Eddie Hearn says the determination to axe the scandal-laden Chris Eubank Jr. vs Conor Benn 157-pound catchweight fight came directly from him and his partners.
Hearn, the head of Matchroom Boxing, has been in damage control ever since it was revealed earlier this week that Hearn’s client, Benn, tested positive for a performance enhancing drug, clomifene. The Daily Mail, a British news outlet, published the revelation on Wednesday, thus throwing into chaos an event that many were calling the most intriguing British boxing bout in recent memory.
Shortly after the news broke, the British Boxing Board of Control announced that it would refuse to put its imprimatur behind the fight. After intense speculation that Matchroom and Wasserman Boxing, Eubank’s promoter, intended to challenge the Board and move forward with the event, the two sent out a joint press release on Friday indicating that they would postpone Saturday’s fight.
There is a perception that Eubank-Benn—which was to be delivered via DAZN pay-per-view—would have proceeded apace had the Daily Mail not published its findings, as Benn’s adverse drug results were reportedly known to all relevant parties for at least two weeks. That view has cast a grisly, negative light on Hearn and Wasserman head Kalle Sauerland.
In an interview published Saturday, Hearn pushed back against the notion that he and his fellow organizers were looking to proceed with the fight at whatever cost. Hearn said that while he considered several other commissions to sanction the fight, he was not, in the end, seriously looking to make such a move. He also rejected the idea that he was willing to obtain a court injunction to override the Board’s position, even though, Hearn said, his attorneys indicated to him that they had a good case.
“We were faced at that point that the Board’s decision can be legally challenged and we will win based on precedent, based on the Board rules or we have a decision to use a different commission, which was the easiest thing to do,” Hearn told iFL TV. “We could have gone ahead with this fight with three or four commissions willing to stage this fight.
“In reference to that position … we were never prepared to move forward with an outside commission for this fight. My fights take place under the British Boxing Board of Control. Our governing body. That was never in play. That was the easiest thing to do. Go back to David Haye and Derek Chisora … I was not about to do that. We did not appear in court as I read somewhere, apparently. Our lawyers spoke to us. Our lawyers said to us, ‘we believe you will win an arbitration to move forward with this fight.’ And it was decided not to, ultimately."
In 2012, the BBBofC refused to sanction a fight between David Haye and Derek Chisora after they had a scuffle during a press conference. The bout ended up taking place in London as planned because the Luxembourg Boxing Federation stepped in as a replacement. ESPN reported that Hearn was considering the LBF as well as a few other fringe boxing authorities, including the British & Irish Boxing Authority.
Hearn was keen to point out that Eubank-Benn did not move forward because of a conscious decision made by him and Wasserman.
“Whatever way you want to look at it, the fight was pulled by us, the parties, Matchroom, Wasserman," Hearn continued. "We made the decision to pull it and not move forward and win this fight in court, not move forward and do it with another commission. And that was the right decision in my opinion. It’s not a case of ‘you tried [to move forward with the fight]’. No, we spoke to everybody involved. There was a feeling amongst everybody to move forward with the bout subject to more information coming out and the Board being happy with their position. That’s where we’re at with it.”
Hearn conceded that the Daily Mail report did indeed influence his and Wasserman's decision to pull Eubank-Benn from the schedule.
"Did it help our decision? I would say honestly I think it did because in that situation you see the response and you go ‘yeah, actually I think this is the right thing to do,' Hearn said. "You’ve got to think on your feet in that situation and we were quite bullish. Kalle was very bullish.
"He had spoken to Eubank. He’s got all the medical information. They’re happy to proceed with the fight. And that for me is the most important thing when you’re talking about people being aware of the situation. All the important parties were aware of the situation and the decision was made."
