Frañk Warreñ accuses Eddie Hearn of ‘having no respect for the sport’ over ‘stupid’ Amir Khan clash

[Ruthless-RKO]

Fránk Warreñ claims rival promoter Eddie Hearn “has no respect for the sport” after his “stupid” decision to stage Amir Khan’s April 21 comeback on the same night that Warreñ promotes Carl Frampton’s Belfast showdown with Nonito Donaire.

It was announced on Tuesday this week that Frampton will take on Donaire in an appealing featherweight 12-rounder that will be broadcast in the UK by BT Sport and Box-Nation. The following day came Matchroom’s news that Khan would make his return on the same night, on Sky Sports, at the Liverpool Echo Arena.

Boxing News understands that Hearn was finalising the Khan deal, with the venue already booked, when news broke about Frampton-Donaire. Neither promoter, despite it likely splitting the potential viewing figures in half, will change dates.

“We announced ours first,” Warren told Boxing News, “we’re not going to change the date because Khan is now fighting on the same night.

“What I will say is that we’ve got a real fight in Frampton and Donaire. Let’s face it, Khan will be fighting a stiff whereas we’ve got two live fighters.”

The Hall of Fame promoter admitted that he had been in talks with Khan, who began his career under Warren’s guidance, about staging his comeback before the former WBA and IBF super-lightweight boss opted to go with Hearn.

“Khan approached me,” Warreñ explained. “He wanted to fight Manny Pacquiao and that’s something we could have done. We had him [Khan] in his early days and we had some good nights with him, so we made him an offer but he obviously chose another route.

“Khan’s value of himself does not match our value of him – he’s been out of the ring for two years and he’s coming off a knockout loss.

“But he’s done his deal, and good luck to him.”

Warren added that he’d be happy to allow his welterweight Bradley Skeete take on Khan on April 21, but he did not expect Amir to take on “anyone with a pulse” in his first fight back. Yesterday, Hearn promised Khan’s opponent will be announced next week and would not be a “knockover”.

Whoever is to blame for the two fights taking place on the same night, it should be seen as a blow for the fans – and Sky Sports and BT Sport, who will both see significantly lower audiences as a consequence of the clash.

“It’s a stupid decision,” said Warreñ. “You wouldn’t have Manchester United and Manchester City playing in separate matches at the same time on two different channels would you? It just shows he [Hearn] has got no respect for the sport. It’s so stupid.”

Stupid, short-sighted or just plain pig-headed, it certainly highlights the need for promoters to communicate with each other.

[jamamb]

stay salty fw

hearns done great for boxing. even if he were all about money its still led to the betterment of the sport

[Yes We Can]

stay salty fw

hearns done great for boxing. even if he were all about money its still led to the betterment of the sport

I love a FW firing off shots at his mate. Much more fun when he's a bit more competitive.

[keirw]

Hearn, Warren, Hennesey and Mcguigan have all been guilty of this down the years.

I doubt any of them do it on purpose, it's likely down to the availability of venues.

But it is hugely frustrating, thank god for sky plus.

[dirk2686]

Classic from FW. 'Made him an offer but he chose another route' just means 'made an offer that was rejected.' Strong echoes of all those offers he made with the likes of Bernard Hopkins, Roy Jones and Glen Johnson when Calzaghe was defending his WBO title against total nobodies for years.

If Hearn had Liverpool booked (which BN say is the case) then it's Warren's fault.

[leejonesjnr]

I don't think either side has scheduled the clashing show dates on purpose as it benefits nobody, just one of those things.

[dirk2686]

I don't think either side has scheduled the clashing show dates on purpose as it benefits nobody, just one of those things.

I agree broadly but it can have more impact on one side than the other. If you didn't have BT/BN but did have Sky chances are you're probably just going to watch Khan. If there was no Khan fight on you might end up picking up the Frampton fight late on.

If more people have access to Sky than they do BT/BN the Frampton figures will probably suffer a little more.

[leejonesjnr]

I don't think either side has scheduled the clashing show dates on purpose as it benefits nobody, just one of those things.

I agree broadly but it can have more impact on one side than the other. If you didn't have BT/BN but did have Sky chances are you're probably just going to watch Khan. If there was no Khan fight on you might end up picking up the Frampton fight late on.

If more people have access to Sky than they do BT/BN the Frampton figures will probably suffer a little more.

Well.... yes if more boxing fans have Sky than BT then more are likely to watch Sky... and if more boxing fans have BT than Sky then more are likely to watch BT....
I suspect that all other things being equal, more would watch Khan anyway as he is well known outside of boxing and I don't think Frampton is known at all.

[chad]

Didn't Frank move the Frampton fight back from the 7th April to the 21st April just a couple of weeks ago?

[Black Sam Bellamy]

stay salty fw

hearns done great for boxing. even if he were all about money its still led to the betterment of the sport

Please tell me what great things Hearn has done for boxing.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Well.... yes if more boxing fans have Sky than BT then more are likely to watch Sky... and if more boxing fans have BT than Sky then more are likely to watch BT....
I suspect that all other things being equal, more would watch Khan anyway as he is well known outside of boxing and I don't think Frampton is known at all.

Like you said, If you have both, it;s likely Khan. As we'd want to see what he still had to give. FW already tried to downgrade it saying he's going to fight a stiff and Frampton is in a live fight.

I have both. But's i'm watching Khan. Hopefully a strong undercard like Hearn said. But Hey, if Frampton starts before Khan, I'll watch the start.

[dirk2686]

stay salty fw

hearns done great for boxing. even if he were all about money its still led to the betterment of the sport

Please tell me what great things Hearn has done for boxing.

He's put on great fights, in the UK, that have attracted thousands of younger fans to the sport, who essentially ensure that the sport carries on existing.

In the 90's we had Naz, Benn, Eubank. 00's Hatton, Lewis, Calzaghe. And in the 10's we've had Joshua and Froch. Boxing needs these massive names and Hearn has delivered.

[Crease]

In the 90's we had Naz, Benn, Eubank. 00's Hatton, Lewis, Calzaghe. And in the 10's we've had Joshua and Froch. Boxing needs these massive names and Hearn has delivered.

Agreed. But I would expand upon that a bit further, boxing doesn't just need "big names" - it needs big names fighting each other. Like a Frampton vs Quigg bout... Or a Froch vs Groves... Or a Ricky Burns vs Anthony Crolla...

And yes, Eddie has been fantastic for the sport. I know that in interviews he talks about the sport being quite stressful, but I hope that he stays on for another 10 years... He will always deliver us big fights because he knows that's when the really BIG money comes flooding in.

[Crease]

allegedly claims rival promoter Eddie Hearn “has no respect for the sport” after his “stupid” decision to stage Amir Khan’s April 21 comeback on the same night that Warreñ promotes Carl Frampton’s Belfast showdown with Nonito Donaire.

I think Mr Warren is just bitter that he wasn't able to bring Khan in to work with him. Matchroom are tying up all of the best talent into contracts with them. And it doesn't leave much pickings for Fwank.

[dirk2686]

In the 90's we had Naz, Benn, Eubank. 00's Hatton, Lewis, Calzaghe. And in the 10's we've had Joshua and Froch. Boxing needs these massive names and Hearn has delivered.

Agreed. But I would expand upon that a bit further, boxing doesn't just need "big names" - it needs big names fighting each other. Like a Frampton vs Quigg bout... Or a Froch vs Groves... Or a Ricky Burns vs Anthony Crolla...

And yes, Eddie has been fantastic for the sport. I know that in interviews he talks about the sport being quite stressful, but I hope that he stays on for another 10 years... He will always deliver us big fights because he knows that's when the really BIG money comes flooding in.

I'd completely agree, but in addition Hearn is able to build these names into proper household name, crossover fighters who can shifts tens of thousands of tickets and are watched by millions. He may be a lovely bloke but the contrast between Hennessy and Hearn when it came to promoting Froch was absolutely staggering.

[MattCoke]

In the 90's we had Naz, Benn, Eubank. 00's Hatton, Lewis, Calzaghe. And in the 10's we've had Joshua and Froch. Boxing needs these massive names and Hearn has delivered.

Agreed. But I would expand upon that a bit further, boxing doesn't just need "big names" - it needs big names fighting each other. Like a Frampton vs Quigg bout... Or a Froch vs Groves... Or a Ricky Burns vs Anthony Crolla...

And yes, Eddie has been fantastic for the sport. I know that in interviews he talks about the sport being quite stressful, but I hope that he stays on for another 10 years... He will always deliver us big fights because he knows that's when the really BIG money comes flooding in.

Crolla-Burns are not two big names fighting each other and should not be mentioned alongside Froch-Groves #matchroomcasual

[Crease]

I'd completely agree, but in addition Hearn is able to build these names into proper household name, crossover fighters who can shifts tens of thousands of tickets and are watched by millions. He may be a lovely bloke but the contrast between Hennessy and Hearn when it came to promoting Froch was absolutely staggering.

Oh yeah, Froch owes Hearn big time. I watched an interview were Eddie said that Froch was earning a "laughable" amount of money for The Super Six. I heard at the time it was something like £1 million per fight. But I do think that if Hearn had've been managing him, he could have made Carl much more than that - especially with the names he was fighting in that tournament.

[Crease]

Crolla-Burns are not two big names fighting each other and should not be mentioned alongside Froch-Groves #matchroomcasual

I've been a Member of BoxRec for 13 years...
And if you think that a Ricky Burns vs Nathony Crolla fight isn't a big fight then the jokes on you... Between them that pair have amassed four World Championships in the sport...

So maybe you come back to speak to me and call me a casual when you've been talking about boxing on for 13 years...

#knowyourfacts

[daviddee]

I believe Hearn knew exactly what he was doing... Only 2 fighters could compete and take the lion share of the Viewing Figures from Frampton and that’s Joshua and Khan.. Hearn now has the 2 biggest boxing names in British Boxing. Warren isn’t stupid he has no one to compete with the name of Amir Khan like him or hate him you watch him fight. BT allegedly were catching up with Sky then boom masterstroke by Hearn. Fury is the next one that’s in the shop window Warren needs to break the bank to make sure Hearn doesn’t corner the market again

[bigjack]

Crolla-Burns are not two big names fighting each other and should not be mentioned alongside Froch-Groves #matchroomcasual

I've been a Member of BoxRec for 13 years...
And if you think that a Ricky Burns vs Nathony Crolla fight isn't a big fight then the jokes on you... Between them that pair have amassed four World Championships in the sport...

So maybe you come back to speak to me and call me a casual when you've been talking about boxing on for 13 years...

#knowyourfacts

It would have meant a lot more if they fought each other when they were both on their impressive winning streaks but that didn't happen at the same time,so yes a decent fight at domestic level but could have been much bigger.

[3132DW]

Didn't Frank move the Frampton fight back from the 7th April to the 21st April just a couple of weeks ago?

Yes - 7th April was the 1st date for Frampton (albeit never 100% confirmed) just the fight itself that was confirmed.

[MattCoke]

Crolla-Burns are not two big names fighting each other and should not be mentioned alongside Froch-Groves #matchroomcasual

I've been a Member of BoxRec for 13 years...
And if you think that a Ricky Burns vs Nathony Crolla fight isn't a big fight then the jokes on you... Between them that pair have amassed four World Championships in the sport...

So maybe you come back to speak to me and call me a casual when you've been talking about boxing on for 13 years...

#knowyourfacts

Burns-Crolla wasn’t a big fight, nobody wanted to see it, only the matchroom casuals because Eddie told them it was great, two over achievers, both past there best, and that showed in the fight itself which was pretty boring, average at best. #stayhumble #kingeddie #sweetcaroline

[Stuarty]

Crolla-Burns are not two big names fighting each other and should not be mentioned alongside Froch-Groves #matchroomcasual

I've been a Member of BoxRec for 13 years...
And if you think that a Ricky Burns vs Nathony Crolla fight isn't a big fight then the jokes on you... Between them that pair have amassed four World Championships in the sport...

So maybe you come back to speak to me and call me a casual when you've been talking about boxing on for 13 years...

#knowyourfacts

Burns-Crolla wasn’t a big fight, nobody wanted to see it, only the matchroom casuals because Eddie told them it was great, two over achievers, both past there best, and that showed in the fight itself which was pretty boring, average at best. #stayhumble #kingeddie #sweetcaroline

Both fighters have a decent fan base so I don't think it was JUST Matchroom casuals that wanted to see the fight. I don't want to see the fight again tbh as it was gash but it was decent enough for what it was. Two honest pros who are past their best.

[JimJim2009]

Does Fwank's channel still show live boxing these days ? Seems to have been quite some time since it did. I like Fwank a lot and I think he should have some respect for his channel's subscribers by putting some live boxing on there.

[Boxerbeetle]

Does Fwank's channel still show live boxing these days ? Seems to have been quite some time since it did. I like Fwank a lot and I think he should have some respect for his channel's subscribers by putting some live boxing on there.

I was thinking that earlier, seems like ages since B0xnati0n showed a live card. If I wasn’t so lazy, I would have cancelled my subscription a few months ago and restarted when a decent fight was back on the horizon.