand over Haymon.

Is that it, is she senile or what ?

Yea Kathy Duva is a **** promoter. I remember her saying that she couldn't do a purse bid because of the russian economy or some bullshtt