PROMOTER Eddie Hearn may see himself as one of the stars of the show when it comes to big-time boxing, but Artur Beterbiev reckons he is unsure who the garrulous UK hypeman actually is.
No doubt a tongue-in-cheek gesture from the chilling Chechen, 21-0 (20 KOs), who isn’t afraid to cut down rivals both in and out of the ring. Speaking on the main table at yesterday’s ‘Last Crescendo’ final press conference, MC Dev Sahni cheekily poked Eddie around an interview Beterbiev conducted where he displayed little knowledge of who the head of Matchroom Boxing was.
“I’m sure he’s pre-ordered my book and ordered the Eddie Hearn pyjamas,” joked Hearn.
“I don’t understand what they say. But it’s not true,” replied Beterbiev.
When Eddie reinforced the fact that he and Artur were good friends, a subtle smile spread across the destroyer’s face as he found some common ground with the promoter of rival Dmitry Bivol, who has been repeating to anyone who’ll listen that his man will win the return bout, having “won” the first fight.
“Yeah, of course. You give me opponents and I beat them, right? Yeah, there you go. So we’re friendly. We do good business,” chuckled Beterbiev, much to the delight of his press conference contemporaries.
“You’ve been planning that one,” Eddie muttered, trying to steal back a little credibility.
The headline attraction in Saudi tomorrow evening needs no credibility checks. Beterrbiev won the first fight but it was close enough to warrant a quickfire rematch over 12 rounds – or less.
