Matchroom Promotions’ Eddie Hearn recently hit out at the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) over their failed negotiations with boxing superstar Saul “Canelo” Alvarez. Hearn’s volcanic response followed the collapse of PBC’s deal with Canelo, accusing them of “f***ing themselves.”
Eddie Hearn, who has been instrumental in shaping the boxing industry, became vociferous and expressed his disapproval after PBC failed to seal a deal with the four-division world champion. Canelo was purportedly looking to square off against Caleb Plant, a notable boxer in the PBC stable, for a historical undisputed super-middleweight title showdown.
“The mind boggles when you’re dealing with certain people that have got no idea what they’re doing. In that respect, they’ve just absolutely screwed themselves. They were in such a powerful position,” Hearn said in a recent online interview.
Hearn had some harsh words for PBC. He continued, “It’s unbelievable that they’re even in a position where a deal can fall through with a fighter as significant as Canelo Alvarez. They messed up big time.”
Interestingly, Hearn has previously worked with Canelo, serving as a promoter for his fights against Billy Joe Saunders and Avni Yildirim. As the head of Matchroom Boxing, the Dalston-born entrepreneur has been a notable force in boxing promotion since 2008. Under his leadership, Matchroom has signed various illustrious fighters and delivered some monumental bouts.
Canelo’s botched deal with PBC is a significant loss, depriving boxing fans of the potential spectacle between Canelo and Plant. Hearn suggested that this loss was due to inexperienced negotiators and a lack of understanding of the boxing industry’s intricacies, referring to it as “a lack of brains.”
Hearn commented, “When you’re dealing with the largest draw in boxing, and you’re not one-hundred percent certain on how to navigate the situation, you’re going to find yourself in trouble.”
Coming as a shock to many, Canelo’s walk away from the proposed Plant fight not only resulted in the collapse of the first-ever undisputed super-middleweight championship contest but also a reported $40 million payday for the Mexican superstar.
These comments from Hearn have added fuel to the fire in what has been a hotly debated issue amongst boxing circles. The finger-pointing highlights the complexities and often delicate nature of these business dealings. It also indicates the unforeseen consequences that come with such high-stakes negotiations.
Canelo is currently a free agent and could swing towards any direction, leaving boxing pundits eager to speculate. With an unblemished record since his loss to Floyd Mayweather Jr. in 2013 and his impressive wins over Sergey Kovalev, Billy Joe Saunders, and Callum Smith, the Mexican professional boxer has several promoter magnets ready to make their move.
Going forward, this ordeal should serve as a lesson for PBC and other boxing promotions. As Hearn suggested, the boxing business’s delicate nature calls for experience, expertise, and finesse in handling fighters, negotiations, and crowds. This incident goes a long way toward showing that promotional outfits cannot afford mistakes when dealing with global boxers of Canelo’s caliber.
In the words of Hearn, “They f*** themselves!” With PBC caught in a tactical blunder, it would be interesting to see how the boxing juggernaut adjusts their strategies in the future. Whether this leads to an evolution in PBC’s negotiation methods or a more profound rift with fighters remains to be seen.
