The headline in the U.K.'s Telegraph was a bit shocking. But can it really be true? Television's biggest boxing backer is permanently done with the heavyweights? HBO Sports president Ross Greenburg said it.
"We're out of the heavyweight division. There isn't any interest in the US and no one besides Haye to challenge the Klitschkos."
Boxing writer Gareth A Davies states the obvious about what's happened to Americans' interest in the heavyweights.
The public in the United States appear to have lost interest in a division which once spilt over with larger than life athletic giants who became world stars.
The Klitschkos, Vladimir and Vitali, gave it a go with 12 fights in U.S., but the greeting was lukewarm. In defense of the fighters, they also weren't where they are now as fighters. Davies points out how big they are now in Germany.
In Germany, it is a different story. The Klitschko Show tours German football stadiums, the two super-heavyweights hammering no hopers in front of 60,000 spectators, out on a night of gluwein and canapés, before retiring for a little light opera.
They could be a draw in the U.S. again, they just have to come back and have someone compelling to fight. The guy is David Haye. But how do you build Haye if he's not on HBO and won't fight here? Tough one. Let's hope HBO means its out of the heavyweight business for now.
No comments:
Post a Comment