View Full Version : Will HBO Embrace Povetkin?
emanuel_augustus
10-02-2007, 02:44 PM
Just wondering. If Povetkin wins the tournament, gets on HBO against Wlad, and somehow beats him, does HBO drop their golden boy and run with AP as the new face of HBO heavyweights?
Or does he lack the looks and body of WK?
I find it interesting that the big cable networks here in the states haven't seen fit to air any of the big European heavyweight fights recently, i.e., developmental fights of Povetkin, Chagaev, Valuev, Sultan Ibragimov, etc. It's silly that HBO recently showed an undercard of clip of Arreola but Jim Lampley can't get SULTAN Ibragimov's name right, and they never mention any of the Euros other than Wlad.
My feeling is that they're missing the boat on some great fighters, and the American h.w. scene is so weak that if they don't start embracing the Euro heavies, that division will fade from the ranks of American cable.
I personally have little interest in seeing Chris Arreola, Travis Walker, Chazz Witherspoon, or any of the other American pretenders who would lose badly to the Euros I listed above.
So, Does Povetkin have a future with American audiences provided he wins the title?
emanuel_augustus
10-02-2007, 02:47 PM
That could be another 10 or 20 years, or maybe never.
Boom_Boom
10-02-2007, 02:53 PM
Yeah of course they will, hes already Merchant's favorite Prospect
and they have talked somewhat about him
emanuel_augustus
10-02-2007, 02:55 PM
I must have missed that broadcast.
I must have missed that broadcast.
It was right before the Calzaghe-Manfredo match started. Larry said that Povetkin is the best prospect out there. I hope they could put Povetkin vs Brock/Chambers on HBO BAD. I'm guessing they won't though, so he won't be on there until he meets Wlad. And after he knocks the "unbeatable" Wlad out, he will get attention quick and will get HBO's backing. I can't wait.
Tom_Tocca
10-02-2007, 03:59 PM
btw, Harold Ledermann is a big, big fan of Ruslan Chagaev...
sandwichsurgeon
10-02-2007, 04:07 PM
It was right before the Calzaghe-Manfredo match started. Larry said that Povetkin is the best prospect out there. I hope they could put Povetkin vs Brock/Chambers on HBO BAD. I'm guessing they won't though, so he won't be on there until he meets Wlad. And after he knocks the "unbeatable" Wlad out, he will get attention quick and will get HBO's backing. I can't wait.
:lol: :lol: :lol:
The SHW myth is such a fucking joke, his brand of gay brotherly love will die soon when the "physique is everything" boys go back to bodybuilding and SanFranciscoism.
emanuel_augustus
10-02-2007, 04:40 PM
It was right before the Calzaghe-Manfredo match started. Larry said that Povetkin is the best prospect out there. I hope they could put Povetkin vs Brock/Chambers on HBO BAD. I'm guessing they won't though, so he won't be on there until he meets Wlad. And after he knocks the "unbeatable" Wlad out, he will get attention quick and will get HBO's backing. I can't wait.
That's why I missed it. Couldn't have cared less about that fight.
It would be nice this whole "tournament" on HBO. All three should be good fights no matter who wins.
MagnificentMatt
10-02-2007, 04:41 PM
I think Calvin Brock would beat Povetkin.. He is still a little green isnt he, besides having a great amature career.
Shpion
10-02-2007, 04:44 PM
Just wondering. If Povetkin wins the tournament, gets on HBO against Wlad, and somehow beats him, does HBO drop their golden boy and run with AP as the new face of HBO heavyweights?
Or does he lack the looks and body of WK?
I find it interesting that the big cable networks here in the states haven't seen fit to air any of the big European heavyweight fights recently, i.e., developmental fights of Povetkin, Chagaev, Valuev, Sultan Ibragimov, etc. It's silly that HBO recently showed an undercard of clip of Arreola but Jim Lampley can't get SULTAN Ibragimov's name right, and they never mention any of the Euros other than Wlad.
My feeling is that they're missing the boat on some great fighters, and the American h.w. scene is so weak that if they don't start embracing the Euro heavies, that division will fade from the ranks of American cable.
I personally have little interest in seeing Chris Arreola, Travis Walker, Chazz Witherspoon, or any of the other American pretenders who would lose badly to the Euros I listed above.
So, Does Povetkin have a future with American audiences provided he wins the title?
HBO are not stupid. If he beat Klitschko in his 15th pro-fight, as well considering his amateur pedigree, he will automatically become the best HW and therefore HBO HW posterboy.
PH|LLA
10-02-2007, 04:45 PM
why do they need 1 heavyweight poster boy rather than promoting the entire division and sticking to whoever is champ
emanuel_augustus
10-02-2007, 05:22 PM
why do they need 1 heavyweight poster boy rather than promoting the entire division and sticking to whoever is champ
That's what I asked. They sure don't do it now very well.
why do they need 1 heavyweight poster boy rather than promoting the entire division and sticking to whoever is champ
Because they have an audience that wants a dominant figure. HBO wants the next Tyson, because that will make them a lot of money.
TheGrimReaper
10-02-2007, 05:46 PM
if povetkin ever develops enough to be able to beat wlad, wlad will be long retired. if they fought now or in the next year or 2 wlad would ko him
Langford
10-02-2007, 08:09 PM
Yeah they will, because he his marketable and because he would be all that they would have.
The real question is...can he be THE MAN?
In Russia, for sure. In Europe, probably. But in the US?
I mean, the type of guy that defines their era? That everyone of their time period knows and one of the few that transcends the sport? Can the average person who doesn't even follow boxing, pick your profile out of a police lineup?
Dempsey was THE MAN
Louis was THE MAN
Marciano was THE MAN
Ali was THE MAN
Tyson was THE MAN
I don't know if a non US guy could ever become the man in the US. I don't care what he looks like. He might get labeled as being "that Russian dude"
by the public, and nothing more. Boxing has hugely declined in popularity. Once, the heavyweight champion was the most well known sports figure in the whole world. Bigger than the president. Bigger than any sports team.
Not now...
I don't know if anyone can be that kind of man again in boxing, because boxing itself, isn't boxing, sadly.
But, times are always changing and the right guy could make the difference.
For Povetkin to be that guy, these things would need to happen.
1. He'd have to be legit. Everything he has shown has been legit. Olympic Gold, 13 fights without losing a round against competition that many fighters avoid until much later in their careers. Pitching a shut out against Larry Donald is impressive. Doing the same to Byrd would be even more impressive.
Beating Brock, if Brock wins, would be a good step. If he goes on to beat Wlad after that, and takes a belt against the most recognized guy in the division, in something like 17 fights, he will be as legit as you can be in this day and age. It will get him mostly there, but to go all the way he'd have to...
2. He would have to unify. All the guys that were the man have been undisputed. I think that because Holmes never unified and because it took Lennox a long time, it hindered them being the man, especially when you factored in their personalities, which also prevented them from being the man, somewhat. But mainly it was the politics. This will make him one to remember, but in order to go where the big dollars are he'd have to...
3. It will help if his tongue comes through customs. If you stay with your native language, you will still, of course, be a hero to your homeland. But to get across the board popularity, you got to know English. Oscar De La Hoya knows this. But even this is not enough, because....in the end to be the man you got to....
4. Give the people a reason. When you tuned in to see Tyson, most did so because you knew he was going to KTFO out the guy on the other side of the ring. He had that aura. And let's be real, boxing is a sport but to be the man it helps if you have that KO power. Louis and Dempsey had that. Ali didn't. But Ali was a media mastermind and one in a million personality. I don't know if its because he fights these tricky guys who are hard to KO (Donald, Ahunanya) but he does not strike me as being someone who is gonna have that kind of aura. I am guessing he doesn't have the personality of Ali (who the hell does), he is not the blue collar hero that Marciano was, either. Not to US fans anyway. Kursk could be Russia's Brockton, but people aren't gonna know that. They will know Russia. George Foreman had both the personality (second George) and the knockout power that gets peoples attention.
He can give the people a reason if he continues to do what he is doing and is able to keep doing it. People have grown tired of belts, of champions who change every year, people are so hungry for the guy that will stand and fight, if someone does, he will cross over. That is Povetkin's main way of rising above, the amateur master who turns pro master.
Heavyrighthand
10-02-2007, 08:13 PM
So, Does Povetkin have a future with American audiences provided he wins the title?
He has a future even if he doesn't win the IBF title. He's a very exciting and aggressive fighter; a fresh face in the division.
If Povetkin passes his first big test in Chris Byrd, he'll draw an audience, you can bet on that. :good
curmudgeon
10-02-2007, 08:27 PM
If they fought now or in the next year or 2 wlad would ko him
And what is the basis for this conjecture?
Skill level? Povetkin is just as skilled - or more skilled.
Chin? If anything, Povetkin did not give any reason to doubt his, and we all know the story with Wlad.
Stamina? No issues here for Povetkin.
Workrate? Povetkin has a higher workrate.
Heart? You do not get to be a dominant amateur without heart, they both got it.
So the only objecive advantage for Wlad is height, power and professional experience. That is no gimme that that would be enough.
Wlad did not fight anybody as dangerous to him as Povetkin.
Mendoza
10-02-2007, 08:36 PM
Just wondering. If Povetkin wins the tournament, gets on HBO against Wlad, and somehow beats him, does HBO drop their golden boy and run with AP as the new face of HBO heavyweights?
Or does he lack the looks and body of WK?
I find it interesting that the big cable networks here in the states haven't seen fit to air any of the big European heavyweight fights recently, i.e., developmental fights of Povetkin, Chagaev, Valuev, Sultan Ibragimov, etc. It's silly that HBO recently showed an undercard of clip of Arreola but Jim Lampley can't get SULTAN Ibragimov's name right, and they never mention any of the Euros other than Wlad.
My feeling is that they're missing the boat on some great fighters, and the American h.w. scene is so weak that if they don't start embracing the Euro heavies, that division will fade from the ranks of American cable.
I personally have little interest in seeing Chris Arreola, Travis Walker, Chazz Witherspoon, or any of the other American pretenders who would lose badly to the Euros I listed above.
So, Does Povetkin have a future with American audiences provided he wins the title?
Povetkin has a future in the USA for sure. Povetkin is an exciting fighter, and one that fans of 220 pound heavyweights will embrace. Skill wise, Povetkin is better than Chagaev, or Ibragimov. He doesn't hit as hard as Wlad ( who does ) but I am more than sure Povetkin would never lose the way Wlad has.
Butch Coolidge
10-02-2007, 10:11 PM
Povetkin's ability will be the key to his success. Quite frankly, the whole "white hope" mythos is pretty much obsolete nowadays so the fast and easy way of marketing Povetkin is gone. The public of the USA will have to see Povetkin in action and then determine their opinion of him. Having enough skills to win a title does not guarantee popularity eg Byrd and Ruiz and Povetkin doesn't seem to have Tyson's volatility, he does not seem to be a wrecking machine who is on an obvious mission of selfdestruction like Iron Mike. Povetkin has quality skills but will that make him a star? Watch Povetkin fight Chris Byrd and we'll get an idea.
curmudgeon
10-02-2007, 11:15 PM
... Povetkin because he's not that good enough...
You do not know boxing. Fact.
Shpion
10-03-2007, 12:23 AM
He's good enough to make a little noise in this poor state of the heavyweight division but he's nothing special..
You have no idea about this sweet science if you think Povetkin is some great fighter.
:patsch
:lol: :lol: :lol:
The SHW myth is such a fucking joke, his brand of gay brotherly love will die soon when the "physique is everything" boys go back to bodybuilding and SanFranciscoism.
It was a joke.. the quotation marks should have given it away. If theres one boxer I'm a hater of it's Wlad.
As for Povetkin's crossover appeal, I don't think he could ever become a household name like Tyson or Holyfield, even if he cleans out the division and is undisputed for the next 10 years. He is not going to be learning English and has said for years in interviews that he hates being away from home, so he will always be in Russia. The only way I could see him getting huge populaity from non-boxing fans in America is if a great American HW comes up in the future and they have a superfight.
Alcaldemb
10-03-2007, 05:35 PM
btw, Harold Ledermann is a big, big fan of Ruslan Chagaev...
No kidding? I really wish that HBO and Showtime would pick up more fights from Europe.
As far as Povetkin if he beats Wladimir, especially if he stops him, and if enough people in the states talk about him I am sure HBO would back him. He has speed, power, technical ability, and a pleasing style.
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