Boxing
Eddie Hearn believes Devin Haney’s next fight is crucial and doesn’t believe Terence Crawford will box again
Published
3 months agoon
Eddie Hearn insists Devin Haney’s next step is crucial as the fighter tries to shake off his April “saga” with Ryan Garcia.
Haney is still undefeated, despite having his decision loss to Garcia that night overturned due to Garcia testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs during the fight.
“It’s a tough time for Devin to decide what he’s going to do,” Hearn said. “I like [Liam] Paro fight in Australia. Again, it’s a tough fight for him, traveling, and Devin’s next move is really, really essential because you’re coming off this Ryan Garcia saga.
“If he got his ass kicked in the next fight, it would be a disaster for him, but at the same time, he’s made a lot of money and he only wants a certain amount for a fight, and he can only make that kind of money if the fight is tough. And a lot of these guys don’t want to take less money for the right fight.”
Haney is a promotional free agent. His proposed fight with Sandor Martin has attracted only modest offers, and Hearn – with whom he has worked recently – has not made an offer. Haney has subsequently indicated he is ready to return to the ring, and the fight with Paro, if it happens, could take place in Australia in December.
“This is a problem with [Terence] Crawford,” Hearn continued, speaking about the current state of the sport. “I don’t think Crawford will ever fight. Unless he gets a fight with ‘Canelo’ Alvarez, I don’t think he’s motivated to fight. He’s made a ton of money and he’s not going to take money for a tough fight – like a fight with Vergil Ortiz – and I think it’s the same with Devin. It’s kind of like money has killed the game a little bit because it’s just not realistic to make certain fights. But Devin’s next move is very essential.”
But doesn’t Saudi Arabia’s investment in the sport at the highest level make such fights realistic?
“Only in Riyadh Season,” the promoter said. “And I don’t know how sustainable that is. Obviously, if the business isn’t working… for these guys it’s more of an investment in exposure and obviously the Riyadh Season brand, but I think it probably makes it harder for us to do these bigger fights because of the perceived market value of those fights.
“But we take into account how much people get for fighting, and we can’t criticize that because we see, [Tyson] Fury-[Oleksandr] Usyk; we see [Dmitry] Buffalo-[Artur] Beterbiev; we see Crawford, we see “AJ” [Anthony Joshua] back to Wembley and it’s all because of the season in Riyadh. So we accept that, but it also changes the market and makes it harder to organize these kinds of fights outside the season in Riyadh.”
The changes in the market have also meant that there has been a reduction in the number of top-flight fights taking place in the UK, with many of the country’s stars heading to the Middle East to take part in the season’s shows in Riyadh.
Speaking about the coming months in the UK, Hearn added: “We’ve had a bit of bad luck, especially with [Regis] Prograis-[Jack] Catterall [being postponed]I know it’s been pushed to October, Dalton Smith won’t play [of his fight]… When you have AJ and about 90,000 people in September, it’s demanding to organize and build a show around that because that’s a huge sample size of the boxing fans that are going to go to that event.
“I think every fighter now is thinking about trying to be part of the Riyadh season – trying to get a massive payday – so it’s probably harder to get these guys major fights in the UK and the prize money has gone up for a select few, but unfortunately a select few. Managers and other fighters know, ‘He got what he got’ and it’s, ‘Well, he got this for the Riyadh fight’ and it’s like, ‘I know, but it’s a bit different in Birmingham or Manchester’, so it’s quite a hard time and we’re really focused now.”
Hearn said he is due to meet with his Matchroom team to discuss the sport in the UK, with Johnny Fisher headlining a night in London on September 28, Catterall-Prograis in October, and possibly Galal Yafai and Clear Edwards in November, and a December card in Monte Carlo featuring two – as yet – undisclosed world title fights.
He said he and the team hope to discuss the timeline — specifically from early 2025 on — “and try to change some things up a little bit and do them a little bit differently.”
“It could be the fights or it could be the product – the way the shows are run; the hours of the shows; the type of fights we put the fighters in – because I think we have to keep it fresh and we’ll never be able to compete with Riyadh in terms of the depth of the cards, so we have to add something fresh to the product and that’s our goal.
“[Matchroom are looking at] everything. The types of fights; not listening to or letting a manager or an agent or an advisor tell you, “Oh, we want something straightforward first and then…” “No, it doesn’t work like that anymore, mate.” We need real fights. The length of the shows; the way the shows are run on the night; the flow of the shows; the pacing of the shows; the hours of the shows; everything. I think it’s time to refresh the product.”
Hearn said he and Hall of Fame promoter Frank Warren are planning a second Matchroom-Queensberry promotion between their stables in early 2025. Warren’s Queensberry won the previous meeting 5-0, and Hearn said he hopes Anthony Joshua can reclaim victory for Team Matchroom on September 21 with a victory over Daniel Dubois. But he also recognises that the UK may be in a transitional phase from the glory days that saw Joshua and Tyson Fury sell out football stadiums – although he can see fighters still selling significant numbers of tickets.
“We had a great run but there wasn’t really any player who could sell out Wembley or Spurs [Tottenham Hotspur] apart from Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury,” Hearn said. “So nothing’s changed, but yeah, I think Conor Benn against Chris Eubank Jnr sells Spurs, no problem. Wembley, it’s a massive number, but I think with the right card…
“We are a comical venerable lady [in England]; we look at the season in Riyadh and the cards and I see some answers: “Oh, I don’t think October 12tht is this a great show.’ And I look at it and I’m like, ‘Fuck me.’
“I look at our cards and [it’s] same quality we’ve always done and it’s like we can’t compete with Riyadh Season. It’s just like nothing we’ve ever seen. I don’t think there’s many that could sell out [Wembley].
“Even in the times of glory [James] DeGale in the lead role, or [Kell] Brook – they can’t sell out Tottenham and Wembley – so it’s not like there aren’t any massive stars left. Sometimes we just compare it to those two, but AJ and Fury are a phenomenon of British boxing that we’ve never seen before.
Boxing
George Kambosos moves up to 140, adds Eddie Hearn to team
Published
12 hours agoon
November 23, 2024Former unified lightweight champion George Kambosos approached promoter Eddie Hearn asking for more massive fights.
Kambosos has signed a co-promotional deal with Eddie Hearn, under which the Greek-Australian slugger will continue his association with DiBella Entertainment Inc. and his own company, Ferocious Promotions.
The 21-3 star will move up to the super lightweight division of Matchroom Boxing’s lively division. He aims to become a two-weight world champion in early 2025, and as part of the deal, a title fight is promised as long as he continues to win.
Since his stunning victory over Teofimo Lopez, Kambosos has never shied away from competing against the best. Those three losses on his resume came to Devin Haney [twice] and Vasily Lomachenko, all at home and all for world titles.
The 31-year-old is now set to face compatriot Liam Paro after defending his IBF title against Richardson Hitchins in December in Puerto Rico.
“I am thrilled to be working with Matchroom Boxing. I am excited to have signed a three-way promotional cooperation agreement with my long-time promoter DiBella Entertainment Inc. and Ferocious Promotions,” Kambosos said.
“I made great success and history when I moved up the Matchroom shows by winning my UK elimination fight against Lee Selby. The most noteworthy and unforgettable is my victory against Teofimo at Madison Square Garden in Up-to-date York to become the 135-pound world champion.
“I am officially announcing that I will be moving up to 140 pounds and signing with Matchroom will ensure my continued success and the legacy I want to leave in the sport of boxing.”
Hearn, who adds an experienced campaigner to his stable, added: “I am delighted to welcome George to the team. George’s victory over Teofimo tore up the script and showed that George was the man for the massive time. He has proven to be a huge attraction in Australia and one of the real driving forces behind the rapid growth of boxing Down Under.
“The 140-pound division is full of massive names and massive potential fights. Adding George to the mix only elevates the level, and a possible fight with Liam Paro is a truly appetizing prospect. If Liam manages to win in a great fight against Richardson on December 7th [the fight could be on].
Lou DiBella, who has worked with Kambosos for years, said: “I’m glad I was able to make a deal with my antique buddy Eddie to work with George Kambosos Jr. and Ferocious Promotions.
“Throughout his career, George has been a fighter who has never shied away from a challenge, and now he wants to test himself against top junior welterweights.
Matchroom works with top 140-pounders, including George’s compatriot Liam Paro, and, like DiBella Entertainment, is heavily invested in Australia.
“It’s a natural partnership,” added the Up-to-date Yorker.
Boxing
Mike Tyson had absolutely no chance of knocking out Jake Paul
Published
2 days agoon
November 21, 2024One of the hottest topics surrounding Mike Tyson’s return at the age of 58 was the possibility of the boxing legend scoring a knockout of Jake Paul.
WBN has weighed in on this topic several times, questioning the validity of five-second training clips that revealed nothing about Tyson’s abilities at this overdue age. One of the most intriguing observations during the preparations was the opinion of UFC commentator Daniel Cormier.
Speaking on his show “Funky and the Champ,” Cormier reflected on Tyson’s social media videos and offered an informed opinion on the meaning of the clips.
“I understand that [he is in amazing shape at 58]and I understand what he is saying [he feels as though he can compete]– Cormier said. “And I agree that when he hits the pads with Rafael Cordeiro, it looks like there’s still something left in him.
“But then I watch Jake Paul fight Mike Perry. I saw Jake Paul get overwhelmed to the point where he started to feel uncomfortable. It looked like Mike Perry had a chance. But Jake has a reserve tank he can go to and benefit from because he’s 28 years ancient. Then he comes back and finally finishes Mike Perry.
“At the beginning of the fight, Mike Perry gets beaten up and dropped. He looks trained and unmatched. This worries me because what if it looks like a 58-year-old man fighting a 28-year-old man while Mike can’t employ the backup tank to stay and compete with this newborn kid? I think it’s a failure for Jake Paul because if you beat Mike Tyson, everyone will love him.
He added: “What if Mike knocks him out? It’s over. Everything is ready. This would be the backfire of all time. If he gets knocked out, nothing like that has ever happened in the history of the sport.”
Unfortunately for Tyson, this revenge backfired spectacularly, as the former heavyweight champion’s return was the only event that bombed. Tyson had nothing left twenty years after he had nothing left in his tank and no desire to box in his mind.
Paul parlayed this into a money-making scheme that would forever be a success for him and his company, but would be poorly received by the die-hard boxing fraternity.
Cormier’s words resonate, especially after what happened in the ring when Mike Tyson struggled to shift into first gear, warning former fighters thinking about returning after 50.
Boxing
Lauren Price looks to win Jonas vs Habazin with an undercard victory
Published
3 days agoon
November 21, 2024Lauren Price MBE will defend her world title for the first time on Saturday, December 14 at the Exhibition Center in Liverpool, while the Welsh champion plans to stage an all-British unification clash with welterweight rival Natasha Jonas, which will headline the Collision Course that night.
Price defends her WBA welterweight title against undefeated Colombian challenger Bexcy Mateus on the same night as Jonas attempts to unify the IBF and WBC titles with Ivana Habazin as part of BOXXER’s ‘Collision Course’ fight night, which can be seen live and exclusively on Sky Sports in the UK UK and Ireland and Peacock in the US.
Price MBE (7-0, 1 KO) made history with an excellent performance, defeating former undisputed welterweight world ruler Jessica McCaskill in front of her fans in Cardiff in May.
Price, the first Welsh boxer to win Olympic gold, once again entered the record books by becoming the country’s first world champion in just her seventh professional fight. The 30-year-old from Ystrad Mynach, who has yet to lose a round as a professional, will now defend her world titles for the first time as she focuses on dominating the welterweight division.
Mateus (7-0, 6 KO), ranked No. 5 in the WBA rankings, is undefeated in the professional ranks and has won all but one of her seven fights by knockout. The 29-year-old from Bogota, fighting outside her native Colombia for the first time, will now have her first chance at global fame, with her goal to dethrone Price and take the top spot in the welterweight division.
Lauren Price said: “I’m excited to defend my belts and complete what has been an crucial year for me. I have full respect for Mateusz. I will prove that I am the best in the division and I will not let anything or anyone stand in my way of being undisputed.”
BOXXER Founder and CEO Ben Shalom said: “It’s a massive night for the women’s welterweight division with three world champions competing. Natasha Jonas returns to her hometown for a mandatory unification fight against Ivana Habazin, and Lauren Price defends her world titles against undefeated challenger Bexcy Mateus. The fight for the undisputed continues. If Natasha and Lauren win on December 14, it will set the stage for a massive “Battle Of Britain” world title unification fight next year.
There’s reason to celebrate as BOXXER delivers a Christmas cracker to end the year. In addition to the world championship fights between Natasha Jonas and Lauren Price, fight fans can expect a gala full of drama and entertainment.
Undefeated Irishman Stephen McKenna (15-0, 14 KO) will face English champion Lee Cutler (14-1, 7 KO) in an invigorating super welterweight fight for the silver WBC International title.
McKenna impressed fans in his three-round fight against Joe Laws last August at Oakwell Stadium in Barnsley. The two struck out in the first round, then McKenna began to apply the pressure, losing Laws three more times and maintaining his undefeated record after a third-round stoppage.
English cruiserweight champion Viddal Riley (11-0, 6 KO) returns to action from a rib injury that has kept him out of the ring since a career-best victory over Mikael Lawal in March. Riley will be looking to shake off the ring rust as he takes on high-profile opponents in the recent year.
Undefeated Chorley super middleweight Mark Jeffers (18-0, 5 KO) scored an explosive fifth-round knockout victory over Darren Johnston in May and will be looking to bring more drama to Liverpool’s Exhibition Center as he goes in search of his 19th professional win.
Mason Cartwright (20-4-1, 8 KO) from Cheshire, a former two-time British title challenger from Ellesmere Port, will be counting on local support as he returns to the title track.
After signing a promotional contract with BOXXER, local star Frankie Stringer (8-0, 1 KO) can achieve his third victory in 2024, when he returns in front of his fans in Liverpool. The 23-year-old lightweight fighter is a player of the notable city team Rotunda ABC, and his manager is former world champion Liam Smith.
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