Eddie Hearn hints at Amir Khan’s opponent as he prepares for TV ratings war with allegedly

[Ruthless-RKO]

Eddie Hearn has responded to rival promoter allegedly’s claims that staging Amir Khan’s April 21 comeback on the same night as Carl Frampton-Nonito Donaire is “stupid” and shows a lack of respect for boxing.

In a conversation with Boxing News, Hearn strongly objected to the accusations, and the wording of the article that reported them, which concluded with a swipe at promoters for this situation occurring too frequently.

The clash means fans who watch at home will be forced to choose between the two, affecting the viewing figures for both Sky Sports, who will broadcast Khan, and BT Sport, who alongside allegedly will showcase Frampton.

“I completely understand the fans’ disappointment because Frampton-Donaire is a good fight,” Hearn explained. “And the clash is unfortunate, it really is. But it’s not like we set out to do it on the same night. We were working on this [Khan comeback] for two to three weeks, and our understanding at that point was that Frampton was fighting on April 7.

“But what other promoters are doing isn’t at the forefront of our minds while we’re trying to get everything resolved, just as we’re not at the forefront of theirs. By the time we found out that Frampton was fighting on April 21, which was two days before we announced Khan, we were at the point of no return.

“We already had the backdrop [for press conference] printed, we had the date booked with Sky and we had booked the venue [Echo Arena in Liverpool], which is the biggest we could get for that weekend.”

Even if Hearn was in a position to change his plans, Team Khan were not, the promoter insisted.

“Look, we’ve already got events in April, [Tony]Bellew-[David] Haye is on May 5 so that left May 12. But that’s too late for Khan if you want another fight in the summer.”

Khan is eager to kick-start his career and Hearn insists Warrèn, who predicted Khan will fight a “stiff”, is going to be surprised when the Bolton star’s opponent is announced next week.

“I sent a list of a dozen or so names to [Khan’s trainer] Virgil Hunter last night [Thursday]. Names like Josesito Lopez, Adrian Granados, Sammy Vazquez, Antonio DeMarco and more. They want a test after two years out. Does that make me nervous? Yes it does. But it’s good news for the fans.

“I will be doing everything I can to build a night of boxing to dwarf their [BT Sport’s] viewing figures and they will be doing exactly the same.

“It’s the competition that is healthy for boxing. We all want to build the best possible events. The clashes are not healthy, admittedly, but we have to take the rough with the smooth.

“This situation is not great for anybody, it’s not great for us but it’s worse for them [Queensberry and BT Sport]. They are going to lose 80 per cent of their audience. And looking at their viewing figures, we might lose 100,000 viewers but of course I would rather have 100 per cent of the boxing audience looking at our event.

“He [Warrèn] will only moan about it when our shows are bigger. He knows the size of Amir Khan and that’s the reality. He wouldn’t be moaning if he was going up against one of our NxtGen shows at York Hall, or even the [Lawrence] Okolie-[Isaac] Chamberlain show at the O2.”

Surely, Boxing News suggested, there must be a way to stop clashes like this occurring in the future?

“With constant dialogue between all promoters, with constant meetings. But that’s not going to happen is it?

“What am I going to do in the middle of getting everything booked and signed? Phone up Frank [Warrèn]? ‘Hi Frank, have you got anything on April 21?’ ‘Yes, I’ve got Frampton.’ ‘Well, can you move it?’ ‘No.’

“We’re all in a reactionary business and if you snooze you lose, and it’s a dirty business. It always has been. People have been blocking promoters from getting venues, it has been going on for years and years.

“Look at the situation in New York on March 3. Sergey Kovalev is fighting and Deontay Wilder fights Luis Ortiz on a different bill. Was that a deliberate attempt from either side to sabotage the other? Probably not.

“This is boxing, this is going to happen.”

[dirk2686]

All fair comment.

FW simply sounding bitter because he wanted Khan and Khan chose Hearn.

[Stuarty]

Probably DeMarco. Fits the bill. Past it, not a proper welter etc.... Yawn. I'd rather see him in with Prescott to see how he deals with his pressure.

[Stuarty]

Eggington at a catch weight would be decent. Easy to make.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Apparently it could also be Chris van Heerden..

[Stuarty]

Apparently it could also be Chris van Heerden..

I want to see the Brook fight but I'd laugh like fukk if Khan got starched! Diaz was supposed to be a straight forward warm up and that turned in to an epic struggle!

[Ruthless-RKO]

Apparently it could also be Chris van Heerden..

I want to see the Brook fight but I'd laugh like fukk if Khan got starched! Diaz was supposed to be a straight forward warm up and that turned in to an epic struggle!

That fight is going to have wait. lol Both guys have an important year if that fight is to be made.

[Stuarty]

Apparently it could also be Chris van Heerden..

I want to see the Brook fight but I'd laugh like fukk if Khan got starched! Diaz was supposed to be a straight forward warm up and that turned in to an epic struggle!

That fight is going to have wait. lol Both guys have an important year if that fight is to be made.

Yeah Khan has signed a three fight deal so if it's gonna happen it'll more than likely be the third fight of the deal. Brook has been talking retirement after this year as well. I doubt either guy will be out three times this year so it'll more than likely be next year if it's gonna happen. I think the fight has lost its value anyway especially as a PPV!

[Ruthless-RKO]

Yeah Khan has signed a three fight deal so if it's gonna happen it'll more than likely be the third fight of the deal. Brook has been talking retirement after this year as well. I doubt either guy will be out three times this year so it'll more than likely be next year if it's gonna happen. I think the fight has lost its value anyway especially as a PPV!

Haye-Bellew did between 800-900k buys.

Khan-Brook should have taken place a few years ago, it would have been a massive hit. I think people will still pay for it. Especially if they both win their next couple of fights. But it might be a hard sell.

[dirk2686]

Yeah Khan has signed a three fight deal so if it's gonna happen it'll more than likely be the third fight of the deal. Brook has been talking retirement after this year as well. I doubt either guy will be out three times this year so it'll more than likely be next year if it's gonna happen. I think the fight has lost its value anyway especially as a PPV!

Haye-Bellew did between 800-900k buys.

Khan-Brook should have taken place a few years ago, it would have been a massive hit. I think people will still pay for it. Especially if they both win their next couple of fights. But it might be a hard sell.

Think of Khan Brook like an entirely UK interest version of Mayweather Pacquaio. Of course both aren't at their best but Brook has never been more well known after the Golovkin fight, Khan is still a massively recognisable name, both could win the fight, and both have probably slipped about the same amount. Look at the thread on here about it.

It easily does a million PPV buys. Haye Bellew was a fight with a guy who was less known than both of them in a supposed total mismatch and did just shy of a million. If it's an even contest with two names who can produce exciting fights then people will lap it up.

[weelegs]

Yeah Khan has signed a three fight deal so if it's gonna happen it'll more than likely be the third fight of the deal. Brook has been talking retirement after this year as well. I doubt either guy will be out three times this year so it'll more than likely be next year if it's gonna happen. I think the fight has lost its value anyway especially as a PPV!

Haye-Bellew did between 800-900k buys.

Khan-Brook should have taken place a few years ago, it would have been a massive hit. I think people will still pay for it. Especially if they both win their next couple of fights. But it might be a hard sell.

Under Hearn, Brooke Khan is a PPV without doubt, if both win their next couple of fights and face each other in Khan's third fight, this will be hyped right up by Sky

[stujones]

The hints from Eddie is that the "names" he has been saying have been rejected as being not enough of a challenge, so I think it is someone other than those Eddie has mentioned. I read that as Eddie saying "I said DeMarco" and Hunter saying "No".

[keirw]

I'd like to see Granados, he would come to win and if Khan has regressed at all he would be the kind of fighter to expose it.

Recent fights with Broner and Porter make him a good yard stick too.

[3132DW]

Eggington at a catch weight would be decent. Easy to make.

He’s on Brook undercard at 154.

[Taansend]

I think John Molina Jr is the perfect fight to come back to.

[sweetscience]

he has some stones on him Khan... wouldn't be surprised if he had a good name comeback opponent

[KiwiRider]

Surely you don't have to watch either? I don't often watch a fight in real time, I record each one and watch when I can. Making two fights on the same night might push the promoters to come up with better undercard fights?
I hope so, boxing wins if they do.
I'm sure real fans record fights so they can rewind and catch good parts again because the highlights during rounds don't always show them or can be one sided.

[stujones]

I think John Molina Jr is the perfect fight to come back to.

Yes and no, has name value, probably now on the slide and is very hot and cold - but if he is up for it - he could be very dangourous - style wise I think he is more dangerous than Algeri.

[stujones]

might not be ideal, but I can see it being Gary Corcoran - it can be sold as the guy who did well vs Horn.

Depends if Corcoran is fit enough to fight in April.

[Boxerbeetle]

I think John Molina Jr is the perfect fight to come back to.

I wouldn’t be at all surprised if Molina ko’d Khan.

[ElJefe]

Yeah Khan has signed a three fight deal so if it's gonna happen it'll more than likely be the third fight of the deal. Brook has been talking retirement after this year as well. I doubt either guy will be out three times this year so it'll more than likely be next year if it's gonna happen. I think the fight has lost its value anyway especially as a PPV!

Haye-Bellew did between 800-900k buys.

Khan-Brook should have taken place a few years ago, it would have been a massive hit. I think people will still pay for it. Especially if they both win their next couple of fights. But it might be a hard sell.

Think of Khan Brook like an entirely UK interest version of Mayweather Pacquaio. Of course both aren't at their best but Brook has never been more well known after the Golovkin fight, Khan is still a massively recognisable name, both could win the fight, and both have probably slipped about the same amount. Look at the thread on here about it.

It easily does a million PPV buys. Haye Bellew was a fight with a guy who was less known than both of them in a supposed total mismatch and did just shy of a million. If it's an even contest with two names who can produce exciting fights then people will lap it up.

No way does Khan-Brook do a million PPV buys. It doesn't come close to Froch-Groves 2 and that was reported to have done 900,000. Haye-Bellew was a heavyweight fight which is bound to draw bigger. Haye has always done much better numbers than Khan and there's not much difference between Brook and Bellew, if anything Bellew might be better known with his appearance in Creed etc.

[Black Sam Bellamy]

Embarrassing. Grow up Eddie

[gilgamesh]

I think John Molina Jr is the perfect fight to come back to.

I wouldn’t be at all surprised if Molina ko’d Khan.

Molina has the kinda power that he can KO anybody, but most fighters would outbox him every step of the way. As long as Khan was on point with his defense he'd have an easy time with Molina.

[Taansend]

I think John Molina Jr is the perfect fight to come back to.

I wouldn’t be at all surprised if Molina ko’d Khan.

Me neither.

But I wouldn't be surprised if Jamie McDonnell knocked Khan out

But I think it would be a great test for him.

[chad]

Unexpectedly Phil Lo Greco tweeted me saying he hopes to see me at the fight if Khandashian excepts.

Anyone know who his promoter is?