Haye v Klitschko is on official .........apparently

[El Kabong]

You're delusional Lyle. It's because Wlad is a boring fighter to casual boxing fans and many hardcore boxing fans that's the reason why he's not on HBO or Showtime. It's not because of the time difference.

Explain Mike Tyson fighting Tony Tubbs and Buster Douglas in Japan? HBO still went over there and televise the fights. Or how about Foreman vs Ali in Zaire? Or Ali vs Frazier 3 in Manilla? Or Forman vs Frazier 1 in Jamaica? HBO still went over there to televise those fights. Face it Wlad is a boring fighter and that's why HBO dropped him like a bad habit.

Since you like facts so much. Here are the facts. Wlad is the only lineal HW champ not to have his fights televise by both HBO and Showtime. That didn't happened to Tyson, Ali, Holmes, Holyfield, Foreman, Frazier, Moorer, Lennox Lewis, etc. Only Wlad. You can't spin that.

Easy to explain...... PPV was that difficult or hard to understand? I don't know how PPV works where you are, but where I come from it doesn't block originally schedualed programming because it's on a different channel. Now as for "Why isn't Wlad on PPV?" then yeah he hasn't had many intriguing fights that will make people shell out $60. Also the fights you listed were the EXCEPTION not the rule, USUALLY everyone fought in the US ergo no special scheduling for the fight happening live at 5:00 EST and then a replay at 10:00. See how much scheduling that eats up on a regular fight

If the WBA title holder was sooooo exciting then why hasn't he been on Showtime or HBO? That kind of favors my view of things doesn't it.....I mean unless of course the WBA title holder ISN'T such a hot prospect either and if he isn't why are Showtime and HBO trying to land this fight?

....but you know better than me of course is it some sort of conspiracy that the last Klitschko fight to air on HBO was #1 In America and #2 The highest rated non-Pacquiao/Mayweather related fight of the year? I guess that all had to do with Arreola...oh and Vitali, because it's not like HBO Exec Ross Greenberg said "The fans can't tell the brothers apart, etc etc"...but I digress, you're totally 100% right......totally absolutely correct, you couldn't be more right, you're as right as they get

[boxingbantz]

Haye on Sky Sports today.

[generalbulldog]

Yes you got an excuse for everything when it comes to Wlad, Lyle. The only lineal HW champ not to get picked up by HBO or Showtime. Didn't happen to other ones but your boy. Face it he's considered to be boring by hardcore and casual fans. And Vitali/Arreola had high ratings, maybe just maybe because 15% of the American population is Hispanic and Arreola is one? I'm pretty sure that didn't have anything to do with Arreola trying to become the 1st Mexican-American to win a HW title and HBO high ratings.

[El Kabong]

Yes you got an excuse for everything when it comes to Wlad, Lyle. The only lineal HW champ not to get picked up by HBO or Showtime. Didn't happen to other ones but your boy. Face it he's considered to be boring by hardcore and casual fans. And Vitali/Arreola had high ratings, maybe just maybe because 15% of the American population is Hispanic and Arreola is one? I'm pretty sure that didn't have anything to do with Arreola trying to become the 1st Mexican-American to win a HW title and HBO high ratings.

You're absolutely right....don't bother to address what I said, just go off and make another point because you're right.

[El Kabong]

Haye on Sky Sports today.

I like how he compares himself with Brewster and Sanders and says that Wlad has "avoided fighters with my style". Well to be honest the WBA title holder does have a pretty original style for a heavyweight but it's not one I'd compare with Sanders or Brewster at all. People can call me a hater all they want but I know full well that the WBA title holder doesn't have what it takes to win the way Lamon Brewster won which is absorb everything Wlad throws at you and remain standing as he tires out...I don't see it happening especially after Ruiz hurt him. As for Sanders, he just went out there guns a blazing, threw straight, quick, powerful punches (still had to follow up) and also it's important to note that Wlad obliged him and went toe to toe with him, he even fought in a crouch until he got hurt...he gave up his height and reach something I haven't seen him do recently. Also Sanders is a southpaw and that meant different angles and that the right cross would be THE punch for him to counter etc etc.

If the WBA title holder is going to win he's going to have to work his way inside without getting hit or tied up and then flurry...or he's going to be like everyone else Wlad has fought and just try for 1 big Hail Mary punch. And that's the way I see it....he'll be cocky until he eats a jab or right cross and then he's going to be using a lot of movement and feinting....if he's able to.

[Fenster]

Haye has been live on primetime American TV. Showtime bought the Enzo Macc fight, which started around 2am in London.

HBO paid for Calzaghe-Kessler to start primetime USA - which meant early hours in Britain. Calzaghe-Lacy the same deal on Showtime, Froch-Dirrell, Hatton-Tsyzu etc.. there are plenty of fights HBO/Showtime will pay EXTRA to get the timezone in their favour.

These major TV companies have been refusing to buy Wlad fights on delayed coverage let alone competing to get him live. Fact.

[El Kabong]

Haye has been live on primetime American TV. Showtime bought the Enzo Macc fight, which started around 2am in London.

HBO paid for Calzaghe-Kessler to start primetime USA - which meant early hours in Britain. Calzaghe-Lacy the same deal on Showtime, Froch-Dirrell, Hatton-Tsyzu etc.. there are plenty of fights HBO/Showtime will pay EXTRA to get the timezone in their favour.

These major TV companies have been refusing to buy Wlad fights on delayed coverage let alone competing to get him live. Fact.

Yes but did Showtime/HBO televise ALL of Hatton, Calzaghe, Froch, Tszyu's fights? NO they didn't, they showed big fights or in the Froch-Dirrell match they showed a torunament fight.

Also The Klitschko's refuse to move the start time of their fights thereby forcing HBO's hand to have the fights shown twice making extra programing very difficult. Also they have NEVER shown an undercard for a Klitschko fight that is based in Europe so they have to have the live fight and then when the tape delay is shown have another fight shown as well as HBO does tend to have more than just 1 match (though they will have just 1 match on occasion.)

But you keep on believing what you believe

[generalbulldog]

Haye has been live on primetime American TV. Showtime bought the Enzo Macc fight, which started around 2am in London.

HBO paid for Calzaghe-Kessler to start primetime USA - which meant early hours in Britain. Calzaghe-Lacy the same deal on Showtime, Froch-Dirrell, Hatton-Tsyzu etc.. there are plenty of fights HBO/Showtime will pay EXTRA to get the timezone in their favour.

These major TV companies have been refusing to buy Wlad fights on delayed coverage let alone competing to get him live. Fact.

I guess someone here got caught lying that HBO/Showtime didn't show 1 of Haye's fights or as someone would say the WBA titleholder.

Does anyone here think that prime Tyson, Holyfield, Lewis would be fighting on ESPN Classic and not HBO/Showtime when they were the lineal HW champs? Of course those guys were exciting that didn't bore both the casual and hardcore boxing fans so they would get picked up by America's premier cable networks. Fact.

[El Kabong]

Haye has been live on primetime American TV. Showtime bought the Enzo Macc fight, which started around 2am in London.

HBO paid for Calzaghe-Kessler to start primetime USA - which meant early hours in Britain. Calzaghe-Lacy the same deal on Showtime, Froch-Dirrell, Hatton-Tsyzu etc.. there are plenty of fights HBO/Showtime will pay EXTRA to get the timezone in their favour.

These major TV companies have been refusing to buy Wlad fights on delayed coverage let alone competing to get him live. Fact.

I guess someone here got caught lying that HBO/Showtime didn't show 1 of Haye's fights or as someone would say the WBA titleholder.

Does anyone here think that prime Tyson, Holyfield, Lewis would be fighting on ESPN Classic and not HBO/Showtime when they were the lineal HW champs? Of course those guys were exciting that didn't bore both the casual and hardcore boxing fans so they would get picked up by America's premier cable networks. Fact.

Mike Tyson - American, Evander Holyfield - American, Lennox Lewis - held the majority of his fights in America and was British/Jamaican/Canadian so he was 2/3rds Western Hemispherian.

But faaaaaar be it from me to explain HBO's reasoning all I know is that HBO was already trying to appease Wlad by trying to pick up the Chisora fight...why on earth would they have wanted to do that I do wonder.

You guys know my stance on this and I know yours back on the topic of the fight, there's no way Wlad loses and it's highly unlikely it will be anything close to competitive and I would say the exact some thing for every other heavyweight out there bar Vitali which would be a 50-50 fight at this point.

[badr_hari]

Mike Tyson - American, Evander Holyfield - American, Lennox Lewis - held the majority of his fights in America and was British/Jamaican/Canadian so he was 2/3rds Western Hemispherian.

Exactly. If the Klitschko's were Americans or British most of these guys would probably call them The Greatest of All Time. I live in Europe and don't give a sh!t if HBO or Showtime show the Klitschko's. I don't give a sh!t if somebody knows them in US or in Britain. They are popular in Europe as much as Michael Jackson and Europe is slowly becoming the center of the boxing world, with the Americans focusing more on MMA.

[No Contest]

I would just like to say that El Kabong does not represent the majority of Americans. Please do not harbor any ill will to the majority of Americans who could care less about Wlad. I am really pulling for Haye in this one, he may be a cocky s.o.b., but he has personality and is entertaining most of the time. Could be the boost the heavyweight division needs right now. It could also lead to a unified champion if he wins....finally.

[0james0]

I actually think this will happen this time. Haye will either win a historic fight, or he will be in tears in two rounds after the one-two's start landing.

The sad thing is, I heard Haye say this the other day:

"after Manny Pac and Mayweather this is the second biggest fight around for a long time"

It's sad because it's true. They've hyped and dragged out and built this fight into a money machine.

Something else that is sad is that I would be well up for going to where ever this is. But it's a bit shit booking it, sorting it all out only for them to pull at the 11th hour. Then your stuck watching Hanz Jurgen vs Fury.

[NUCLEAR BULL]

Haye on Sky Sports today.

I like how he compares himself with Brewster and Sanders and says that Wlad has "avoided fighters with my style". Well to be honest the WBA title holder does have a pretty original style for a heavyweight but it's not one I'd compare with Sanders or Brewster at all. People can call me a hater all they want but I know full well that the WBA title holder doesn't have what it takes to win the way Lamon Brewster won which is absorb everything Wlad throws at you and remain standing as he tires out...I don't see it happening especially after Ruiz hurt him. As for Sanders, he just went out there guns a blazing, threw straight, quick, powerful punches (still had to follow up) and also it's important to note that Wlad obliged him and went toe to toe with him, he even fought in a crouch until he got hurt...he gave up his height and reach something I haven't seen him do recently. Also Sanders is a southpaw and that meant different angles and that the right cross would be THE punch for him to counter etc etc.

If the WBA title holder is going to win he's going to have to work his way inside without getting hit or tied up and then flurry...or he's going to be like everyone else Wlad has fought and just try for 1 big Hail Mary punch. And that's the way I see it....he'll be cocky until he eats a jab or right cross and then he's going to be using a lot of movement and feinting....if he's able to.

i like the way you call him the wba title holder........................i think its a waste of time talking about this, haye will prob pull out a few weeks before the fight with a COUGH COUGH. On a serious note heavyweight boxing needs this fight as it seems people feel the Klits and Haye are the 3 best in the division....lets hope it sticks this time and they get it on

[El Kabong]

Let me ask this to everyopne, the people that agree with me and the ones that don't as well. As boxing fans, regardless of who wins what do the people want to see? Do they want an even match? Do they want a war (yes laugh it up on that one we ALL don't expect that even if we want to see it)? Do they want a quick vicious KO?

What would be best for boxing ...and again this is REGARDLESS OF WHO WINS so don't reply with bullshit like "It would be best for boxing if Wlad got beat"

As a fan of Wlad I of course want to see him win, convincingly and quickly, as a BOXING fan I would like a bit of drama, maybe a few knockdowns on each side, but in the end a clear winner and nothing that causes controversy.

[badr_hari]

Let me ask this to everyopne, the people that agree with me and the ones that don't as well. As boxing fans, regardless of who wins what do the people want to see? Do they want an even match? Do they want a war (yes laugh it up on that one we ALL don't expect that even if we want to see it)? Do they want a quick vicious KO?

What would be best for boxing ...and again this is REGARDLESS OF WHO WINS so don't reply with bullshit like "It would be best for boxing if Wlad got beat"

As a fan of Wlad I of course want to see him win, convincingly and quickly, as a BOXING fan I would like a bit of drama, maybe a few knockdowns on each side, but in the end a clear winner and nothing that causes controversy.

For boxing the best would be to see a WAR, i mean a great competitive fight that ends with a CLEAN winner. I don't like both Wladimir and Haye. And if Haye didn't said that he is going to retire this year, i would have wanted to see him win this fight. Now, a Haye win is even WORSE for boxing, and you know why...Somebody (young and called exciting) beats the heavyweight champion and retires, leaving the heavyweight boxing scene in a worser situation than it is supposed to be now.
Haye winning against Klitschko and retiring is in fact, a step back for boxing.