Metalartin
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- 15 Jul 2015
- Messages
- 12,372
Yep, there's also the argument that no other belt organisation to my knowledge has the rule that got Usyk his title shot. He didn't earn it by competing in an eliminator as with most mandatory positions. He was given it simply because he held the WBO at Cruiserweight. With the Fury vs Wider situation it's different. Fury was a voluntary cherry pick(out of shape Fury) gone wrong. The rematch was a voluntary too because Fury signed with Toprank and had two tuneups after that fight instead(turned down the fight with AJ that Wilder was offered), they had a "gentleman's agreement" to come back to that fight. Now they will be fighting a 3rd time, despite nobody seeing the need for it, despite the WBC not enforcing a mandatory for 2 years. Fury won the first two fights already on most peoples cards. Neither of them will have fought for 18months or so, when they meet in the ring again because of their antics. What's happening over there with WBC situation, is much much worse.Absolutely fair there was a rematch clause against Ruiz who was given a shot out of the blue. As mandatory, the Usyk one is slightly different. There is an arguement to be made that rematch clauses shouldn't be in mandatory challenges but did you not hear what the Usyk management said? THEY wanted the rematch clause because they know a fight v Joshua with a 70/30 split in their favour is mega bucks.
Ruiz Jr was gifted a title shot as a 3rd or 4th choice replacement for Miller, who popped dirty for a list of PEDs. There's no reason there shouldn't have been a rematch clause for a voluntary. Hearn would have been stupid not to put one in, it's HW boxing after all.
Miller was going to be a voluntary. They chose him because he was fairly highly ranked at the time, while the fight was booked for the MSG in New York and he's a New York fighter who talks a big game.
Ortiz was first choice replacement(probably because it was Wilder's best win). They went back with an improved offer, to try and convince him, before moving on to alternatives.
Kownacki was the next one to get the call. Based on him being based in New York his whole career(from the amateurs onwards), with a fairly big following from the Polish community there. He turned it down, saying he wasn't ready for the fight. He doesn't seem very disciplined in between fights to be fair, so that might have been a legitimate reason to turn it down. He was exposed by Robert Helenius 9 months later, where he was stopped in front of a stunned NYC crowd. I think the PBC were ready to feed him to Wilder, as another hyped name on his resume, before that loss. So maybe they wouldn't have let him take that fight, even if he wanted it.
I have the feeling I'm forgetting someone but I will stop there.
Ruiz Jr fought Dimitrenko on the 20th April and beat him inside 5 rounds. His team confirmed a meeting was scheduled with Hearn on the 22nd and the terms were agreed within a week for a fight in June. He had no time at all to get out of shape which probably suited him. The fact that he came in heavier, shows that was part of their strategy(absorbing punishment better at a heavier weight).
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