Eddie Hearn Feels Boxing Drifting Toward UFC Model
Now that the UFC has provided combat sport fans a bit of relief with UFC Fight Night 172, boxing fans are even more eager to see how and when their sport officially resumes action. Boxing promoters in both the US and UK are making plans to resume hosting fights in the upcoming months. Yet, what will the look and feel of these events be like? And more importantly, what manner of match-ups will we be presented?
NETWORKS IN THE DRIVERS SEAT
One of the biggest fears of fight fans is that due to a crippled financial plan, promoters will be forced into putting together subpar fight cards. Already, a number of A-list boxers have come forward to express their unwillingness to fight in the modified conditions.
Regardless of this particular group of boxers, Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn assures that when the sport makes it’s come back, it will do so with major events. Hearn does understand that without the live gate the revenue to be earned is severely diminished.
However, the second generation fight hustler also understands that the promoters are somewhat at the mercy of the broadcasters. And from his viewpoint, the broadcasters are not going to be willing to pay for second or third tier prizefights.
“I shouldn’t give broadcasters the rope to hang me, but I think they’ve got to be strong here, the broadcasters. And I think they got to say, ‘no, that’s not good enough!’ And I know that we are financially handicapped because we have no gate, I know that we are up against it. But I feel this is a time where everyone needs extra bang for their buck.”
“It doesn’t matter it if it’s DAZN, it doesn’t matter if it’s ESPN, it doesn’t matter if it’s the customer going into your local shop on the corner. You’re not just pulling money out any more and saying, yea whatever!’…so unless we’re giving quality, it’s going to affect the product and I don’t want to come back and say, ‘we brought boxing back!’ And it’s just a card that is poor.”
UFC FLAVORING IN BOXING?
Due to unfavorable financial reality that promoters are dealing with, Hearn also foresees boxing matchmaking mirroring the UFC model more and more. Traditionally, within the sport of boxing, name brand fighters have had the luxury of fighting who they personally wanted to fight. Likewise, boxers have largely been able to turn down opposition they did not want.
Of course, there are and have always been numerous fights that the fans wanted to see that did not happen due to this freedom. This is not the case when dealing with UFC. When it comes to the combatants who ply their trade in the octagon, for the most part their next foe is dictated to them.
While this is not always a favorable reality with the fighters, it typically results in the fans getting the best competition available. Now, with the disarray that COVID-19 has saturated the sporting industry in, Hearn feels that UFC model might be bleeding its way into boxing business practices.
“That also means we have to create the best fight schedule that we can and that’s why when I talk about the easy fights and the fights that might not be so compelling, its really time to give those the big elbow and say, ‘sorry, that’s not going to happen.’ And that might not be what fighters, not fighters, but particularly advisors or managers would want but it’s the reality of the situation.”
“So if you want to take an easier fight or you don’t want to step up and be in a fight that subscribers and boxing fans want to see, you can wait. I feel like we are moving more, a little bit more to the UFC model now. Where it’s going to be, [promoter] ‘right! Here’s our schedule, you, you are fighting him! [fighter] I don’t know about that. [promoter] That’s okay, you can wait. Who’s up?! You and you, are you in? [fighter] Yea I’m in! [promoter] Done!’”
“Rather than, [promoter] ‘how about this opponent? [fighter] No, no my team, we’d like these guys.’ In the past we might have been too weak, but we can’t afford to do that anymore because of the competition like you just said. Not just with other networks in boxing and other promoters but other sports…I don’t want to bring boxing back with weak fights”
By: Bakari Simpson
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