Boxing
Berlanga chose Zuffa, Hitchins had no choice
Published
3 weeks agoon
Hearn made a clear distinction between the two. In his opinion, Berlanga chose a way of making money that suited his ceiling, while Hitchins arrived there when he ran out of alternatives.
In the Berlanga case, Hearn was open about both the possibilities and the limitations.
“I don’t think he’ll necessarily win the world championship, but financially it’s a good opportunity for him,” Hearn told Fight Hub TV.
Berlanga, 28, has essentially become a high-level guard or fighter with special appeal. He may still make good money, but the days of being gifted undeserved shots at the undisputed king for eight-figure checks are probably over. He’s at the point of a complete career reset.
The statistics surrounding the Sheeraz fight are brutal. Berlanga fell three times before being thrown from the ring in his fifth fight last July. When you lose high-profile back-to-back fights to Canelo and then Sheeraz and get stopped in the second, that marketing strategy of the undefeated Power Puncher is dead and buried.
Established promoters like Matchroom or Top Rank probably wouldn’t touch Berlanga at his previous price because he’s proven he can’t crack the top level at 168 pounds.
“He’s not going to beat the top guys at 168. Come on,” Hearn said of Berlanga.
Hearn’s comment is boxing’s version of “saying the peaceful part out clamorous.” It’s a brutal reality check, but when you look at the 168-pound scene, it’s strenuous to argue that he’s wrong.
By saying, “Come on,” Hearn is essentially dismissing the marketing hype he helped build in an attempt to sell the Canelo fight. It shows that even the people who promoted Berlanga didn’t really believe he was part of the elite.
Hearn revealed a situation where options were disappearing one by one for Hitchins. Matchroom withdrew. Other promoters showed little interest. The negotiating stance adopted before the last fight did not lend a hand.
“We withdrew our offer. Top position was not an option and Golden Boy was not really an option,” Hearn said.
“They tried to be astute, but we finished,” he said of Team Hitchins.
By saying, “We have withdrawn our offer,” Hearn is signaling that he doesn’t even want to exchange offers anymore. He felt that the gap between what Hitchins wanted and what he was worth was too great to overcome.
When Top Rank and Golden Boy also passed, Hearn’s position was confirmed. If the biggest players in the game aren’t bidding for you, you’re a misfit.
Hearn is basically criticizing Richardson Hitchins and his team for messing with the bag. In boxing circles, “trying to be astute” is a promoter’s term for a fighter overestimating his market value and asking for money or terms that are not justified by his ticket-selling power.
“If you care about your legacy and want to be great, don’t take it,” Hearn said.
Hearn’s comment directly relates to Zuffa Boxing’s business model and its importance for fighter autonomy. In the classic boxing world, “greatness” is often measured by a fighter’s ability to move up the rankings, earn belts from the four major sanctioning organizations (WBC, WBA, IBF, WBO) and ultimately become undisputed.
By saying “don’t take it”, Hearn argues that signing a contract with Zuffa is effectively trading an “inheritance” for a “paycheck” in a closed system.
Tomek Galm is a boxing journalist covering the global fight landscape since 2014, specializing in heavyweight analysis, industry trends and fighter psychology.
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Boxing
Floyd Mayweather Jr. faces passport ban due to $7.25 million IRS debt
Published
1 hour agoon
May 1, 2026
Click here to watch Benavidez vs. Zurdo and Inoue vs. Nakatini LIVE!
Floyd Mayweather Jr. may lose his ability to travel abroad after the IRS decided to revoke his U.S. passport due to a $7.25 million tax debt. The move puts his planned June exhibition in Greece at risk and disrupts the rest of his overseas schedule.
The development of the situation was first reported by Mike Coppinger, citing documents reviewed by The Ring. The debt relates to unpaid federal taxes for 2018 and 2023, and the lien was filed in Las Vegas in March 2026.
The passport restriction poses an immediate problem with Mayweather’s scheduled June 27 fight against Mike Zambidis in Greece, as well as discussions about a potential September fight with Mike Tyson.
This development also comes as separate talks are ongoing about a possible rematch with Manny Pacquiao, adding further uncertainty to Mayweather’s exhibition schedule.
This isn’t the first time Mayweather has faced grave tax issues, as he has already dealt with high-value IRS liens during his career. The current notice, however, directly impacts his ability to leave the United States, making it a more immediate obstacle than previous financial disputes.
If the passport drive continues, Mayweather’s upcoming exhibitions may need to be postponed, moved or canceled altogether.
This is a uncommon case where business outside the ring could interrupt a show before it even started.
Mayweather is no stranger to the IRS. He famously pledged $22 million after the 2015 fight with Pacquiao and issued a $7.2 million bond in 2010. However, these were mainly debt collection disputes. This current move against his travel privileges creates a ‘red alert’ scenario.
If his legal team fails to quickly secure a stay or a formal payment plan, we could see a shift where Money will be forced to keep its exhibitions solely within U.S. borders. For a player who has recently enjoyed tax-free, high-guarantee environments in Dubai and Japan, this is a significant blow to the bottom line.
Last update: 2026/05/01 at 2:44
Boxing
Floyd Mayweather Sr. had only one man in mind when he mentioned the strongest boxer in boxing history
Published
3 hours agoon
May 1, 2026
Floyd Mayweather Sr. had only one name in mind when asked who he thought was the greatest boxer in boxing history.
Mayweather Sr., after more than 50 years in the sport, is well-equipped to answer this question. He made his professional debut in 1974 and took part in 35 competitions, including a fight with the legendary Sugar Ray Leonard.
Mayweather Sr. is perhaps best known for his training career, as he trained his son Floyd Jr to numerous world titles and also spent stints in the corner for the likes of Oscar De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton.
In recent years, Mayweather Sr. has shared his thoughts on a wide range of topics from the world of boxing, as well in the restored cliprevealed that he thinks Earnie Shavers is the hardest hitter in the history of the sport.
“Earnie shavers! [Asked, not Mike Tyson?] Earnie Shavers!”
This is a view shared by many other fighters, and it’s effortless to see why – 70 of Shavers’ 76 claimed wins have been by knockout, 23 of them in the first round.
Although he unsuccessfully challenged for the world heavyweight title twice, he demonstrated his immense strength in both of those fights, knocking down Muhammad Ali in the second round of their 1977 fight and defeating Larry Holmes in the seventh round of their 1979 battle.
Shavers sadly passed away in September 2022 at the age of 78 after a low illness, but it is clear that boxing fans will forever remember him as one of the most powerful men to ever grace the sport.
Boxing
Anthony Joshua vs. Tyson Fury scheduled for October–November after the July 25 fight
Published
5 hours agoon
May 1, 2026
Hearn and Warren’s conflicting schedules mean the British heavyweight clash is not fully finalized
Click here to watch Benavidez vs. Zurdo and Inoue vs. Nakatini LIVE!
Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury are expected to fight later this year, but the date remains uncertain even though both camps claim to have reached an agreement. The fight depends on whether Joshua makes it to his fight, which will take place on July 25 in Riyad against Kristian Prenga.
Fury returned earlier this month with a decision victory over Arslanbek Makhmudov, his first victory since 2023, and immediately called for Joshua, who was watching from ringside. From that moment on, the desire to fight intensified again.
Joshua is still scheduled to return to action in July after a break following a fatal car crash in Nigeria that killed two of his close friends. He confirmed that he will continue his career and that his next target will be Fury, provided he manages to get a summer fight.
This first step is now ready. Joshua will face Kristian Prenga on July 25 in Riyad, with both sides claiming a deal with Fury will be concluded later. Eddie Hearn has identified November as his target.
“We’ll be back in July against Kristian Prengi and then, if all goes well, we’ll fight Tyson Fury in November. Everything has been signed on our end and ready to go. Fury said he’s signed the contract too, so there’s no point in denying it, in the end we’re going to fight without a doubt the biggest fight in the history of British boxing,” Hearn told Punch Podcast.
For Fury’s side, Frank Warren provided another window on when the fight would happen.
“It’s signed. Tyson signed up for it a few months ago and we were waiting for AJ and he already did it. So the fight will continue and it looks like it will take place sometime in October,” Warren said on talkSport Boxing.
The difference between October and November is compact on paper, but it usually means that the details are not yet fully settled. Fury’s dates, location and schedule still need to be finalized before anything can truly be wrapped up.
The fight goes on under a certain condition. Joshua has to get through July first. Until that happens, everything else is still being discussed.
Olly Campbell is a boxing journalist covering this sport since 2014, providing reports from the ring and technical analyzes of the most essential fights. His work focuses on fighter tendencies, tactical adjustments and the details that shape high-level competition.
Last update: 2026/05/01 at 2:41
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