Boxing
Hearn’s stubborn attitude hinders progress in Boots vs. Ennis negotiations
Published
3 months agoon
Promoter Eddie Hearn says he wants Jaron “Boots” Ennis to defend his IBF welterweight title on November 9 in Philadelphia, but Hearn has failed to negotiate unification deals with 147-pound champions Brian Norman Jr. and Eimantas Stanionis.
Hearn’s inflexible approach to negotiating with the champions makes it unlikely that Ennis will be given the opportunity to reunite. The Matchroom boss seems to have a hardened stance on the negotiations and that’s the problem.
Hearn says he doesn’t want Boots to relinquish his IBF title, but given that he’s managed to negotiate deals with each of the three 147-pound champions, his options are constrained. If Boots does resign, he could move up to 154 pounds, potentially fighting Serhiy Bohachuk or Israil Madrimov.
Hearn’s Resistance to Paying
If Hearn has his way, Boots will defend his IBF mandatory against Karen Chukhadzhian on November 9. This fight will do little to boost Boots Ennis’ popularity or aid him get any closer to his goal of becoming the undisputed welterweight.
WBO world champion Norman (26-0, 20 KOs) is asking for $2.2 million, but Hearn is apparently not willing to raise his $1.75 million offer.
Assuming Hearn remains adamant about the money the welterweight champions will accept, he could well convince Boots Ennis to relinquish his IBF title and move up to 154.
It’s not like WBO champion Norman, WBA champion Eimantas Stanionis or WBC champion Mario Barrios will lower their asking price after Boots defends Karen on November 9. Those champions will want the same money, if not more, than they are asking now.
So Hearn may be kidding himself if he thinks that postponing the negotiating problems with the 147-pound champions will improve the situation. Letting them simmer is unlikely to work. It is unlikely that any of those champions will become desperate and willing to accept any lowball offer Hearn makes them.
“Jaron Ennis vs. [Serhii] Bohachuk, maybe. I spoke to Jaron tonight. We’re just talking about what we’re going to do. We probably have 48 hours to make a decision,” Eddie Hearn told iFL TV YouTube canal.
Negotiating a fight with former WBC interim 154-pound champion Serhiy Bohachuk won’t be straightforward for Hearn, and he may have similar problems striking a deal with him to fight Boots.
“I really don’t want to see him [Ennis] give up [IBF welterweight] world title because I want to see him beat Brian Norman,” Hearn said. “I want to see him beat Stanionis and I want to see him in a war with Mario Barrios, which is the hardest of the three fights,” Hearn continued.
If Hearn does not want Boots to relinquish the IBF title, he will have to pay the champions the asking price because they are world champions, not challengers.
Does Hearn favor Joshua over Ennis?
It doesn’t matter how much these fighters made before they were elevated to championship status via email. They now have titles, and Boots Ennis needs those belts to boost his stock. If Hearn remembers negotiating a deal for Anthony Joshua to win his first title against IBF heavyweight champion Charles Martin in 2016, he paid a fortune to get that fight for his prized AJ.
Martin received a prize money of $8.5 million for his defense against Joshua in London. Martin had never received such a sum before, but the situation changed because he had the IBF title. Joshua needed that belt to validate it, so Martin was paid a huge amount of money.
Now WBO champion Brian Norman is in the same situation. Boots Ennis needs Norman Jr.’s WBO belt to augment his value and make him a star, but in this case Hearn is stingy and doesn’t want to pay. What does that tell you?
This suggests Hearn was more inclined to aid Anthony Joshua than Boots Ennis, and one has to wonder why.
Is it because Boots is American? Hearn needs to come to terms with that and understand that he has to be willing to pay the price that the champions are asking if he wants Boots to become a star. He is not one now and has not looked good in his last two fights against David Avanesyan and Roiman Villa.
“I think the reality is Brian Norman is going to go away and make about $200k to fight in a Keyshawn Davis co-fight. [on November 8th in Norfolk, Virgina]”Hearn said. “It’s so insulting, with all due respect to Keyshawn Davis, who I love.”
It doesn’t matter if Norman makes less for his next fight in November. The bottom line is that Hearn didn’t give Boots Ennis a fight with one of the three champions he needs to fight to become undisputed.
Now Hearn is toying with the idea of Boots relinquishing his IBF title and moving up to 154 because he is unable to negotiate because of the offers he is making to champions. Again, if it was Anthony Joshua that Hearn was negotiating for, would he find the money to get the fights he wants? He would. If you are Boots, you have to take notice.
“Imagine you just turned down an offer of $1.75 million for a unification fight in front of 22,000 people at Wells Fargo. [Center in Philadelphia] “to get $200,000 to fight on the card preceding Keyshawn Davis in Virginia in front of 3,000 people,” Hearn said.
Imagine Hearn not being willing to raise his offer to $2.2 million to aid Boots Ennis fight Norman Jr. Why? Hearn is walking away from negotiating for the additional $500,000 that Team Norman is asking for on top of the $1.7 million offer. Would Hearn do the same for one of Joshua’s opponents, nickel and diming?
“So when Team Norman throws up in their soup, they’re going to sit there and say, ‘Ah.’ What are they going to do? Where else can they make that kind of money?” [$1.7M] fight anyone? It has to be Boots,” Hearn said.
Interestingly, Shakur Stevenson’s opponent in the October 12 fight, Joe Cordina, is reportedly getting paid over $2 million despite being knocked out in his last fight in May. If the rumor is true, it puts everything into perspective.
“Stanionis, what are you going to do? For Stanionis, [Shakhram] Giyasov is mandatory. Okay, let’s make the Giyasov fight. What will he do for it? Mario Barrios is a little bit bigger, but the money fight for all these guys is Boots,” Hearn said.
It doesn’t matter if Boots is a money fight for these champions. What matters is that Hearn negotiates the fight and not focus on the fact that these champions make less without him. Hearn doesn’t understand that Stanionis, Norman and Barrios will make more money in the long run as champions than if they were offered over a million dollars to fight Boots.
“That’s why I don’t want to give up on their implementation [unification] fights [for Boots]but these people need to get in touch with reality,” Hearn said. “Brian Norman and [his manager] Adrian [Clark] and simply [accept the offer given to them]. But it’s really strenuous to deal with people who have no idea. It’s so frustrating.”
Hearn seems too used to straightforward negotiations and unable to handle the give and take of champions who want to be paid well for a tough fight. Barrios, Stanionis and Norman Jr. will all be underdogs against Ennis.
It makes sense that they would want to pay well. Hearn would take the same approach if he was negotiating from a position of weakness for one of his popular fighters, like Joshua. If he knew AJ was going to be the underdog, he would try to get him as much money as possible, knowing that his popularity would plummet if he lost.
“Not 100%, but if you ask me now to make a decision, that’s what I think he should do. We’re open to discussion within the team, and Boots is the boss,” Hearn said when asked if Boots should defend his IBF welterweight title in Philadelphia. That would mean Ennis would defend his IBF mandatory title against Karen Chukhadzhian in a rematch on November 9 in Philadelphia.
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Boxing
George Kambosos moves up to 140, adds Eddie Hearn to team
Published
11 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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