By Declan Taylor
MATCHROOM have made a ‘massive offer’ for Golden Boy’s rising star Floyd Schofield to face WBC lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson in Riyadh on February 22.
Stevenson had looked certain to face William Zepeda, who is ranked at No.1 by all four sanctioning bodies, on that date but an injury picked up in his win over Tevin Farmer this month will keep him out.
And now Matchroom boss Eddie Hearn, who is Stevenson’s promoter, has revealed that they have turned to a different Golden Boy fighter in a bid to find a viable opponent.
Hearn believes his very public back-and-forth on social media with Golden Boy founder Oscar De La Hoya might prevent Stevenson and Zepeda fighting but is now awaiting a response on Schofield.
Hearn told Boxing News: “I don’t think Golden Boy and Oscar De La Hoya want that [Zepeda] fight with Shakur Stevenson. Oscar is not an idiot and he knows. This is the sad thing about boxing, rather than take on greatness in Shakur Stevenson, I believe Oscar would rather not lose to Matchroom.
“We have now made Golden Boy an offer for Kid Schofield. It’s a massive offer. I’m sick and tired of people talking on Twitter. Make the fight. Kid Schofield, great young talent, it would be a great build up. You’ve got nothing to lose. You’ve got a load of money and a great opportunity.”
It had been suggested that Joe Cordina, the former super-featherweight world champion, could be in line to face Stevenson too, but Hearn believes that a showdown with WBO king Denis Berinchyk is more viable should Golden Boy snub the offer for Schofield.
“We mentioned Cordina for the fight,” Hearn said. “But I think that the main plan would be to fight Berinchyk for the unification but there are a few issues surrounding that as well.”
