The axe murderer
For I am death and I ride on a pale horse
that I noticed
Essential The Official Boxing Random Thoughts Thread...All boxing heads ENTER.
- Thread starter Jesus Is Lord
- Start date
KingOFKings
All Star
Yup. I wonder how the first Top Rank card will be like in June on ESPN.
They need to hurry up and officially announce the first card already so they can have some buzz at least... we're like 2 weeks away.
Everyone knows it's Shakur Stevenson, but I bet they're scrambling for an opponent.
ChocolateGiddyUp
Superstar
I would hope they are goin to load up a couple Fox cards before that
Showtime lacking they could’ve been taking advantage N got their best ratings since 2013... if they would’ve been on it N showing live fights first
Bigblackted4
Superstar
We lucky UFC about to have two a month
bigbadbossup2012
Biggest baddest boss
If they do, me and my fam proud to pay
reservoirdogs
Superstar
Which two? Spence vs Garcia being one I guess but do they plan LSC vs Tank as a PPV too?
reservoirdogs
Superstar
Showtime is planning weirdo cross boxing-mma cards
Showtime Aims To Stage Boxing And Bellator Crossover Events
By Manouk Akopyan
Published On Wed May 13, 2020, 10:37 AM EDT
Combat sports fans can unite as one and rejoice.
Both boxing and MMA fights are on track to be staged on the same night, from the same location, some of which will even be crossover bouts, and it will be presented by ViacomCBS properties in a collaboration.
Stephen Espinoza, president of sports and event programming for Showtime, and Scott Coker, president of Bellator MMA, are in serious discussions to bring both disciplines to consumers in a unique fight format.
“Crossover events are certainly one of the ideas Scott and I have kicked around and brainstormed, and pairing them together programming wise on the same night and start blending those audiences together with a hybrid event at some point,” Espinoza told BoxingScene.com in an interview.
In January, ViacomCBS reshuffled its management deck and operational structure after a corporate merger and had Coker report to Espinoza. The duo have a relationship that spans over 20 years.
Shortly after the reassignment, Coker told BoxingScene.com that he and Espinoza had already kick-started conversations to work together.
“Whether it's fighter vs. fighter, or an event where you do both styles in the same night, the door is open, and those conversations are happening. It hasn't been determined, but I do think it will happen at some point,” said Coker. “There will be boxing guys going into MMA, and MMA guys going into boxing. That's something Stephen and I have talked about.”
Showtime previously aired Strikeforce MMA events led by Coker until the promotion was purchased by the UFC in 2011. Coker also has years of experience presenting an alternate mix of kickboxing and MMA events.
“They have experience doing that, and it would be an absolute natural with boxing,” said Espinoza. “I’m excited to see how quickly we can do something like that.
“We had a lot of momentum [with Strikeforce]. It marked the end of an opportunity. We’re excited to have Bellator back. ViacomCBS is absolutely committed to it and wants to grow it. They see the potential. With the merger, it made sense for me to have oversight of it simply because we can unite the two combat sports businesses into the portfolio, as well as my relationship with Scott. He’s an important part. We have a lot of plans. Obviously coronavirus interrupted a lot of them. We’re anxious to get back in business.”
Bob Bakish, president and CEO of ViacomCBS, said in the corporation's latest earnings call on May 7 that combat sports’ return in a post-coronavirus world is right around the corner. The company has set up a sound stage in Studio City, California to bring both boxing and Bellator back to fans in separate events, perhaps as early as July.
Espinoza said the plan is to eventually have Bellator broadcast on his premium cable network after the promotion’s distribution deals expire with DAZN and Paramount Network.
“We’re going to honor that deal,” said Espinoza. “There is no plan otherwise. In the long run, we’re going to try and grow the business in a way that is organic and rewarding to the fans … That’s the goal, generally, to have Bellator [back on Showtime and ViacomCBS properties] and use the combined power of the entire corporation. In the long term, all of those assets are going to be used to help Bellator grow. The timing of that remains to be seen, as there is a good amount of time still left on the DAZN deal.”
this is great for those who like MMA too but for those who are like me, who are only boxing fans and enjoy is a lot better than MMA this sucks. And probably for those who are only MMA fans, it sucks too. I guess by now even wanting to watch only your preferred sport without them shoving down another sport on your throat simultaneously is too big of an ask.
only in combat sports... imagine telling (American) football fans that on some weekends they gonna watch rugby matches cause the two sports are somewhat similar and vice versa
The axe murderer
For I am death and I ride on a pale horse
everybody signs with j prince..good for gabe though
Hearn: I See Joshua-Pulev Between September & November; Virtually Impossible In UK
By Keith Idec
Published On Sun May 17, 2020, 01:28 PM EDT
Eddie Hearn cannot envision Anthony Joshua fighting Kubrat Pulev at any point prior to September.
Joshua’s promoter also acknowledges that the British superstar might not make that mandatory defense of his IBF heavyweight title until November. Whenever Joshua-Pulev takes place, it won’t happen without an audience, which Hearn thinks makes it increasingly unlikely that it’ll be staged in the United Kingdom.
Hearn explained how he is handling the Joshua-Pulev situation to Chris Mannix during the newest episode of the Sports Illustrated boxing podcast.
“It’s the fight that I see happening,” Hearn said. “You know, we’re all working together for other alternatives. We got approached from an amphitheater/coliseum in Croatia last week, and some guys who wanted to bring the fight out there. The Middle East have shown interest in that fight as well. We really wanted to do that fight in the UK. But it’s virtually impossible to do it. And to be honest, Chris, I don’t really wanna do an AJ fight behind closed doors. I just don’t think – you know, his whole career, his whole brand, hasn’t it, has been built on the fact that he is this huge draw. Tens of thousands of people, fireworks and ‘Sweet Caroline’ and screaming [fans].
“To go and do it in a dark studio, an empty hall, just wouldn’t feel right. So, AJ’s a little bit different, you know, in that there’s gonna be plenty of approaches and there has been already about staging that fight [outside the UK]. So, I see AJ fighting anywhere between September and November, to be honest with you.”
The 30-year-old Joshua (23-1, 21 KOs) was supposed to square off against Bulgaria’s Pulev (28-1, 14 KOs) on June 20 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. The COVID-19 pandemic postponed Joshua-Pulev indefinitely, but Hearn had hoped initially that it could still be staged at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium at some point this summer.
If Hearn takes Joshua-Pulev outside of the UK, it’ll mark Joshua’s third straight fight away from his homeland. His past two fights – a seventh-round, technical-knockout loss to Andy Ruiz Jr. and a unanimous-decision defeat of Ruiz in their immediate rematch – were held in New York and Diriyah, Saudi Arabia, respectively.
Joshua last boxed in the UK in September 2018. The IBF/IBO/WBA/WBO champion stopped Russia’s Alexander Povetkin (35-2-1, 24 KOs) in the seventh round of that fight at Wembley Stadium in London.
Beyond eliminating the atmosphere, Hearn is opposed to putting on a Joshua fight without fans because he doesn’t want to sacrifice substantial revenue from the live gate.
“Wilder and Fury have the same problem,” Hearn said, referring to their third WBC heavyweight title fight. “They’re gonna wanna generate a $10-$15 million gate. So, they may look internationally for that fight as well. And obviously, the winners of those fights must fight each other.”
By Keith Idec
Published On Sun May 17, 2020, 01:28 PM EDT
Eddie Hearn cannot envision Anthony Joshua fighting Kubrat Pulev at any point prior to September.
Joshua’s promoter also acknowledges that the British superstar might not make that mandatory defense of his IBF heavyweight title until November. Whenever Joshua-Pulev takes place, it won’t happen without an audience, which Hearn thinks makes it increasingly unlikely that it’ll be staged in the United Kingdom.
Hearn explained how he is handling the Joshua-Pulev situation to Chris Mannix during the newest episode of the Sports Illustrated boxing podcast.
“It’s the fight that I see happening,” Hearn said. “You know, we’re all working together for other alternatives. We got approached from an amphitheater/coliseum in Croatia last week, and some guys who wanted to bring the fight out there. The Middle East have shown interest in that fight as well. We really wanted to do that fight in the UK. But it’s virtually impossible to do it. And to be honest, Chris, I don’t really wanna do an AJ fight behind closed doors. I just don’t think – you know, his whole career, his whole brand, hasn’t it, has been built on the fact that he is this huge draw. Tens of thousands of people, fireworks and ‘Sweet Caroline’ and screaming [fans].
“To go and do it in a dark studio, an empty hall, just wouldn’t feel right. So, AJ’s a little bit different, you know, in that there’s gonna be plenty of approaches and there has been already about staging that fight [outside the UK]. So, I see AJ fighting anywhere between September and November, to be honest with you.”
The 30-year-old Joshua (23-1, 21 KOs) was supposed to square off against Bulgaria’s Pulev (28-1, 14 KOs) on June 20 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. The COVID-19 pandemic postponed Joshua-Pulev indefinitely, but Hearn had hoped initially that it could still be staged at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium at some point this summer.
If Hearn takes Joshua-Pulev outside of the UK, it’ll mark Joshua’s third straight fight away from his homeland. His past two fights – a seventh-round, technical-knockout loss to Andy Ruiz Jr. and a unanimous-decision defeat of Ruiz in their immediate rematch – were held in New York and Diriyah, Saudi Arabia, respectively.
Joshua last boxed in the UK in September 2018. The IBF/IBO/WBA/WBO champion stopped Russia’s Alexander Povetkin (35-2-1, 24 KOs) in the seventh round of that fight at Wembley Stadium in London.
Beyond eliminating the atmosphere, Hearn is opposed to putting on a Joshua fight without fans because he doesn’t want to sacrifice substantial revenue from the live gate.
“Wilder and Fury have the same problem,” Hearn said, referring to their third WBC heavyweight title fight. “They’re gonna wanna generate a $10-$15 million gate. So, they may look internationally for that fight as well. And obviously, the winners of those fights must fight each other.”
reservoirdogs
Superstar
If it's in Croatia I'm trying to go, it's in the neighborHearn: I See Joshua-Pulev Between September & November; Virtually Impossible In UK
By Keith Idec
Published On Sun May 17, 2020, 01:28 PM EDT
Eddie Hearn cannot envision Anthony Joshua fighting Kubrat Pulev at any point prior to September.
Joshua’s promoter also acknowledges that the British superstar might not make that mandatory defense of his IBF heavyweight title until November. Whenever Joshua-Pulev takes place, it won’t happen without an audience, which Hearn thinks makes it increasingly unlikely that it’ll be staged in the United Kingdom.
Hearn explained how he is handling the Joshua-Pulev situation to Chris Mannix during the newest episode of the Sports Illustrated boxing podcast.
“It’s the fight that I see happening,” Hearn said. “You know, we’re all working together for other alternatives. We got approached from an amphitheater/coliseum in Croatia last week, and some guys who wanted to bring the fight out there. The Middle East have shown interest in that fight as well. We really wanted to do that fight in the UK. But it’s virtually impossible to do it. And to be honest, Chris, I don’t really wanna do an AJ fight behind closed doors. I just don’t think – you know, his whole career, his whole brand, hasn’t it, has been built on the fact that he is this huge draw. Tens of thousands of people, fireworks and ‘Sweet Caroline’ and screaming [fans].
“To go and do it in a dark studio, an empty hall, just wouldn’t feel right. So, AJ’s a little bit different, you know, in that there’s gonna be plenty of approaches and there has been already about staging that fight [outside the UK]. So, I see AJ fighting anywhere between September and November, to be honest with you.”
The 30-year-old Joshua (23-1, 21 KOs) was supposed to square off against Bulgaria’s Pulev (28-1, 14 KOs) on June 20 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. The COVID-19 pandemic postponed Joshua-Pulev indefinitely, but Hearn had hoped initially that it could still be staged at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium at some point this summer.
If Hearn takes Joshua-Pulev outside of the UK, it’ll mark Joshua’s third straight fight away from his homeland. His past two fights – a seventh-round, technical-knockout loss to Andy Ruiz Jr. and a unanimous-decision defeat of Ruiz in their immediate rematch – were held in New York and Diriyah, Saudi Arabia, respectively.
Joshua last boxed in the UK in September 2018. The IBF/IBO/WBA/WBO champion stopped Russia’s Alexander Povetkin (35-2-1, 24 KOs) in the seventh round of that fight at Wembley Stadium in London.
Beyond eliminating the atmosphere, Hearn is opposed to putting on a Joshua fight without fans because he doesn’t want to sacrifice substantial revenue from the live gate.
“Wilder and Fury have the same problem,” Hearn said, referring to their third WBC heavyweight title fight. “They’re gonna wanna generate a $10-$15 million gate. So, they may look internationally for that fight as well. And obviously, the winners of those fights must fight each other.”