Eddie Hearn has fired back at Teddy Atlas over the choice of opponents for some of his Irish fighters on the show in Dublin last month.
Atlas blasted Hearn’s matchmaking for home boxers Katie Taylor and Gary Cully, who lost out to Chantelle Cameron and Jose Felix respectively, describing it as “horrible.”
However, the Matchroom boss came out swinging in a recent interview with iFL TV, saying he knows the sport of boxing “inside out.”
“I just don’t understand it. Teddy Atlas came out about Katie Taylor. I don’t understand, what do you want?
‘Oh he shouldn’t have put Katie Taylor in with Chantelle Cameron, that was too tough a fight’, what? But then you make a one-sided fight and it’s ‘oh what a joke, boxing’s a joke, too many one-sided fights’ – you can’t really win.
The same applies in all sports, if you aren’t good enough on the night you don’t win.
People think my matchmaking is poor, my matchmaking is unbelievable, I know the game inside out, I know the sport inside out and I know the fighters inside out.
But if you want to get paid big money, and we need to fill seats, we need to drive subscribers and we need to entertain fans, then I ain’t giving you easy touches.”
Though Taylor was a marginal betting favourite, the Cameron fight was always regarded as a 50/50 that came with plenty of risk, however Cully’s defeat represented a huge flipping to the odds.
A contractual rematch clause is available for Taylor which she is expected to enact, whilst Cully is reportedly considering a move up in weight.
Hearn’s matchmaking prowess will be put to the test over the next few weeks, as Anthony Joshua appears to be close to finalising an opponent for his summer outing.
With a mammoth payday against Deontay Wilder waiting in the wings, it remains unclear as of yet whether or not Hearn will risk putting his charge in with old foe Dillian Whyte or perhaps go for an “easier touch.”