Dan Rafael chat wrap 7/29:
- Who is a better fighter currently: Valdez or Spence? Valdez looked terrific over the weekend, but still gives the edge to Spence.
- Crawford vs. Spence? Spence.
- Crawford vs. Manny would be an outstanding fight and he would give Manny a lot of problems.
- Weight for Manny vs. Crawford? We would have to see. Crawford can say 140, but everything is a negotiation.
- Nothing official on Crawford-Postol PPV numbers. He has heard everything from short of 50k to 77k.
- The attendance of 7k for Crawford-Postol in the middle of summer, with two fighters who aren't huge names, is actually really good. The gate was around $700k.
- Thought Crawford looked impressive and the fight was interesting. Postol looked bad because Crawford is just that good. Postol is a good fighter.
- Crawford's contract for the Postol fight was $1.3 million plus PPV upside. He won't see any PPV upside money as it didn't do well enough.
- Who would he like to see Canelo fight? GGG, Andrade, Jacobs, or Lemieux.
- Looks like Cotto vs. JMM won't happen. No rumors of it, but Cotto vs. Bradley would be interesting.
- There are some who don't believe Pacquiao will actually fight Nov. 5th. Before we get worried about Manny's PPV being 2 weeks before Ward-Kovalev, lets see how it plays out.
- Not impossible that Ward vs. Kovalev gets moved from its Nov. 19 date.
- Stevenson vs. Williams? Fun fight, could be very action packed. Stevenson by KO.
- Will the LSC vs. Frampton winner make the top 10 PFP? Probably not, but lets see how the fight goes. He would have the winner in his top 20, but unlikely in his top 10.
- LSC is getting $1 million and Frampton $500k, but likely more with UK TV money.
- Fan write in: he predicts Frampton's fans will be drunker than LSC's at the fight, because Frampton's were drunk at the weigh-in.
- Good fight, but LSC by decision.
- The reported Oct. 29th date for Fury vs. Klitschko is not a solid date at all. In fact the venue hold may go off and need to find a different location. Fury's team is being very difficult and not communicating, they are holding up the fight.
- Marriaga's next fight is a title eliminator to become Valdez's mandatory. It won't be due immediately, so Valdez will be allowed a fight in between.
- Will believe Garcia vs. Thurman when he sees it. If it happens it is a great fight. Garcia's team probably feels that Berto is an easy payday. Berto didn't earn his title shot.
- Malignaggi by decision.
- RJJ financial issues are well known, but in the announced fight vs. Rodney Moore, he likely isn't making much. Thinks he took the fight because he just wants to fight.
- Would be up to see Lomachenko vs. Gamboa, but who knows what Gamboa is up to.
- How many PBC fighters are A-side of a PPV guys? None.
- Not sure if we see more primetime cards from PBC on Fox. They were scheduled for 3 and have done all three. Still possible they could do more.
- Part of PBC's deal with ESPN was to have 2 prime time fights on ABC. Those aren't happening.
- PBC on ESPN is Haymon's dumping ground for bad fights. Last year it was pretty good.
- The WBC has not decided if Povetkin is still Wilder's mandatory or not.
- Really looking forward to Chocolatito vs. Cuadras. Excellent matchup.
- Chocolatito vs. Darchinyan at 112? Chocolatito with a straight punch over Vic's looping shots and a Donaire like KO.
- Chocolatito vs. Donaire at 112? Tough to say because Donaire was devastating at 112 and he would have a height and reach advantage. It would be a close, exciting fight.
- RJJ vs. GGG at 160? RJJ at 160-168 is arguably the greatest fighter of all time. The only fighter he could potentially take over RJJ at those weights is SRR.
- Fight of the night could be Rabchenko vs. Harrison.
- Says that he never wrote that GGG demanded a 164 lb catchweight to fight Ward. Loeffler said that it was something they would bring up in negotiations if the two camps ever had serious discussions.
- Guzman can crack, now lets see him vs. somebody better than Wake, who isn't very good.
- Guerrero vs. Broner? Who cares.
- Nonito hasn't been fighting in the US because HBO isn't interested in putting him on TV (which he disagrees with HBO's opinion). He has made good money doing fights in Asia. Nonito said he wants his next fight to be back in the US.
- Broner for HOF? Hall of wasted talent and dopes.
- GB wants to put Ustinov vs. Ortiz on the Canelo undercard, but they are having issues because Ortiz wants more money to do so.
- Mares will probably fight Cueller this fall in California, where the eye test is lower than NY's.
- Arum says he really wants to make Salido vs. Loma 2 and both fighters want the fight. It will come down to if there is enough money to make the fight. Salido is not going to take short money and he shouldn't have to.
- It is a bit sketchy for Spike to have Tarver on air as a broadcaster.
- Farmer vs. Redkach? Good style match, leaning towards Redkach.
- Alvarez and Stevenson are on the same card to drum up interest in Montreal for them to fight next.
- Inoue vs. Chocolatito? Eventually.
- Andy Lee wants to fight this fall, but right now nothing is being set up.
- Duran vs. Mosley at 135? Love the fight!
- Provodnikov should probably retire, but if he wants to keep fighting, so be it. He is no longer championship material and is just a name with eroding ability.
- Top 3 most fan friendly fighters? GGG, Kovalev, and Chocolatito. (among others)
- Will Margarito get a bigger fight? Hard because he doesn't think he can get licensed in the US.
- Lipinets is an exciting fighter who certainly could win a belt one day.
- Froch for HOF? Very good chance, believes so.
- More impressive career: ODH or Cotto? ODH.
- Charlo vs. J-Rock dates and location are up in the air, should get finalization's soon.