Recently Eddie Hearn of Matchroom signed Shakur Stevenson to his promotional outfit.
It is understood he did so as part of a two-fight deal to start off with Stevenson (likely over a 12 month period approx.) where Hearn and Matchroom will try to win his trust before hoping to extend the deal.
Hearn thinks the fight to be made for him is with Gervonta “Tank” Davis.
Speaking to Fight Hub Hearn said:
“”When I look at Tank (Gervonta Davis) now, is he fighting in November or December? Against who? I spoke to Robert didn’t seem like that (a fight against Rayo) was the fight. Listen, Rayo can win that fight by the way. He took a lot of heavy stuff from Pitbull (Cruz fight). Tank is a massive a puncher at 140 lbs. and above. Yeah but he took a lot of (Mario) punches from Barrios (in that knockout win). It wasn’t like a one punch knockout. Listen, Tank can punch at those weights but I think Tank is very wary of moving up that high. I think that’s why he wanted the rehydration clause against Ryan (Garcia). Even at that fight 136 lbs. that fight was made it? I think the fight is Shakur because I think that fight can be made at 135 lbs. but I’m just not sure of what he does in between. It’s a bit like (Terence) Crawford. These guys have made a lot of money. Tank’s not going to be boxing for (small money) like 5 million, 6 million (dollars) or something. He’s seen what all the other guys are making in the Riyadh Season and he wants 20 million, 25 million (dollars). How are you going to generate that kind of money? It has to be a mega fight. It has to be Shakur (Stevenson), it has to be a Teofimo (Lopez), it has to be a Devin (Haney, maybe) or a Ryan (Garcia) rematch?”
Interesting stuff from Hearn.
Also interesting lately how fighters have been using big re-hydration clauses in fight contracts.
Fighters seem to be putting on massive weight the day after weigh-ins lately to try to use as an advantage to be bigger, stronger and hit harder than perceived smaller opponents by the time of fight night (well over 24 hours later after weigh-ins usually).
Bringing back same day weigh-ins would get rid of that quickly as well as making boxing safer for the fighters by not killing themselves to make weight and lose such huge amounts of weight the days leading up to a fight.
Often de-hydrating themselves badly and making the brain more of a target for damage on fight night, as it has not had a chance to recover in 24 hours from severe de-hydration.
All in all, above, Hearn speaks on the growing market quiet candidly, as well as the frank nature in his words on the increasing values for some of the star boxers in the sport.
The price of everything is indeed going up at the moment.
Davis recently was in Europe as an advisor to Team USA in the 2024 Olympics and is expected to return to the ring in either November or December, most likely, with a date to be confirmed soon.
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