Eddie Hearn: Farmer v Davis is a 60/40 Fight
For several years now the boxing world has craved a fight between IBF world super featherweight Tevin “American Idol” Farmer (30-4-1, 6 KO’s) and WBA super world super featherweight Gervonta “Tank” Davis (22-0, 21 KO’s). Not only are the two men fantastically talented, they have forged a very cantankerous and public rivalry. From the perspective of fight fans there is really no good reason why these two have not already locked horns in a significant unification bout.
However, with boxing, very few things are simple affairs! In the last few weeks, talks between the two camps resumed anew. It even appeared that perhaps, this time, a fight would be contracted. Yet, like it has always been, the two sides couldn’t land upon any common ground. Ultimately, money was the main sticking point preventing the eagerly-desired showdown. On this occasion, it was Farmer citing insufficient funds as being his deal breaker.
By his estimation, The Money Team’s $2 million dollar offer was not nearly enough. The civilian boxing populace saw this as a healthy, respectable offer. Regardless of onlooker perspective, Farmer holds firm that the money is not long enough to justify a shootout with Tank.
EDDIE HEARN TAKES THE FLOOR
This week, Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Promotion was dutifully promoting the newly announced Gennady Golovkin versus Sergiy Derevyanchenko middleweight scrap. While fielding questions for that fight, inquiries revolving around Farmer v Davis were asked as well.
Surprisingly, even though the American Idol stables within Matchroom, Hearn openly admits that Davis is the bigger draw. Even so, Hearn presented a rather sensible plan for how he would like to approach penning a fight.
“The offer for Tevin Farmer came from Mayweather Promotions, it was $2 million dollars. We offered Gervonta $5 million for that fight. I think the best thing to do in that situation is me and Floyd should just agree to what the split for that fight would be alright? For me, Gervonta Davis is bigger name, alright? He sells more tickets, he’s a big star. Tevin Farmer is a star but he is coming through.”
“For me it’s a 60/40 split, see if they agree with that. If they don’t, we can talk about that. So me and Floyd, we meet up, we both put our bid in the envelop and we open it together and whoever pays the most money for that fight gets the fight on their platform. Just one fight, alright? So you don’t have to sign a long term deal, just let the fighters earn their money. Tevin Farmer wants that fight, Gervonta Davis wants that fight.”
In all honesty, that is a good plan! If the two sides could agree to this style of purse bidding, the money and platform entanglements could be nullified in one deft motion. Yet again, in boxing, few things are sweet and simple!
At this juncture in the game only the suicidal are holding their breath waiting on Farmer v Davis to come to fruition. While it remains a delicious potential fight, it appears that haggling over the money will kill it before it has time to be born. Ideally, behind the scenes something will change to get the wheels of progress back in motion. However, given the history and recent developments, this is not a unification bout that we’ll get any time soon.
For better or worse 3kingsboxing will continue to provide coverage on this topsy-turvy rivalry.
By: Bakari Simpson
