Promoter Eddie Hearn was furious on Thursday after failing to negotiate a unification deal for his recently signed fighter, IBF welterweight champion Jaron “Boots” Ennis, who would have faced WBO champion Brian Norman Jr.
“Fortune” rejected
An offer of around $1.5 million that Hearn made to Norman Jr. (26-0, 20 KOs) was rejected by his team. Hearn says that the $1.5 million he offered Norman was a “fortune” and he thinks he is stupid for turning it down. Hearn cannot be solemn if he believes that this petite sum is a “fortune” for Norman. If he truly believes that, then he respects Norman Jr.’s potential.
He believes Norman, 23, will never see that kind of money for the rest of his career. If Hearn weren’t like Scrooge McDuck, he’d give Norman Jr. $2 million or whatever he asked for, because Ennis needs those belts to take his career to the next level. Hearn should be looking at it as an investment, rather than focusing on a shrinking short-term profit margin.
Boots Ennis will now defend his IBF mandatory Karen Chukhadjian November 9 in Philadelphia. Hearn mentioned that Boots might vacate the IBF title to focus on fighting other guys, but then changed his mind, saying he might fight Karen.
The cost of wasted opportunities
Boots doesn’t want to fight at 154. So he’s not going to give up the IBF title. Fighting Chukhadzhian again would hurt Ennis’ popularity, it would be very damaging, and it could have been avoided. If Hearn hadn’t been so stingy in his negotiations with Norman, he would have taken the fight for Ennis, and his popularity would have skyrocketed if he had won.
The fight would be incredibly entertaining if Boots and Norman went to war, trading bombs in what would be a fun fight to watch. But if Hearn can’t deliver Norman, fans will see Boots chase Karen around the ring for 12 rounds on November 9th and look inept again.
He will stay at 147, probably as long as it takes to get his belts. That means Hearn will have to pay the champions, Norman Jr., Barrios and Stanionas, what they are asking for. Tactically, Hearn should make those fights as soon as possible because if he waits, those champions will become more popular and they will ask for much more than the pathetic $1.5 million he was offering Norman.
“We made Stanionis an offer well over a million dollars. Where is Stanionis going to see that kind of money? Who is Stanionis? They’ve got it on their plate,” promoter Eddie Hearn said on the Matchroom Boxing YouTube channel, railing against champions Brian Norman Jr. and Eimantas Stanionis for demanding more than he was willing to pay them for a unification fight with IBF champion Jaron “Boots” Ennis.
Hearn’s repeated failure to negotiate deals with other 147-pound champions shows he won’t be able to assist him. Belittling them by predicting they’ll never make similar money doesn’t assist cover up his failure to deliver the fights Boots needs and wants.
“The problem with boxing. Brian Norman, Stanionis and Marios Barrios know they can’t beat Boots. Nobody wants to be really great. Brian Norman, who nobody has ever heard of, has a chance to beat Jaron Ennis, become a superstar in the sport and make a fortune [$1.5 million] on the way. But he talks about it, but it’s not about it.
Hearn’s Negotiation Difficulties
Hearn appears to be struggling to negotiate fights with the three champions Boots (32-0, 29 KOs) must face to become undisputed champion, having already failed to negotiate a deal with WBA champion Eimantas Stanionis and failed to achieve anything with WBC champion Mario Barrios.
Going forward, someone more balanced needs to take control of the Boots Ennis negotiations because Hearn is too emotional and doesn’t see what’s really crucial. He’s so concerned about his short-term gains that he can’t see the investment in the long term.
Ennis must abandon his hopeless dream of becoming undisputed champion because his promoter, Hearn, is unwilling to open the piggy bank to pay the price demanded by the champions.
“Stanionis, don’t get me started on him. This guy is chiming in on Twitter. When I made Stanionis an offer, I didn’t throw up caviar. Now he doesn’t want to know either. Barrios is fighting someone else, whatever. Barrios is a good fighter. These guys, they’re really not worth it.
“They talk about it, but nobody wants to roll the dice and try to be great. People come back on Twitter: ‘Oh, Eddie. I bet your offer was about $300,000.’ I wish it were. It was more than five times that. [$1.5 million]but he still doesn’t want to fight. What’s Brian Norman’s biggest purse? $200,000?” Hearn said.
Author Shawa acts as a real person and passed all tests against spambots. Anti-Spam by CleanTalk.
September 1, 2024 at 1:24 pm
This article is right on point. Eddie Hearn is a fool and while I feel for Boots, I also must point out that Boots himself can offer up the 500k to make up the difference if he truly is seeking legacy and believes he beats Brian. It’s clear Ennis and Hearn aren’t exactly on the same page and it will be interesting to see how this play’s out in the future.
Former 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.
One 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.
Lauren 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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Author Shawa acts as a real person and passed all tests against spambots. Anti-Spam by CleanTalk.
September 1, 2024 at 1:24 pm
This article is right on point. Eddie Hearn is a fool and while I feel for Boots, I also must point out that Boots himself can offer up the 500k to make up the difference if he truly is seeking legacy and believes he beats Brian. It’s clear Ennis and Hearn aren’t exactly on the same page and it will be interesting to see how this play’s out in the future.