By: Sean Crose
“In the UK boxing is a major, major sport,” British promoter Eddie Hearn told Fight Hype in an interview posted on Thursday, “top five, definitely. Probably top three.” Hearn, who runs Matchroom Boxing is one of the top promoters on the planet. What’s more, the Englishman has long worked to establish himself in the American mainstream. In 2024 America, however, that’s a hard thing to do – as boxing is not the draw it was, unless of course it involves a novelty fight. “Here,” Hearn said of the United States, “we have to rely more on the boxing media” to bring in attention.
“It’s difficult to grow a U.S. talent,” Hearn continued, “when the national media, or the major media outlets in different cities, don’t actually follow boxing.” As far as Hearn is concerned, it’s all too bad for current American talent. “I look at the likes of Crawford and I look at the likes of Wilder, those kind of people,” he said almost wistfully. “When Wilder was world heavyweight champion, I thought like this guy should be a national superstar. He’s a really exciting fighter, the world heavyweight champion from Alabama. The whole of the national media should be following him and telling his story.”
Hearn went on to mention blue chip talent Devin Haney, who is mere weeks away from an enormous fight with Ryan Garcia. “Even like Devin,” said Hearn, “to break through to the national media is very difficult when boxing is down the pecking order of your sporting roster.” In England, Hearn indicated, things run far differently. “I know that I can do a press conference in the UK,” he continued, “and I can have every media outlet from the whole country at the press conference.” While Haney and Garcia will unquestionably bring in attention – especially with Garcia’s pre-fight actions on social media – Hearn’s point is well taken.
Whether he’s as successful in the United States as he wants to be or not, there’s no doubt Hearn sits atop of near the top of boxing’s promotional/managerial/advisory heap. The explosively rejuvenated Anthony Joshua might be the pick of the figurative patch as far as Matchroom boxing is concerned, but Hearn also promotes the likes of Katie Taylor, Dmitry Bivol, and Alycia Baumgardner, top names all…and certainly not all English. Indeed, Brooklyn’s Richardson Hitchins’ will highlight a Matchroom bout in Las Vegas this weekend when he takes on fellow undefeated junior welterweight Gustavo Lemos on DAZN.
