By: Sean Crose
Sometimes an article requires an introduction. This is one of those articles. That’s the truth Boxing insider could not confirm the pay-per-view figure for Canelo Alvarez-Gennady Golovkin’s third pay-per-view card. In fact, perhaps very few people can do it. Since we’re not sure who those people are, or if they’re providing candid numbers rather than a PR spin, we’re staying neutral on yesterday’s Twitter incident involving the journalist. Dan Rafael, Promoter Eddie Hearn, Promoter Leonard Ellerbe, and streaming service DAZN.
All we can say is that Rafael reported a pay-per-view purchase of Canleo-Golovkin 3 numbered in the mid to high 500,000 range. Hearn, who fueled the war, took the exception, like DAZN, which announced a “worldwide” figure of more than one million. Somehow, Ellerbe and Hearn started going back and forth, leaving the rest of the world to ponder. Or not. However, the whole incident was enough for Hearn to discuss the details with iFL TV today.
According to Hearn, Rafael “basically got the numbers from opponents and people with agendas and chose to print it. He doesn’t work with a big store at the moment, so he can really say what he wants. He rolls with it and he never asks anyone for an opinion. He just rolled with it. And obviously people won’t tell you the truth – you’ll see their reactions on social media. “Hearn added that “it’s possible that by the time he (Rafael) reports the numbers, it’s possible that the game numbers aren’t in anyway.”
Hearn went on to say that DAZN felt compelled to set the record immediately. “So that’s why DAZN wanted to come out last night and say over a million people bought the fight,” Hearn said. “And then he (Rafael) came out and said yes, but about 50% of it is in the US. Nonsense. What about 80% of them in the US? As for the record, if Rafael is right, the number of Canelo-Golokvin 3 purchases is not particularly impressive. Even so, Hearn has his own way of dealing with it. “Look,” he said iFL TV, “The numbers are probably slightly lower than DAZN’s prediction. I really think they are solid.”
In the end, Hearn was more disappointed with Rafael in the video than with the number of people who bought Canelo-Golokvin 3. “Become a reporter and don’t ask the other side for comment,” he said, “and just to scroll with numbers. I feel that is irresponsible.”
