Dan Rafael chat wrap 4/22:
- Wade was a national level amateur, good skills, and solid power, but his resume makes thinking he has a chance very difficult. He hasn't fought anyone and a past his prime Soliman was a very difficult fight. He has only had two 10 round fights and never been in a 12 round fight. Predicts he gets beaten pretty easily and it could happen early.
- Over under GGG vs. Wade at 6 rounds? Under.
- Hard to say if Los Angeles gets as much buzz for fights as Vegas. LA is so spread out you can't get the feel of the city. The coverage in the newspapers has been good.
- HBO intentionally lined up GGG's fight this weekend with Game of Thrones and the Beyonce concert with the first 24/7 of Canelo-Khan on a free preview weekend. However, free previews do not count in the actual measurement of viewers/ratings.
- Has GGG ever been hurt in a fight? Not that he has ever noticed.
- Arum and Loeffler have told him that a fight between GGG and Gilberto Ramirez is possible.
- If GGG beats Wade and Canelo puts off a fall fight, who are good opponents for GGG? Saunders and Jacobs (if the WBA will order the mandatory - as they should).
- GGG does want to try and get Hopkins middleweight title defense record (record is 20 and GGG has 15 - all by KO).
- Hopes Sammy Vasquez gets a good opponent this year. He is with Haymon who has lots of good guys at 147.
- Instant replay should be used more in boxing.
- Pleased that Crawford vs. Postol is getting made, didn't think it would. Expects Canelo-GGG and Gonzalez-Estrada 2 to get made eventually.
- Arum was expecting a price for the Crawford vs. Postol PPV to be $44.95 (no mention if that was SD or HD).
- Which Olympic team was better: 1976 or 1984? Personally partial to 1984.
- Thought Kalajdzic beat Browne. DiBella had a pretty big melt down over the decision, but on a DiBella melt down scale it was only a 6 out of 10.
- Arroyo is a live dog, but he expects Gonzalez to win.
- Spence will be a PFP guy one day.
- Possibility of a Soto-Karass vs. Kamegai rematch, but they need a break. It would be the end of the year at the earliest.
- Why wasn't Lomachenko vs. Walters made? Walters chose not to take the fight.
- Predicts that Lomachenko vs. Martinez will happen and Berchelt will have to wait for the summer.
- Had Salido beating Lomachenko.
- Chocolatito vs. Inoue? Great matchup, hope it happens next year. Chocolatito probably deserves the edge.
- Wilder vs. Joshua right now? Whoever won it would be by KO.
- Very possible LSC vs. Frampton and Jacobs vs. Lee takes place July 30th at Barclays.
- Diego De La Hoya: contender or pretender? Prospect. Jury is still out.
- How much money did Pacquiao vs. Bradley lose? Arum said, none of your fukking business.
- Arum's comments about Manny's anti-gay comments costing them viewers wasn't directed at people being driven away just from hearing his comments, but rather the fact that people refused to help promote the fight because of those comments (Jimmy Kimmel not letting Manny go on his talk show).
- 15 years ago today Rahman beat Lewis. He picked Rahman, best pick he ever made.
- Cunningham is at the point where he is a name for up and coming contenders...unfortunately.
- Easter Jr. has moved from prospect to young contender after his Mendez fight.
- Better KO: Easter vs. Mendez or Menard vs. Bernardo? Menard. Mendez got up, Bernardo was out cold.
- Best CW? Lebedev, then Glowacki.
- Danny Garcia's next fight? Not decided, but would not be surprised if it is the winner between Berto-Ortiz 2.
- Opinions on Devin Haney? Very raw and very fast.
- Was 50 Cent good for boxing? No he was a disgrace and a fraud.
- Canelo vs. Khan will have closed circuit tickets available and they go on sale today and will be shown in theaters.
- For a stretch Don King put on great PPV cards. Absolutely loaded with top guys. But he never adjusted to the times and micromanages too much.
- Corrales vs. Castillo 1 was the best fight he was ringside for and maybe the best fight he has ever seen.
- Verdejo did not fight Jose Felix because Felix asked for 3-4 times the money that was actually available, according to TR.
- It does not bother him that Haymon chooses not to talk with the media. What does bother him is there is not a single representative from PBC who is available to handle media requests about fight/fighter/company info.
- Uchiyama is the best fighter at 130, but getting older. Walters, Gamboa, Vargas, and Lomchenko would all be excellent fights.
- His reaction when JMM KO'd Pacquiao? Holy fukk!
We've seen Ward who is an HBO guy get paid similar amounts. Seems to be the norm at HBO for guys that are "their" fighters. Have to imagine that guys like GGG, Ward, Kovalev and any others who are HBO "exclusive" get first crack at being on the schedule and better pay days, while the other guys fight for what is left.
..washed away the bad taste of the fukkery of the first rahman-tua fight and being sent to the bushes by maskaev
