Eddie Hearn has responded to Bob Arum’s recent comments that he is ‘a joke’ in the United States in terms of promotional clout.
Despite working together in the past, the Top Rank veteran seems to hold Hearn in extremely low regard, stating that he is ‘not a real promoter’ and slamming his efforts to move from domestic UK shows to events in the US.
The Matchroom Sport Chairman doesn’t pay any mind to the comments though, and he explained to IFL TV why.
“I look at Arum’s comments and I just think to myself, you can’t look at what I’ve done this year in America and go ‘f**k me.’ So there must be a reason why you want to say that. I mean, partly because he’s off his absolute t*ts the whole time on weed, edibles, whatever it is. He’s f**king mental.”
On a more serious note, Hearn believes that Arum – and to an extent Frank Warren – have been in the sport so long that they have no choice but to be bitter towards the goings on.
“Boxing makes you so f**king miserable, this industry, honestly … I mean I have been walking around this week, really enjoying this week, and I will love Saturday night … because I’m very lucky to do what I do … but the reality is, I look at these people in boxing and I’m so scared to become one of them. I’m scared to live a life of misery and aggravation and just having the hump … In boxing, it is impossible not to have the hump, it is impossible not to be angry. It’s impossible not to be stressed.”
“I’ve got massive respect for [Bob Arum.] He’s 92 or something. I mean, if I’m alive at 72, I’ll be over the moon. I won’t be in boxing. No way.”
The back and forth represents an all time low in the relationship between promoters and, despite being entertaining, doesn’t bode well for matchmaking in the sport.
Hearn will promote another event in the States this week – the much-anticipated trilogy fight between Juan Francisco Estrada and Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez.