While we’ve seen Al Haymon’s Premier Boxing Champions come out to mainly positive reviews as his promotion is seemingly everywhere, there is still acrimony between rival promoters due to network affiliations. Take the ongoing struggle between representatives for Adonis Stevenson and Sergey Kovalev. Recently, Kovalev’s promoter withdrew from its purse bid for a chance to fight Stevenson later this year.
The two fighters are considered the best light heavyweights out there. A fight between the two would unify the alphabet soup of boxing titles. Kovalev is the IBF-WBA-WBO champion and Stevenson holds the WBC title. The fight was thought to occur sometime in the “fourth quarter” of 2015 after a mandatory title defense by Kovalev sometime this summer and another by Stevenson.
Kevin Iole of Yahoo! Sports reported earlier this week that Kathy Duva, CEO of Main Events, and the promoter for Kovalev decided against a WBC-mandated purse bid. Previously, Duva requested a Kovalev-Stevenson showdown and a 50-50 purse split. But, Kovalev is an HBO exclusive fighter which posed an issue. Haymon backs Stevenson and you might infer he has the money to make a fight which could draw as much, if not more than a Kovalev fight.
Stevenson’s camp indicated he would entertain the thought of fighting on HBO only if Main Events won the purse bid. But, that would be only if Main Events would be the highest bidder.
In a letter to Kathy Duva, Stevenson’s manager, Yvon Michel claims that Kovalev must have renewed an agreement with HBO based on alleged statements from Duva that Kovalvev was near the expiration of his HBO contract. Also, in his letter to Main Events, Michel indicated that Stevenson’s fight on CBS drew 1.7 million viewers and peaking at 1.85 million. This fact, Michel claimed, showed that Stevenson was more popular than Kovalev since none of his HBO fights have ever garnered that amount of viewers.
Of course, CBS is available in more homes than the premium cable subscription network of HBO.
In addition, any fight Stevenson participates in, his management group wants to hold in the fighter’s native Quebec where the group has made monetary guarantees based on his popularity.
Duva has responded to the allegations citing there are still many uncertainties in putting down a purse bid at this time.
Payout Perspective:
If you are looking for another rivalry in boxing where the two sides cannot agree to terms for a fight, you may look to this one. The two promoters have had a bitter relationship stemming from the attempts to make this fight. Last year, Main Events sued Stevenson, Michel, Al Haymon among others claiming that Kovalev had a deal to fight Stevenson but then the deal was nixed after Stevenson signed on with Al Haymon as his advisor. The lawsuit was later dismissed but it appears that the bad feelings remain. We will see if this fight will get done quicker than the one occurring on May 2nd.
Would be a good fight and wouldve done nice numbers on PBC but instead we get to watch both of them fight lesser competition.
Fuckers.
Hahaha. Only a boxing promoter would brag about 1.7m viewers on CBS.
Nice numbers on PBC? Hahaha. More like toilet numbers just like his last fight.
hahahah the fight didn’t happen last year either, so what, Boxing still had a great year. meaningless bullshit! When did the UFC and another large promotor ever have a co promote? oh wait, fucking never!! Dana and the girls don’t play well with others in the sand box hahah
Haha. Sal in panic mode. He realizes after Mayweather-Pac that is the end of the line for big fights in boxing. HAHAHAHA!!!
PBC going right down the shitter!! Losing millions. HAHAHAHA!!!
that sucks, its a fight that has to happen. We need to see who the real LHW champ is.
I think crusher is the best but Superman has the title. Better happen next year.
i think stevenson is afraid to take the fight kovalev has fought and beaten a much higher level of competition