by Shaun Brown
Frank Warren contacted Boxing Scene to respond to rival promoter Eddie Hearn's comments that he is ready to make a big offer for Joshua Buatsi (6-0, 4 KOs) to fight Anthony Yarde (15-0, 14 KOs).
Yarde, promoted by Warren, returns to the ring on June 23 at London's O2 Arena on the Billy Joe Saunders-Martin Murray undercard, while Buatsi looks set to be back on July 28 at the same venue on a Matchroom promotion.
The two British light heavyweights haven't been on a collision course, as such, but Buatsi's promoter Eddie Hearn told Boxing Scene earlier this week that he wants to make the fight happen after the summer.
"He's [Yarde] fighting on the 23rd and he's currently ranked number two by the WBO, and we've actually got his next few fights planned out for him," Warren began, when speaking to 'Scene.
Hearn also commented on his other light heavyweight - former British champion - Hosea Burton, during the interview and said: "The problem Hosea's having is no-one really wants to fight him. We would provide Hosea Burton for Yarde at virtually no cost, hardly, because I'm so confident of Burton in that fight as well. It's a really good fight."
Warren responded by saying: "What I suggest Eddie Hearn does is do what I'd do. He's moaning about nobody will fight Hosea Burton. So why doesn't he put Buatsi in with Hosea Burton and let the winner fight (British and Commonwealth light heavyweight champion) Callum Johnson? He's got those three fighters, and by the time those happen my guy [Yarde] is there and it'd be a big fight. And we'll make the winner of those three a big offer."
Last year the British Boxing Board of Control had nominated gym-mates Hosea Burton and Callum Johnson to fight one another in a British light heavyweight title eliminator, as well as Frank Buglioni against Anthony Yarde. The former was rejected as both are trained by Joe Gallagher. Warren told 'Scene he was annoyed by that and says Burton's career shoud not be held up by that of Johnson's.
"They [the board] said they were going to make two eliminators, or two fights. We were trying to make our man against Buglioni, and they said let Hosea Burton fight Callum Johnson. The bottom line was Joe Gallagher complained saying he trains both of the fighters and he didn't want them fighting each other. So consequently we got on with our business.
"They put in Buglioni (then the British 175lbs champion) with Callum Johnson and we made a substantial offer, a bigger offer than they (Hearn and Matchroom) made to Yarde to fight Buglioni, but they went with the Johnson fight.
"Even if he [Gallagher] does train both of them what are they going to do... those two can never fight each other? It's ridiculous. Get on with it."
Warren said they are not shying away from a Buatsi fight but their plan for Yarde, for the time being, does not involve a fight against the 2016 Olympic bronze medallist.
"We've got on with our work with Anthony and he's continuing to learn. He's in a great position. He's in a higher position than those other three fighters. He's got a better ranking than all of them. So that's where we are. Let those three fight each other and he'll gladly accommodate the winner, and we'll gladly pay a record breaking purse for that winner to come and fight our man."
Shaun Brown covers British boxing for Boxing Scene. Contact him on Twitter @sbrown2pt0
