Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn fires back at critics over criticism to book high-profile bouts in Saudi Arabia rather than USA or UK

Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn spoke about Saudi Arabia's involvement in boxing during an interview on The MMA Hour.

Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn fires back at critics over criticism to book high-profile bouts in Saudi Arabia rather than USA or UK

Eddie Hearn (image credit- Marca)

There’s no denying that boxing is trending among fans after being stagnant for some time. The sport’s popularity has skyrocketed in recent years due to the emergence of the influencer-driven boxing scene. Furthermore, the emergence of high-profile bouts has also significantly contributed to this growth. Subsequently, the organization of these high-profile bouts was possible because of Saudi Arabia, according to Eddie Hearn.

The country has hosted several major boxing events over the past few years. Hence, Eddie Hearn believes that the surge in boxing is also due to Saudi Arabia’s involvement in the sport. While Saudi Arabia has provided fans with the fights they wanted to see, the country’s boxing presence has also been met with criticism.

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Subsequently, Hearn has responded to critics who question the growing presence of Saudi Arabia in the sport of boxing.

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Just because another country has come in and started to show interest doesn't mean that it's negative.
Eddie Hearn via The MMA Hour

In an interview with The MMA Hour, Hearn stated that people voiced their concerns over Saudi Arabia’s involvement in boxing and how people think this is taking the sport away from the US or the UK. However, Hearn shot down this notion and stated that boxing doesn’t have to just exist in those two countries.

In addition, Hearn mentioned that the sport of boxing is a global matter and is not restricted to those two countries. Hearn also stated that, as a British native, he would like to bring these big fights to his nation.

Eddie Hearn’s predictions for Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou

Anthony Joshua will face Francis Ngannou on March 8 at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Saudi Arabia. On paper, Ngannou is a worthy opponent for Joshua, but Ngannou’s performance against Tyson Fury has led many to believe that Ngannou will give ‘AJ’ a run for his money.

Eddie Hearn, Anthony Joshua and Francis Ngannou
Eddie Hearn, Anthony Joshua and Francis Ngannou (image credit- Marca, IMAGO)

On the other hand, Hearn doesn’t see it that way and thinks it’s a bit of a pipe dream to think that Ngannou could defeat Joshua. Furthermore, during his interview with The MMA Hour, Hearn stated that he doesn’t think it’s possible.

Subsequently, Hearn went on to say that Ngannou would be easy work for Joshua. In addition, he believes that Ngannou’s performance against Fury does not mean that he will succeed with Joshua.

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