Eddie Hearn fired the promoter Oscar De La Hoya today, reacting to his criticism of his achievements in the US market with fighters and fights.
(Credit: Mark Robinson / Matchroom Boxing)
After being told by Golden Boy promoter De La Hoya that he had not “built anything” in the United States, Hearn defeated the fighters he has in his Matchroom stable from the United States, guys like Shakur Stevenson, Jaron Ennis and Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez. He then said that De La Hoya lost to Canelo Alvarez and Jaime Munguia.
Hearn’s American fighters, “Boots” Ennis and Shakur Stevenson, haven’t done much since he signed them. IBF welterweight champion Boots has fought once since Hearn signed him to Matchroom, beating fringe contender David Avaneyan, and faces Karen Chukhadzhian later on November 9.
WBC lightweight champion Shakur has suffered a hand injury and will be out until next February. He is supposed to fight William Zepeda, and no one knows how that will turn out. He could lose to Zepeda. The good thing for Hearn is that he only signed Shakur to a two-fight contract. So if he loses one or both of his fights, it won’t be as big of a deal as if he had signed a long-term deal.
“It’s all smoke and mirrors. When Oscar says that I haven’t built anything, or I don’t have fighters if I want to hear out of Shakur Stevenson, Jaron Ennis and Bam Rodriguez. Here are three of my American fighters here,” said Eddie Hearn Social boxingreacts to being told that Oscar De La Hoya said that Hearn needs to focus on the UK because he hasn’t built anything in the US.
Of those fighters mentioned by Hearn, only WBC super flyweight champion Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez is doing great things. Boots Ennis was elevated to IBF 147-lb champion status, and Hearn failed to negotiate a unification bout for him recently against WBO champion Brian Norman Jr.
“Canelo left him a long time ago. Ryan Garcia, who knows how he’ll fare, and Jaime Munguia left Oscar De La Hoya and went to Top Rank. Put (Arnold) Barboza with (Jose) Ramirez, and what does it matter? Hearn said.
If Ryan Garcia returns next year, he could be involved in some big fights for Golden Boy, but whether he wins those matches is unknown. Whoever Ryan does next is going to do good numbers on PPV.
“Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez, we killed him with Bivol years ago. Tell me a fighter who is a star that (Golden Boy Promotions) have, and don’t say Vergil Ortiz because he’s a good fighter, but look at the crowd vs. Bohachuk ” said Hearn.
Vergil Ortiz Jr. he could one day become a star for Golden Boy, but he needs to be more active and face better opposition. He was in an impossible position for his last fight, going up against interim WBC junior middleweight champion Serhii Bohachuk, a fighter that fans in the United States are not familiar with.
“Tell me a star that Oscar De La Hoya represents who is able to fight now and has a clear future. He (William Zepeda) is not a star. So, a future star counts now, does he? Jose Ramirez is not a star, me sorry. I’m talking about Boots. I’m talking about the big names in boxing,” Hearn said.
It’s still unclear if Shakur or Boots Ennis will ever become PPV stars. They are good fighters, but not pay-per-view attractions. Shakur has the wrong style to become a star, and Boots never fights notable opposition.
“Oscar, like I said, ‘I pretend to be happy, but I’m burning inside,'” Hearn said of De La Hoya.
