HBO Won't Show Klitschko vs Povetkin?

For those of you who looked forward to the Ring, IBF, WBO, IBO heavyweight championship fight between current champion Wladimir Klitschko and 1996 Superheavyweight Olympic champion vs the #1 IBF mandatory and 2004 Superheavyweight Olympic champ Alexander Povetkin, well you may still be able to watch it somewhere(most likely online),  but not on HBO!

Who knows what HBO is thinking.  They supported the Klitschko's in the past and were going to show the Povetkin fight back in December 2008.  So why not now in September 2010 less than 2 years later?
According to the Klitschko team, mainly Bernd Boente and adviser Shelly Finkel, they made a deal with the Senior Vice President of HBO Sports Kery Davis and then things were later cut by the President of HBO Ross Greenburg who stated he has no interest in buying this fight, and even stated that he is not interested in fights unless the Klitschko's face David Haye or Tomasz Adamek. Obviously the Klitschko camp is furious. Here are some quotes from those in the Klitschko camp.

Bernd Boente Quotes

"We are really frustrated. Shelly is furious. Wladimir, too. We were counting on it. This cost us a quarter of a million dollars. If they had told us this at the beginning, we would have had the fight on Showtime. Now we have neither. Not only is HBO screwing us, they are screwing American boxing fans. I am not only surprised, I am shocked."

So whats going on here is HBO allegedly promised the 11th, while Showtime needed the 18th, but they went with HBO and got the venue but now can't do the 18th so this is costing them $250,000 since it won't air on Showtime.

"What HBO did to us is absolutely disgusting. Kery promised me and also Shelly on the telephone that he will do the fight. We had agreed. The worst thing is that Kery said, 'We can do the fight on the 11th but not on the 18th.' Showtime could do it on the 18th but not on the 11th. We made a deal with HBO for the 11th and we said to the German soccer league before they planned their schedule to please make sure that on the 11th there is no home game for Frankfurt because we have an American TV station on board. They said OK. And then HBO screwed us and now we lose $250,000."

"If we knew HBO wouldn't do the fight, we would have asked for [the stadium on] Sept. 18 and Showtime would have shown the fight. Now we lose all that money completely, and it's HBO's fault.

"[Davis] should have talked to his boss first before you promise something. You can't promise me and Shelly and then not do it. Showtime played it very straight with us about their situation. HBO did not. I'll tell you one thing: If either brother ever fights David Haye, I will make sure and the brothers will make sure that HBO doesn't cover the fight and that it will go to Showtime.

"HBO's lie cost us $250,000. It's not like Wladimir is fighting a bum. Povetkin is undefeated, he's an Olympic champion and everyone ranks him very highly. A lot of people want to see the fight.

"Wladimir is totally pissed and really disappointed. He thought a promise is a promise, and if you promise someone, you have to stand by your promise. We have been on HBO for 23 fights [between the brothers], but I guess that doesn't mean anything. Maybe Ross has something against Germany or Ukrainians. I don't know what it is. You'd think maybe he would call Wladimir and Vitali and say he's sorry."

"Whether Wladimir or Vitali fight Haye eventually, we will make sure the fight is not on HBO. HBO will not cover anymore Klitschko fights. On the Haye fight, Wladimir said to me that HBO thinks that they will have it 100 percent because they always overpay if they want something. But for him it is not about the money, it's about fair play."

When asked if he will take Showtime even if HBO offers a lot Boente said, "Yes, absolutely."

Also, if they can't get it on a network like ESPN he said, "If it's not ESPN, we'll do it pay-per-view."

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Ray Stallone who is a HBO spokesman had a few words in regards to Boente's assertion:

"HBO's goal, as always, is to televise the biggest fights in the sport. We recognize that both Wladimir and Vitali are among the sport's most accomplished performers. With a combined total of 23 appearances on HBO, it's reasonable to say that the relationship has been productive for all parties. Going forward, our position is clear: If a heavyweight title fight between Wladimir or Vitali and David Haye can be made, regardless of the site, we will be first in line to make an offer to televise it in the U.S. In addition, if any other opponent emerges that we think will get the U.S. market excited about a prospective title fight, we will surely be in line to try and buy the fight for the U.S. market."

"HBO wants the heavyweight division to thrive, and when Wladimir or Vitali fight in the U.S. or take on any opponent that we think will register in this country, we are prepared to discuss those fights."