Klitschko manager pleased with marketable Peter
IBF/IBO/WBO heavyweight titlist Wladimir Klitschko’s manager, Bernd Boente, said today he’s pleased Samuel Peter replaced Alexander Povetkin as Klitschko’s opponent for an upcoming bout Saturday in Frankfurt, Germany. Boente urged that business has boomed and that television networks approached promoters for the rights to televise the fight only after the IBF approved Klitschko’s request to replace Povetkin for Peter.
Povetkin, an undefeated heavyweight prospect trained by Teddy Atlas, defaulted on signing a contract with Klitschko within the IBF’s mandatory 15-day period following an offer from Klitschko’s camp. Atlas stated that he felt Povetkin wasn’t yet ready for a fight with Klitschko. Povetkin dropped what would have been his biggest purse to date, over $2-million (US).
"We are very pleased that after three fights conducted by Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko at the stadiums in Germany, we can now organize such a fight in Frankfurt," Boente said about the Peter bout. “We had once planned a similar event, but David Haye withdrew. Therefore, we are very pleased that now, a year later, we are here, and both fighters are in excellent condition."
Boente shed light on business arrangements involving interested television networks. "The rights for this fight were purchased by television networks in more than 110 countries. The activity began to show after Povetkin refused to fight. The fight against Peter is much more interesting to the audience, including to those who are Russian and Ukrainian.” He continued: “In the U.S., the right to broadcast the match went to channel ESPN, which has an audience of 93 million viewers, which is three times greater than that of HBO."
It pays to add that ESPN broadcasts a variety of sports, whereas HBO only broadcasts boxing, so it makes sense that ESPN would have higher ratings for sports-viewing in general.
Klitschko is the heavy favourite this Saturday. He has not lost a bout since 2004, and is rated No.1 heavyweight in the world by boxingrec.com. Peter is the underdog, but is expected to put up something of a fight, having knocked Klitschko down three times in their first bout back in 2005.
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