Hearn Plans To Stage Four Events in Middle East in 2023

[Ruthless-RKO]

Hearn Plans To Stage Four Events in Middle East in 2023

Promoter Eddie Hearn has no intention of giving up the Middle East as a destination for big-time prizefighting.

Hearn, the head of Matchroom Boxing, is generally credited as the first promoter to stage fights in the oil kingdom, most notably with the heavyweight rematch between Anthony Joshua and Andy Ruiz in 2019. In August, Hearn promoted the heavyweight title unification rematch between Joshua and Oleksandr Usyk in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. And on Saturday he staged the light heavyweight title bout between Dmitry Bivol and Gilberto Ramirez in Abu Dhabi.

The decision to take tent-pole fights from their natural ecosystems and arrange them in the Middle East, of course, has been met with considerable criticism. Critics argue that the kingdom simply uses sports (from golf to soccer to gaming) to cover up their vast human rights abuses and improve their international reputation, a practice referred to as “sportswashing.”

Hearn has responded to claims of dropping to a new moral low ground by, admittedly unconvincingly, insisting that he would be in dereliction of his duties as a promoter for his clients by not procuring the biggest paydays for them.

Public outrage toward fights in the Middle East, in any case, as it relates to the boxing world, has seemed to dim in recent years.

Hearn, in a recent interview, said he expects to put on at least four major shows in the Middle East in 2023. And it is not just Hearn. The promoter said he foresees the undisputed heavyweight championship between WBC titlist Tyson Fury and WBO, WBA, IBO and IBF champion Oleksandr Usyk — neither of whom are linked to Hearn — to take place in the Middle East next year as well.

“Our plan will be to stage four events here next year, and I expect to see potentially Usyk against Fury in the Middle East, in Saudi Arabia,” Hearn said on The Boxing with Chris Mannix podcast. “They want to be players in the market for big fights. With that being the case, you’ll definitely see this become a solid destination for big time boxing.”

Asked if such a reliance on the Middle East deprives local fan bases of meaningful fights, Hearn said the number of fights that take place there is still relatively minuscule, so there is no need to be concerned.

“There’s only so many fight nights that they (Middle East) are looking to do,” Hearn said. “And there are a multitude of major fights a year. It’s not like we’re going to see boxing disappear from the United States and the UK. I just feel like this will be another stop for global boxing. Obviously they’re very aggressive. They want to bring big fights here.

“You have to understand the world’s a big place. Just because boxing has been big at Madison Square Garden (in New York City) for many years, and at MGM Grand (in Las Vegas), doesn’t mean that every big fight has to go there. At the end of the day, not every big fight can be housed in the Middle East.”

[Ruthless-RKO]

I don't really care... As long as it means we get big fight...

Being in the UK, it's good for us, we may not be able to go there, but we can certainly watch it prime time.

[mickey1975]

So is Smith v Groves Ali trophy final just ignored to make Hearns press releases sound better?

[garethhop]

"Matchroom Boxing Italy has been created in a historic, eight-year joint venture to stage eight marque events throughout Italy per year." (2 so far this year)

"I have watched with interest the growth of boxing in Spain and I feel it is the perfect time for us to enter the market as we continue our global expansion. We look forward to giving Spanish fight fans a great show in December and many more in 2020 and beyond.” (2 so far this year)

"The deal calls for Matchroom Boxing USA to put on 16 events per year in the U.S., which Hearn termed as "12 massive shows and four absolute monsters." (7 events in the USA this year including those yet to take place, and which include 2 Canelo shows).


Just ignore the rhetoric and judge him on what he delivers.

[Ruthless-RKO]

So is Smith v Groves Ali trophy final just ignored to make Hearns press releases sound better?

Asshole isn't he?

Kalle should get credit for that..

[Ruthless-RKO]

Just ignore the rhetoric and judge him on what he delivers.

So he promised 4 shows..

We can expect 1?

[maverick23]

Just ignore the rhetoric and judge him on what he delivers.

So he promised 4 shows..

We can expect 1?

I don’t know about that. Let’s wait and see.

Gareth’s 100% right in that Eddie should be judged on what he delivers rather than his promotional bluster. All promoters are like that. They think the best and are usually super optimistic. I genuinely think Eddie probably went to the US expecting to do 16 shows a year with 4 monsters. Just a massively overestimated his own ability to promote there without a sizeable, widely distributed TV platform. Same in the other markets.

It may be the same with the Abu Dhabi albeit it’s not as reliant on TV networks or fans having to subsidise the fighters overinflated purses.

If there are 4 shows like Saturday’s every year then I’d be delighted as bar the women’s fight, which was crap, the rest of the main card was really enjoyable and competitive. I just hope the shows don’t detract too much from putting on shows here in the U.K.

[rd350lc]

Just ignore the rhetoric and judge him on what he delivers.

So he promised 4 shows..

We can expect 1?

I don’t know about that. Let’s wait and see.

Gareth’s 100% right in that Eddie should be judged on what he delivers rather than his promotional bluster. All promoters are like that. They think the best and are usually super optimistic. I genuinely think Eddie probably went to the US expecting to do 16 shows a year with 4 monsters. Just a massively overestimated his own ability to promote there without a sizeable, widely distributed TV platform. Same in the other markets.

It may be the same with the Abu Dhabi albeit it’s not as reliant on TV networks or fans having to subsidise the fighters overinflated purses.

If there are 4 shows like Saturday’s every year then I’d be delighted as bar the women’s fight, which was crap, the rest of the main card was really enjoyable and competitive. I just hope the shows don’t detract too much from putting on shows here in the U.K.

The Bivol fight was anything but competitive. I actually thought the Cameron fight was more entertaining and competitive myself . Not Bivol's fault he's that good that he won at a canter and it will be a job matching him in the future. It was a boring fight .

[maverick23]

So he promised 4 shows..

We can expect 1?

I don’t know about that. Let’s wait and see.

Gareth’s 100% right in that Eddie should be judged on what he delivers rather than his promotional bluster. All promoters are like that. They think the best and are usually super optimistic. I genuinely think Eddie probably went to the US expecting to do 16 shows a year with 4 monsters. Just a massively overestimated his own ability to promote there without a sizeable, widely distributed TV platform. Same in the other markets.

It may be the same with the Abu Dhabi albeit it’s not as reliant on TV networks or fans having to subsidise the fighters overinflated purses.

If there are 4 shows like Saturday’s every year then I’d be delighted as bar the women’s fight, which was crap, the rest of the main card was really enjoyable and competitive. I just hope the shows don’t detract too much from putting on shows here in the U.K.

The Bivol fight was anything but competitive. I actually thought the Cameron fight was more entertaining and competitive myself . Not Bivol's fault he's that good that he won at a canter and it will be a job matching him in the future. It was a boring fight .

I had it 117-111. Bivol was a clear winner but I still thought it was competitive. I really enjoyed it. Seeing a technical boxer at the top of his game beat a good challenger is rarely boring for me.

[rd350lc]

I don’t know about that. Let’s wait and see.

Gareth’s 100% right in that Eddie should be judged on what he delivers rather than his promotional bluster. All promoters are like that. They think the best and are usually super optimistic. I genuinely think Eddie probably went to the US expecting to do 16 shows a year with 4 monsters. Just a massively overestimated his own ability to promote there without a sizeable, widely distributed TV platform. Same in the other markets.

It may be the same with the Abu Dhabi albeit it’s not as reliant on TV networks or fans having to subsidise the fighters overinflated purses.

If there are 4 shows like Saturday’s every year then I’d be delighted as bar the women’s fight, which was crap, the rest of the main card was really enjoyable and competitive. I just hope the shows don’t detract too much from putting on shows here in the U.K.

The Bivol fight was anything but competitive. I actually thought the Cameron fight was more entertaining and competitive myself . Not Bivol's fault he's that good that he won at a canter and it will be a job matching him in the future. It was a boring fight .

I had it 117-111. Bivol was a clear winner but I still thought it was competitive. I really enjoyed it. Seeing a technical boxer at the top of his game beat a good challenger is rarely boring for me.

I was really disappointed with Ramirez tbh , was a proper schooling in my eyes, probably because Bivol is that good .
He came into the fight with good credentials so I don't suppose you can knock the matchmaking , just didn't do it for me but I know from all the comments on the RBR etc I'm probably alone .

[maverick23]

The Bivol fight was anything but competitive. I actually thought the Cameron fight was more entertaining and competitive myself . Not Bivol's fault he's that good that he won at a canter and it will be a job matching him in the future. It was a boring fight .

I had it 117-111. Bivol was a clear winner but I still thought it was competitive. I really enjoyed it. Seeing a technical boxer at the top of his game beat a good challenger is rarely boring for me.

I was really disappointed with Ramirez tbh , was a proper schooling in my eyes, probably because Bivol is that good .
He came into the fight with good credentials so I don't suppose you can knock the matchmaking , just didn't do it for me but I know from all the comments on the RBR etc I'm probably alone .

I was a bit disappointed that Zurdo didn’t go for it a little more but far easier said than done against someone as good as Bivol.

I weirdly really like fights like this where they’re seemingly well matched on paper but don’t turn out like that. 2 of the fights I’ve rewatched most are Calzaghe/Lacy and Winky Wright against Tito.