Showtime have sent legal letters to Andre Ward and Andre Dirrell

Showtime, the network behind the ongoing Super Six Boxing Classic, has issued legal letters to promoters Dan Goossen and Gary Shaw, advising both sides that their fighters, WBA super middleweight champion Andre Ward and once-beaten Andre Dirrell, have to go through with their scheduled fight in the Super Six tournament, and gave both promoters three potential dates. Showtime, threatening legal action, directed both boxers to fight on either September 25, or two alternate dates in early October.

Ward and Dirrell are scheduled to meet in the third stage of the Super Six on September 25. There is still no venue for the fight and unless a miracle takes place, the fight will not move forward on the date. In mid-2009, the participants of the Super Six, and their promoters, signed binding contracts to follow Showtime's tournament layout and proceed with the scheduled fights. During the last few weeks, there have been industry rumors that Ward and Dirrell, who are close friends, were looking for ways to avoid their scheduled fight.

Shaw, who promotes Dirrell, said Showtime, per their letter, would hold both sides in "breach of contract" if the fight didn't happen on one of the three date provided. And although Dirrell was quoted as saying that his fight with Ward "is being postponed," Shaw is not aware of any official postponement. Shaw disclosed that there is no finalized deal with Ward's promoter, Goossen, and no venue has been secured.

http://www.boxingscene.com/?m=show&id=30678

Friendship. You can be friends after the fight.

If/when they fight, its going to be a love tap session.

SlickMoneyXL wrote:

If/when they fight, its going to be a love tap session.

Friendship aside I've always thought both styles won't mesh well, I can see it being really ugly and boring.

I think if they weren't friends it would be a BHOP style maul fest by Ward (as we saw in the Green fight). He would just maul Dirrell's running ass.

Mares and Perez had no problem throwing leather at each other. And they lived in the same damn house for crying out loud.

The friendship thing is bullspit. They should have thought of that before beginning the tourney. I mean didn't each think they were going to win? How likely was it that they WOULD NOT meet?

If these two don't fight I hope they are tied up in legal trouble for a couple of years and it costs them millions and the best opportunities of their careers.

But I wouldn't be bitter about it

marbleheadmaui wrote:

The friendship thing is bullspit. They should have thought of that before beginning the tourney. I mean didn't each think they were going to win? How likely was it that they WOULD NOT meet?

If these two don't fight I hope they are tied up in legal trouble for a couple of years and it costs them millions and the best opportunities of their careers.

But I wouldn't be bitter about it

+1

RUM CAPITAL wrote:

marbleheadmaui wrote:

The friendship thing is bullspit. They should have thought of that before beginning the tourney. I mean didn't each think they were going to win? How likely was it that they WOULD NOT meet?

If these two don't fight I hope they are tied up in legal trouble for a couple of years and it costs them millions and the best opportunities of their careers.

But I wouldn't be bitter about it

+1

+2

Freaking joke if they dont move forward with the tournament

If any of this is true, the damage is already done, init? The fight will be a pitty pat affair.

Go diva Froch!

Damn, the Super Six has turned into a fuckin mess. Taylor dropping out. Froch and Abraham being difficult regarding venue. Kessler dropping out. Green being dropped and now Ward/Dirrell pulling the Silva/Machida card when they have been hyping their fight for months.

showtime should offer bute some cash and face the winner of abraham-froch for 168 supremacy and then tell gayrell and ward to fuck off. everytime i see abarham punching direll on the ground it brings a smile to my face.

smart move by showtime let em know wahtas coming if they bitch out

RUM CAPITAL wrote:

showtime should offer bute some cash and face the winner of abraham-froch for 168 supremacy and then tell gayrell and ward to fuck off. everytime i see abarham punching direll on the ground it brings a smile to my face.

+1

That would be great idea

Pick up the Bute fight in October vs Brinkley, then have the Abe/Froch vs Bute end of this year or early next year

In the meantime sue the hell out of these two

I think Bute should fight Kessler after Kessler heals. I hope Bute steps up. With people dropping out of the tourny like this his list of potential good opponents at 168 grows. He better not find a way to wheedle out of fighting them. After all, he doesn't want to move up to fight Pascal in what could be a tremendously rich fight, electing to stay and try to become top gorilla-dog at 168.

It's clear that there are many wrenches being thrown into the tournament and that it won't be over anytime soon. Bute should start looking at the fighters coming off of the tournament.

Kessler is actually a very legit option because he is indeed coming off of a win, controversial or not.

And LOL @Kessler for saying he wants to fight the tournament winner after he heals. Bruther you gotta get back in line foo! Bute fight makes perfect sense. The winner takes on the tournament winner.

fightnews just posted that if ward-direll takes place it will also be for the wbc belt
The WBC Board of Governors voted unanimously to name Mikkel Kessler Champion Emeritus and Ambassador of Good Will, due to his accomplishments inside and outside the ring, after he sustained an injury, which will keep him inactive for a long period of time. The WBC also conducted a voting procedure to determine how the title would be filled and by a majority voting, the WBC Board of Governors accepted to sanction the fight between number 1 and mandatory challenger Andre Dirrell versus Andre Ward for the WBC championship to be held on September 25 (although it is certain to be postponed).

The fight between former champion Carl Froch and Arthur Abraham, which will be contested on October the 2nd, will be sanctioned as a final elimination bout and the winner of both fights must fight each other.

The WBC is gross beyond words.

What a joke.

I wonder if Bute will give Allan Green a fight.

As for the WBC, I believe I understand what they are really thinking.

If you have Froch vs Abraham, the winner would have only one belt (the WBC).

In Ward vs Dirrell, if Ward wins (which I'd definitely favor him), then Ward has both WBA and WBC's trinkets.

What will the WBC do if Ward has both belts????? They will find a way to strip him of the belt. When they strip him, they can pull the wool over a couple more fighters and charge more exorbinant fees.

Or if Ward has won the super 6 and they yet haven't found a way to strip him, then they'll require Ward to take on Kessler (Mr. Emeritus himself), rather than having a fight that fans would want to see, that being Ward vs Bute.

These guys have known SINCE LAST SPRING they were going to have to fight each other. Granted this will be a god-awful fight, with both guys doing their B-Hop and Cory Spinks impersonations, but THEY KNEW!

RUM CAPITAL wrote:

showtime should offer bute some cash and face the winner of abraham-froch for 168 supremacy and then tell gayrell and ward to fuck off. everytime i see abarham punching direll on the ground it brings a smile to my face.

I got disqualified in March 2010

After givin' a hittin' to Andre Dir-ran

Late hit, my standings they had to take it

Why?

Guess it was the only way an American could win

Re-match, quarterfinals, a year later

I needs my crown

First round, counter punch

His ass went out

Just got done watching episode 7 of 360 and have one HUGE off-topic question: how is Kessler allowed to drive to and from the press conference announcing he has double vision? shouldn't he get his license taken away?

Groundhog_Day wrote:

I think Bute should fight Kessler after Kessler heals. I hope Bute steps up. With people dropping out of the tourny like this his list of potential good opponents at 168 grows. He better not find a way to wheedle out of fighting them. After all, he doesn't want to move up to fight Pascal in what could be a tremendously rich fight, electing to stay and try to become top gorilla-dog at 168.

It's clear that there are many wrenches being thrown into the tournament and that it won't be over anytime soon. Bute should start looking at the fighters coming off of the tournament.

Kessler is actually a very legit option because he is indeed coming off of a win, controversial or not.

I,m a fan of Bute. This is a fair comment.