Boxing is starting to pick up the pace again, and with that, everyone in the game is getting busier, Eddie Hearn no exception.
After boxing was shut down again in the United Kingdom for January, Matchroom will get their first 2021 show out on Saturday, Feb. 13, with Josh Warrington headlining against Mauricio Lara on Sky Sports and DAZN. He’s also got other cards already scheduled, and hopes to do one show per week all over the world in 2021.
But a lot of Matchroom names are looking at April or May for return dates, and Hearn sat down for YouTube to give a lot of updates on various names in the Matchroom stable.
Scott Fitzgerald
“Fitz will be out probably in March or early April, and then we want to go straight into the Fowler fight. I think Anthony Fowler needs that test now. We will reschedule (Fowler’s fight with Jorge) Fortea probably for April time as well. Get those guys out, get them firing, then July or August, I think a big, big rematch between Fitz and Fowler.”
Joshua Buatsi
“He’s gonna be fighting looks like end of April. We want to get him out and try and reschedule that fight with Blake Caparello, the world championship eliminator, or a Sullivan Barrera, those kind of fights. Then we’ll see what happens domestically, what a great division. Craig Richards, Lyndon Arthur, Anthony Yarde, Callum Johnson — there’s some big domestic fights there for the summer.”
Daniyar Yeleussinov
“He’s ready. I was trying to get Golden Boy and DAZN to make the Vergil Ortiz fight, they didn’t want that fight just yet. This guy’s gonna be a major problem for everyone at 147 pounds, and you’re gonna see him taking big steps now, back out in April.”
James Tennyson
“Everyone’s talking about the ‘Four Kings,’ aren’t they? Devin Haney, Teofimo Lopez, Ryan Garcia, and Tank Davis. And James Tennyson, understandably not at that level yet, hasn’t got the wins on his resume, but very, very dangerous. A real darkhorse of the division. … Ready for big steps up. I’ve talked about a (Jorge) Linares fight, I love that fight, as well. And James Tennyson back probably May.”
Liam Smith vs Jessie Vargas
“It’s a fight that needs fans, really, to pay those guys what they want. We’re actually working on a fight for Liam Smith in Russia for the moment, a good fight for him. That could be sort of April time. We hope as we move towards the summer, things will start to get back to normal, we’ll be able to drive fans back into the arenas and make some of these bigger fights, as well. Liam Smith against Jessie Vargas is definitely on the radar for the summer.”
Filip Hrgovic
“We were negotiating a fight with Martin Bakole. We were trying to get that fight finalized, I think it’s a great fight for both. Filip Hrgovic is ready. Michael Hunter, I made an offer to, we didn’t hear back from him and his team. That’s a great fight. But Hrgovic is ready. I believe he’s one of the top heavyweights in the world, and you’re gonna see him in big tests. Hopefully, he’ll get himself in a position to fight for a world title by the end of this year.”
John Ryder
“He’s been ordered by the WBA to fight for the regular world title against David Morrell. Tough fight. Inexperienced, undefeated Cuban, but a very, very good fighter, as well. So we’re negotiating that fight with the PBC at the moment. That will be probably April or May time.”
Ricky Burns
“I just spoke to him this morning! Just wants a big fight, wants a big fight at 135 pounds, doesn’t want to move to 140. So who’s there for him? James Tennyson against Ricky Burns, anyone? Luke Campbell against Ricky Burns, anyone? Ricky’s up for any of these fights at 135. Still fresh, still in the gym, still loving the sport.
Israil Madrimov
“We’re planning a big Uzbekistan card, April 2nd, April 3rd weekend. It’s gonna be amazing if we can get Madrimov, (Shakhram) Giyasov, and (Murodjon) Akhmadaliev on that card, that’ll be an historic moment for Uzbekistan. … (Madrimov) is ready to fight for a world title. These guys aren’t going to want to fight Israil Madrimov, but he’s ready to go.”
Hughie Fury
“Obviously a terrible cut sustained in the Mariusz Wach fight, but he’s planned for end of April, early May, as well. He’s ready. All those guys — Hrgovic, obviously Chisora always, Whyte, always ready for the big fights, Hughie Fury. Ready. Ready to be slung into round robins, into major championship fights, all looking for the big heavyweight fights.”
Lewis Ritson
“He’s been ordered to fight a final eliminator for the IBF title against (Jeremias) Ponce, who’s 24-0. It’s a tough fight but a good fight. We’ve accepted the position and we’re negotiating with his team now, and that fight you’re gonna see probably in May, hopefully in front of fans back in Newcastle.”
Derek Chisora vs Joseph Parker
(You may have seen various social media updates from Chisora and David Haye that confused people into believing Chisora-Parker has been scheduled)
“I got a lot of messages last night, ‘Oh, Parker-Chisora is done.’ No, but both guys are desperate for that fight. That fight has already been scheduled (in 2019), it’s a brilliant fight. There’s a big fight for Joseph Parker against Junior Fa, Feb. 27 in New Zealand, that’s a tough, tough fight. If he comes through that I would like to make Chisora against Parker, probably in July.”