Promoter Eddie Hearn slammed Oscar De La Hoya on Friday, saying he received’t enable Shakur Stevenson to combat William Zepeda until he’s signed to his Golden Boy Promotions for a long-term deal.
Hearn’s Imaginative and prescient for Stevenson
Zepeda is on the prime of Hearn’s listing of fighters he needs to match WBC light-weight champion Shakur (22-0, 10 KOs) in opposition to if he indicators him to his Matchroom Boxing secure. Nonetheless, in line with Hearn, De La Hoya will solely enable Shakur to combat Zepeda if he’s inked with Golden Boy.
If Hearn’s assertion about Shakur needing to be with Golden Boy for the Zepeda combat is true, that limits his choices for the New Jersey fighter if he does signal him. The one fighter that Hearn has at 135 is Andy Cruz, and he’s a defensive-minded contender from the identical mildew as Shakur.
A combat between Shakur and Cruz would resemble an beginner contender of each guys utilizing the hit-and-not-get-hit method and crowd booing nonstop. Curiously, Hearn doesn’t point out Cruz as a possible possibility for Shakur.
Restricted Choices for Matchroom
The one fighters that Hearn can assure to match Shakur in opposition to are fighters signed to Matchroom at 140, like Liam Paro, Subriel Matias, Regis Prograis, Richardson Hitchins, and Jack Catterall.
These aren’t the blokes that may flip Shakur right into a star, and there’s a superb probability he appears to be like dangerous in opposition to all of them in profitable efforts.
Criticizing De La Hoya’s “Shame to Boxing”
“For me, I don’t actually take care of tying a fighter down for 5 fights or three years. In the event that they like working with you, they like working with you. In the event that they don’t, they don’t,” mentioned promoter Eddie Hearn to the media, speaking about Shakur Stevenson.
“Somebody like Golden Boy and people sort of guys. They’ll solely enable him [Shakur] to combat William Zepeda if he indicators a long-term take care of them. He [Oscar De La Hoya] additionally mentioned that he would solely make the combat if he was with Golden Boy, which is a shame to boxing.”
Sadly, it’s normal apply for promotional corporations to need fighters to signal contracts with their corporations in the event that they need to get sure fights in opposition to well-known, widespread fighters.
If De La Hoya needs Shakur to signal a contract with Golden Boy in alternate for getting a chance to combat the favored unbeaten future star, William Zepeda, he could haven’t any selection if he needs that combat. Both signal or be left defending his WBC light-weight titles in opposition to obscure fighters like Artem Harutyunyan.
“That is from a man who says promoters ought to work collectively and that one of the best ought to combat one of the best,” continued Hearn together with his rant on De La Hoya. “Now, you’ll be able to solely get Zepeda when you’re with Golden Boy, which is weird. We’re [Matchroom Boxing] with the identical platform [DAZN].”
Hearn wants to just accept the fact of how the promotional enterprise works. As an alternative of crying about it, he ought to work throughout the parameters of the skilled. If he needs to signal Shakur, he must be imaginative to determine what fights he could make. It could assist if Shakur is versatile and prepared to maneuver as much as 140 and 147 to get one of the best fights.
Hearn’s Dedication to Safe the Zepeda Struggle
“It’s not concerning the promotional firm. It’s concerning the platform and the fights you’ll be able to ship on your broadcaster,” mentioned Hearn. “So, I feel the fluidity of being a free agent is sweet and dangerous. For those who don’t have the contractual backing of somebody, folks don’t must bid for fights [for example, Hearn & Matchroom not bidding for Devin Haney vs. Sandor Martin]; they don’t must pay for fights.
“We could be as fluid as Shakur. We are able to attempt to make the Zepeda combat for him. We are able to try to make one other combat for him,” mentioned Hearn.
It doesn’t sound promising for Hearn that he’ll get the Zepeda combat for Shakur, so he ought to let go of that concept and cease harping about it. He seems like a canine that received’t let go of an outdated bone. If Hearn needs to signal Shakur, which most likely isn’t a good suggestion, he’ll have to be a grade-A hustler to dig up compelling fights.
