Eddie Hearn can look back on many of the standout moments of his career as a boxing promoter but there are three things that make him proud.
The 43-year-old is currently trading around the world from the UK to the US, Spain to Mexico with an entry into the Australian market next month.
Matchroom Sport President sat down with Alex Krassyukpromoter of Oleksandr Usyk, to discuss a wide range of topics including the wars he is most proud of.
Froch vs Groves
His memory journey of his town trip begins with a rematch that a certain British super middleweight keeps talking about. Carl ‘The Cobra’ Froch had a reason to prove after his controversial win over George Groves. The rematch has been set. May 31, 2014.
“Froch-Groves fights at Wembley in front of 80,000 people.”
“It was the first major stadium show we did, and I was also very close to Froch. I signed him at a time when he wasn’t getting what he financially deserved and then he made a lot of money from that fight and that makes me very proud. “
Joshua vs Klitschko
Three years later and a visit to the homeland of English football.
A British heavyweight boxer is rising rapidly and has won the world championship in 16 fights. But taking on Charles Martin, Dominic Breazeale, and Eric Molina can’t prepare you for a battle with one of the modern era’s most dominant rulers as Hearn recalls.
“Joshua-Klitschko because it was so far ahead of his time. He came in with really no experience, not understanding what boxing is and what it takes.”
An iconic night, an iconic fight for the modern era that sees the drama go back and forth.
“Just heart and strength and strength and [Joshua] apparently took down Wlad. He got up. Wlad knocked out AJ, he came back in the 11th minute, it was just an incredible night.”
Joshua vs Ruiz 2
Fighting in one of the most iconic locations in the UK has now been ticked off for Joshua. Disrupting America will be on the agenda two years later in 2019.
What happens at Madison Square Garden is another highlight for heavyweight boxing in round 21st century but in the case of Brit for all the wrong reasons.
Andy Ruiz was supposed to be the perfect match for a standout ending but the American tore up the short script and created his own fairy tale by taking the titles at MSG instead.
Hearn’s third and final choice was Joshua’s shot to redeem himself after that disastrous night. After a miserable summer, AJ went straight back to Ruiz later that year.
New champion outside the US and in the Middle East, defending himself as the unified heavyweight champion for the first time. Joshua was disciplined from the opening bell. Mistakes are few and far between this time, it is the brain rather than the intellect that has taken over.
“AJ against Ruiz 2. The first fight is brutal but the second one – only if you get out 24 hours and you go like this. If you lose this war, fail in a row, where will you go? The pressure on that night was just unthinkable for everyone.”
On August 20, Hearn and Joshua will together hope for another memorable night in their careers when the 32-year-old Londoner wanted to become a three-time heavyweight champion by beating Oleksandr Usyk in Jeddah.
