Ruiz’s $50 Million Deal Leaves Eddie Hearn Tongue-Tied!
Whether you love or hate him, you’ve got to feel a little bad for Eddie Hearn. His June 1 card, headlined by Matchroom Promotions prize jewel, Anthony “AJ” Joshua (22-1, 21 KO’s), was an abysmal failure. The majority of his fighters either lost or didn’t perform very well.
Callum Smith and Katie Taylor took home victories, however, the latter has many pundits screaming she should have lost.
In the main event, Joshua was battered, bruised and ultimately beaten into submission. En route to the seventh round stoppage, Andy “Destroyer” Ruiz Jr hammered AJ to the canvas on four separate and very meme-friendly occasions.
The victory would net Ruiz the spoils of AJ’s IBF, WBO and WBA heavyweight titles. The sole glimmer of hope that night resided in the fact that Team Joshua could exercise a rematch clause.
A Precarious Seat
Yet, now with Joshua stripped of his belts and undefeated record, Hearn finds himself sitting in a precarious seat at the negotiation table.
Considering that Ruiz is Mexican, the first Mexican heavyweight ever, he has zero desire to fight the rematch in the UK. He’d much rather fight here in the states, or, surprise, surprise, in Mexico.
So strong is this desire, that the Destroyer said it would cost the hefty sum of $50 million dollars to coerce him to fight in the UK.
In a recent interview, Fight Hub questioned Eddie Hearn about the meaty price-tag and in a very rare occasion, the younger Hearn was speechless. For a brief moment, the gold-medal mouth piece could only stare forward, biting the tip of his tongue while bobbing his head in the ‘yes’ motion.
A moment or two later, when Hearn regained the use of his words, he could only express his desire to return to the UK. He could not promise that they would though.
The balance of power has certainly shifted!
The younger Hearn could say that an official date and venue would be formally announced in the next two weeks or so.
By the sound of it however, it seems a safe bet that the rematch will once again be located within the borders of America.
By: Bakari Simpson
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