Eddie Hearn has defended the way he matches his prospects.
The Matchroom Sports CEO has developed a reputation for testing his up-and-coming stars earlier than other promoters, who do everything they can to keep their undefeated records intact.
Naturally, this has led to some of Eddie Hearn’s prospects coming up short.
The Englishman insists he will not be changing his matchmaking practices.
Eddie Hearn keeps it real with young prospects
Hearn has come under fire for getting his fighters ‘beat’ in the past.
However, he says the only way to find out if a potential star is the real deal is by putting them in real tests, rather than covering them in cotton wool until they reach the top.
The 45-year-old believes that, in the end, the way he does things is best for everyone involved as the fighter improves and fans get more competitive matchups.
“If you can’t beat those guys, you’re not the fight I thought you were,” Hearn said during an interview with IFL TV on Saturday night. “And if you lose tonight, it’s not the end of the road for you. You’ve got to rebuild and come back better.
“If you don’t wanna see prospects tested a little bit when they’re 8 to 1 odds, f*** off and don’t watch my shows because I’m gonna give you real fights. And I’m gonna give you entertainment.
“Guess what? Sometimes when people underperform, or they are not good enough, they are going to lose. Not every prospect is going to go on and be a world champion.
“If you spoon feed them and never put them anything competitive. 1) It’s a shit product. 2) It’s a con for the fans. 3) You’re not doing the right job for the fighter because when they get to the top, they ain’t gonna be good enough.”
What’s next for Anthony Joshua?
Hearn’s most famous client is Anthony Joshua.
The former two-time heavyweight world champion is currently in limbo after falling to a shock sixth-round knockout loss to Daniel Dubois earlier this year.
AJ opted against pursuing an immediate rematch with Dubois and the IBF heavyweight titleholder as now be matched up with Joseph Parker on Saudi Arabia’s stacked card scheduled for February 22.
It’s currently unclear what’s next for Joshua. A long-awaited clash with Tyson Fury could become available after ‘The Gypsy King’ has his rematch with Oleksandr Usyk on December 21.
Hearn recently said: “If Fury wins – and I’m actually leaning towards him. I’ve had a little bit of a [switch] – Fury could fight AJ for the unified world heavyweight title.
“The biggest fight ever in the sport. Wembley, Riyadh, wherever.”