LAS VEGAS – Eddie Hearn has certainly seen some hectic hours during his years leading the Matchroom Boxing promotion, but Thursday’s volatility was certainly a whirlwind.
It was just minutes before presiding over a news conference for Saturday’s crucial super middleweight test for Diego. Top ranked Pacheco of Los Angeles versus brave veteran Steven Nelson. Hearn has outlined details about two rather big April shows he will lead.
On April 12, unbeaten IBF welterweight title holder Jeron “Boots” Ennis, 33-0 (29 knockouts), will seek a unification victory against the unbeaten WBA champion. Undefeated: Imantas Stanionis 15-0 (9 knockouts) at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
Two weeks later on April 26, Hearn middleweight Conor Benn 23-0 (14 KO) will renew the British family’s fierce rivalry with Chris Eubank Jr. 34. -3 (25 KO) at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London
“We should have 70,000 people in there,” Hearn told BoxingScene on Thursday in a conversation after the animated Pacheco-Nelson session at The Cosmopolitan.
That was a successful turnaround from expectations that Hearn would be involved in another great England clash. But that was before Anthony. Joshua will be knocked out by IBF heavyweight belt holder Daniel Dubois in September. And before Tyson Fury will announce that he will retire after his December. Unanimous loss of 3 belt titles, 21 titles, Oleksandr Usyk.
Hearn is certainly ready to make a move for Joshua as the days go by.
First, his attention is on Pacheco, 22-0 (18 KO), a 23-year-old south LA product ranked as the No. 1 WBO contender over three-belt champion Saul “Canelo” Al. Varez
In listening to Terence Crawford’s stablemate, Nelson, gave an impassioned speech that contrasted with Pacheco’s more comfortable career position, arguing that “I couldn’t give up,” Hearn said his young fighters needed this specialized test.
“I like the fight because Steven Nelson is good, but he never really got the chance,” said Hearn, who watched Nelson, 36, open Turkey’s card. Alalchik on August 3 in Los Angeles with a fifth-round knockout of Marcus Vasquez Rodriguez said, “’Bud’ (Crawf Ford) and (2023 Trainer of the Year Brian ‘Bomac’ McIntyre) have been saying to me for years: ‘Sign a contract with this person. He’s really good.’
“His profile isn’t that prominent. But everyone in boxing knows how good he is. And I want that for Diego. Not just for this kind of fight,” but I wanted him to test. Because if he’s going to fight Canelo and these guys. (Other top super middleweights) I also don’t want him to be tested. Stepping up feels like it’s too early for you. So I hope it will be a big test for him. And I believe it will.”
When it comes to big tests This followed criticism over a mismatch between fights with IBF-mandated contenders and the denial of bouts against unbeaten 154-pounder Virgil Ortiz Jr. and two-division champion Teofimo López. Ennis is chasing another of the most successful wrestlers in the auction. to unite
“We were under a lot of pressure because ‘Boots’ made it clear from the start to me that ‘It’s important to me to come together as one,’” Hearn said. “We deal with the Karen struggle. (Force Zhuge Jian) (in November) Because if we will be united as one We must fight that.
“The Ortiz fight came up and (Ennis) said, ‘I’m going to do it, but you know what it means to me to be unified.’”
Hearn said he told Ennis bluntly: “If we reject this matter We must chase integration. But I can’t guarantee that I can make you fight.”
Stanionis and WBC titleholder Mario Barrios Jnr are promoted by Premier Boxing Champions, while new WBO titleholder Brian Norman Jnr is a top product.
“Then there was the Teofimo Lopez fight and (Ennis) said, ‘I love that fight. But you know what I want to do is, ‘Make it happen,’” Hearn said.
Hearn connected with Luis DeCubas Jnr from PBC and made a deal.
“With all due respect to Stanionis. Because he’s the best heavyweight wrestler in the world besides ‘Boots,’ in my opinion,” Hearn said. “Stanionis is a tough guy, very good, very strong.” Eastern Europe Good work rate, good chin. Can punch very hard. And this is the Ring Magazine champion.”
Hearn noted past ring champions in the glamorous welterweight division: Floyd Mayweather Jr., Terrence Crawford, Sugar Ray. Leonard, Wilfred Benitez, Sugar Ray Robinson
“A prestigious belt. What a prestigious weight class,” Hearn said. “I’m so glad I made the fight happen. It is a big fight for American boxing.”
Considering the matter So Hearn placed it in a place rich in history: Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. which was a battle that was close to the home of Ennis
Hearn said he considered fighting in Philadelphia. But this will be Ennis’ third fight in nine months there.
After that, it was Benn-Eubank, a competition that caught England’s attention. The sons of former champions Nigel Benn and Chris Eubank face off against each other.
“That had everything: the controversy (about Benn’s positive doping test in 2022 that caused the first attempt to be cancelled), the hate. History and heritage,” Hearn said. “In Tottenham it will be a big night.”
And that brings the topic back to former heavyweight champion Joshua, who Hearn announced will begin training camp. “In the next couple of weeks.”
Joshua will watch Dubois’ February 22 IBF title defense against former WBO title holder Joseph Parker “very closely … We want a winner … and we’ll see if Fury’s retirement is Fury’s retirement. … He can do anything at any time.”
Hearn says if he can’t get Joshua to jump over Usyk for the Dubois-Parker winner and if Fury remains sidelined. He will look elsewhere, knowing Alalshikh has mentioned former WBC belt holder Deontay Wilder as an opponent. and is sure that the match will intrigue the boxing masses.
“It’s not the fight we thought of before Dubois. But it’s definitely interesting,” Hearn said.
Hearn is also keen to promote September’s planned fight between four division champions Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford, calling it a bout of “Generation Greatest” before Crawford approached and joked with Hearn.
As such, the promoters paused for quick reflection as the tornado of activity resumed.
“A magical moment in boxing. And have you ever heard of boxing at this level? I love UFC/MMA, but what’s the most popular right now?” Hearn asked, answering: “Boxing goes a mile.”
Lance Pugmire is a senior writer for BoxingScene in the United States. and an associate producer for ProBox TV, Pugmire has covered boxing since the early 2000s, first at the Los Angeles Times, then at The Athletic and USA Today. He received the Boxing Writers Association of America’s Nat Fleischer Award in 2022 for coverage. Excellent in the profession
