Eddie Hearn, the head of Matchroom Boxing, will be in attendance at AT&T Stadium in Dallas this Friday for the highly anticipated Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul showdown. However, while he’ll be present for the spectacle, he may not stick around for the main event.
“I try to be honest and straightforward with people, and sometimes that doesn’t sit well with the MVP camp [Paul’s promotional company],” Hearn shared with Ariel Helwani on The Ariel Helwani Show. “I’m not here to kiss anyone’s butt or call for this fight to be banned. It’s just not my thing.”
While Hearn acknowledges the commercial appeal of Tyson vs. Paul, he’s not exactly excited about it. As a lifelong boxing fan, Hearn has always been deeply passionate about the sport. Seeing a 58-year-old Tyson return to the ring for the first time since 2005 against a 27-year-old Paul doesn’t sit well with him, despite the financial success it promises.
“I’ve been in boxing since I was 7,” Hearn said. “Mike Tyson was one of my heroes, but I just don’t want to see him fight again at 58. I understand the business side of it—it’s going to make a lot of money and attract massive attention—but for me, I’ve always stayed true to my passion for the sport. It just doesn’t feel right.”
Instead of focusing on the main event, Hearn will be watching the co-main event, where his fighter Katie Taylor defends her undisputed super lightweight titles in a rematch against Amanda Serrano. Taylor, who turned professional under Hearn’s Matchroom banner in 2016, is one of Hearn’s biggest stars, alongside former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua, whose future has recently become uncertain after news broke that he won’t be available for his scheduled February 22 rematch with Daniel Dubois.
“He will either fight Daniel Dubois or Tyson Fury,” Hearn revealed about Joshua’s next move. “Those are the only two options. Joshua wanted to go ahead with Dubois on February 22, but he’s not 100 percent after his last fight. He can’t start training yet, so we’ll have to see how things progress.”
As for the future of the Joshua-Dubois matchup, Hearn predicts a potential rematch between the two in the summer of 2025, depending on how the next few months play out.
“If Joshua faces Fury, whether he wins or loses against Usyk in December, it could be his last fight before retiring,” Hearn said. “But we still want to see him get another shot at a world title, and the fight with Fury, win or lose, would be a huge spectacle.”
In the meantime, Hearn was also promoting his fighters in Philadelphia this past weekend. Jaron “Boots” Ennis faced Karen Chukhadzhian, earning a decision in a somewhat lackluster performance. Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez, on the other hand, shone brightly with a spectacular knockout victory over Pedro Guevara.
“Ennis’ performance was solid but not spectacular,” Hearn admitted. “He was focused on trying to make the fight more exciting for the fans, but that led to him getting hit a bit more than I’d like. He has to be better in the future to make a bigger impact.”
Looking ahead, Ennis may either unify the welterweight division or move up to super welterweight for a major fight. Hearn mentioned the possibility of a matchup with Vergil Ortiz Jr., and there’s also been growing interest in a unification bout with IBF champion Eimantas Stanionis.
Hearn also expressed confidence that Ennis could eventually face pound-for-pound star Terence Crawford. “If Ennis beats Ortiz, then he’ll likely get a shot at Crawford. Crawford knows how tough a fight it would be, so he’ll want a financial incentive. But ‘Boots’ needs to put on more impressive performances to make that fight happen.”
Regarding “Bam” Rodriguez, Hearn believes the 24-year-old is destined for greatness. After his dominant win over Guevara, Hearn is confident Rodriguez will be a top fighter for years to come. He even sees a potential matchup with Naoya Inoue down the line.
“Rodriguez is only 24, and he’s already dominating at 115 pounds,” Hearn said. “He’s moving toward becoming one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world. He may not stay at super flyweight for long, and the fight with Inoue at bantamweight could be a big one in the future.”
Inoue, who sits near the top of the pound-for-pound rankings, could be on a collision course with Rodriguez if “Bam” moves up to bantamweight. Hearn sees it as a thrilling matchup for boxing fans.
“It could very well be the number one versus number two pound-for-pound fight,” Hearn added. “An incredible showdown.
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