Hearn never signed Ortiz. He was trying to sign him, big difference. Hearn wanted to delay the Ortiz fight because when you have the big cash cow, the #1 priority is to avoid big punchers whenever possible. You can influence judges. You can influence refs. You can influence a lot of things. But if you're guy gets dropped, your influence may not matter.
The WBA caters to Hearn the way the WBC caters to Haymon. Which is why their enforcement of the Ortiz fight never came. Eventually Ortiz got frustrated and gave up. But as we've seen with the convenient Povetkin announcement, had Hearn wanted the Ortiz fight, it would have happened.
Make any excuse you want, but the WBC ordered a final eliminator between Whyte and Ortiz and Whyte refused to fight. Opting instead for a non-title, non-eliminator, that does absolutely nothing to help secure him a title shot, instead of taking a fight that guaranteed him a title shot if he won. Like any smart promoter, Hearn realizes you keep your guys away from big knockout punchers at all costs. Same reason Haymon & Finkel were telling Deontay not to fight Ortiz. So I'm not blaming Hearn as he simply gives the same advice anyone would. Deontay, either brave or an idiot depending on your perspective, didn't care and wanted Ortiz anyway.
The WBA caters to Hearn the way the WBC caters to Haymon. Which is why their enforcement of the Ortiz fight never came. Eventually Ortiz got frustrated and gave up. But as we've seen with the convenient Povetkin announcement, had Hearn wanted the Ortiz fight, it would have happened.
Dillian Whyte was calling for a fight with Ortiz at this time
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