Eddie Hearn has responded to Jake Paul’s serious and unsubstantiated claims of corruption on the part of Matchroom and judge, Glenn Feldman.
This week in a video interview, YouTuber turned boxer, Jake Paul, claimed that judge Glenn Feldman “is getting paid money by Matchroom Boxing.”
His allegations came in amongst a conversation about Katie Taylor’s victory over Paul-promoted fighter, Amanda Serrano. Paul took issue with Feldman’s scoring of the bout, and went on to say that he disagreed with the same judge’s scoring for the rematch of Oleksandr Usyk and Anthony Joshua.
Catching wind of the comments, Eddie Hearn responded via Matchroom’s YouTube channel.
“Jake Paul is good for boxing in many ways, but Jake Paul can also be terrible for boxing. Because the fact that he’s just found a boxing gym and decided to become a fighter – he doesn’t still have the respect for the industry and the history of the sport of boxing.”
“What he said, in terms of his allegations of corruption with Glenn Feldman, is totally unacceptable – and we all have a laugh with Jake, and he’s an average fighter – I’m telling you now, what he said was unacceptable and it’ll be dealt with.”
“We take this sport, we take our values as a business and as a family, very, very seriously. And we love the sport of boxing. So for him to come out with idiotic comments without even thinking about what he’s said, for me, us as a business, and very disrespectful to us as a business and as a family.”
“Jake’s comments will be dealt with appropriately – and I’m not prepared, as I would be on many occasions, just to take what he said with a pinch of salt.”
“I take it extremely personal, because they’re questioning our credentials, they’re questioning our integrity, and I won’t have it. So, he’s going to have to deal with the brunt of that, and maybe he [doesn’t] care, but I do.”
Hearn went on to further question Paul’s statement, pointing out the fact that promotional companies do not pick judges for fights – something Paul had previously alluded to in his interview.
“And he doesn’t even understand. When he says ‘why are Matchroom still choosing that judge’ – Matchroom don’t choose the judge, you idiot. The commission do. I don’t even think he knows the rules. I don’t think he knows the structure. I don’t think he knows how it works.”
It’s unclear how Hearn, Chairman of Matchroom Sport, plans to proceed in dealing with the allegation – but from his passionate response it would be fair to assume that this won’t be the end of the matter.