Exclusive: Showtime Responds To Main Events on Gatti-Tszyu Bout

[ProBox1]

The following was received as an exclusive to BoxingScene from Jay Larkin, who is Showtime's VP of Boxing Operations and Programming. It appears that an article printed yesterday on our website, containing comments from Kathy Duva and Carl Moretti of Main Events, Arturo Gatti's promoters, struck a nerve with Showtime. Kathy Duva of Main Events stated a Gatti-Tszyu bout "would not happen in our lifetime". Both Duva and Moretti said the main reason that a Gatti-Tszyu bout will never come off is that both fighters are under exclusive contracts to rival cable networks. Main Events were very willing on the other hand, to match Vivian Harris (another fighter under their flag), against Kostya Tszyu. The camp of Tszyu has already stated that a bout with Harris is not in their plans, the matchup is not lucrative enough due to the fact that Harris is not a big player in the division and is virtually unknown to the Boxing public. Kostya Tszyu only wants big fights with big names, he doesn't want to waste anymore time on lesser name opponents. Tszyu has already made it clear that he wants Mayweather, Gatti, Hatton, Cotto and even Cory Spinks, should he choose to move up in weight.

Larkin stated to BoxingScene that Showtime made several attempts to make this fight while Gatti was a free agent and Main Events wanted no part of matching Gatti with Tszyu. [details]

[patto1984]

It all comes down to business my ****in arse. Wat a load of ****. At the end of the day it comes down to wat the fans want to see, THAT MAKES THE F*$KIN BUSINESS. AND WE WANT TSZYU VS GATTI. who the hell is harris.

[Drunken Cat]

It all comes down to the fact that Tszyu might kill Gatti in the ring and main events knows it. So theyre not gonna let this fight come off if they can help it. Not that I think it would be a complete mismatch, Gattis a good fighter and it should be a war but Tszyu is the definate favorite is all I'm saying. Sucks how much power promoters have on this sport. I really hope this fight happens. If not, I hope he fights Mayweather or Spinx. Too bad Mayweather is a Main Events fighter and Duva didnt sound too stoked about matching him against Tszyu either in the previous interview. In any case, I really hope Tszyu finds some big name guy to fight, as he says he wants to.