EDDIE HEARN is promising the kind hype and excitement that his promotional rivals canโt when he opens his Fight Camp on Friday August 1. Super-welterweights Sam Eggington and Ted Cheeseman collide in a domestic crossroads battle in the first event on the grounds of Matchroomโs HQ in Brentwood, Essex. The culmination of the audacious outdoor project will see Dillian Whyte and Alexander Povetkin clash in a heavyweight pay-per-view show on August 22. There will be a further two cards โ topped by Terri Harper vs Natasha Jonas (August 7) and Felix Cash vs Jason Welborn (August 14) โ in-between.
As things stand, the only media in attendance will be those from TV broadcasters Sky Sports and DAZN and the radio commentary teams.
The first event will come three weeks after Frank Warrenโs first post-lockdown show on July 10 at the BT Sport studios and two months after Bob Arumโs Top Rank brought boxing back to Las Vegas in his air-tight โBubbleโ inside the MGM Grand.
โBig props to Top Rank for bringing boxing back,โ Hearn said during an online conference call with the British media on Friday (June 26). โBut no one is watching it because no one knows about it and the fights arenโt good enough. I donโt want to come back in a dark studio in the middle of nowhere, itโs not a game show.
โI want to come back with a visual and project that people can get excited about. Itโs about hype but most of all itโs about the fights. We will have five fights every night and they will be 50-50 fights or thereaboutโฆ The first rule of Fight Camp is no easy fights.โ
There was some resistance to his plans. He claims Chris Jenkinsโ contract with Queensberry Promotions stopped him from fighting Conor Benn on the first card. Hearn added that the concept of performing without a crowd was not appealing to all but those wanting to fight and earn have little choice.
โInitially, every fightersโ reaction was, โIโd rather fight in front of crowdsโ. When this [lockdown] first happened we presumed we would bring boxing back in July or August with crowds. So fighters wanted to wait. But now theyโve realised the uncertainty of the situation weโre in โ there is a chance we wonโt see crowds this year โ but now is your opportunity. You come out and fight. I believe the [TV] audiences for these fights will be huge. Itโs a chance to come and make a name for yourself.โ
Some fighters were concerned that they could not guarantee they would be fighting fit after the constraints of lockdown.
โThereโs no excuse in terms of preparation,โ Hearn said. โThe private gyms have been open [for a while] now. The British Boxing Board of Control have enabled us and boxing to return in the gyms. Itโs one of the reasons we went a little bit later because I felt like going earlier might not give fighters the best chance of getting decent preparation and sparring.โ
Expect fireworks and razzmatazz and excitement, says Hearn. He also expects to lose a lot of money during the 22-day fight festival that will take place behind closed doors.
โThere is no gate,โ Hearn explained. โA show with no gate, you want to keep those to a minimum. Itโs not like weโve been asking fighters to accept less money. A lot of fighters are taking harder fights than they thought they might have to take and thatโs a good thing.
โBut if you look at the challenges [weโre facing]. If you look at the Whyte-Povetkin fight, the gate there would have been a million quid. So weโre a million short. Whereโs that going to come from?
โWeโve got a canopy, weโre going to be teraplasting the garden, weโre going to be building changing rooms, weโre hiring hotels. Itโs 30-grand, just for one event, for the [coronavirus] testing.
โI was talking to Bob Arum and he was ranting about how bloody expensive it is. But you canโt cut corners. Weโve got no choice. You either sit and wait and say weโll come back in October or November or you give it a crack.
โEveryone will give it a crack in their different way but this is our way of giving it a crack and I think itโs going to be the one that makes the most noise.โ
Hearn โ who this week announces his first US show will be on August 15 โ does not plan to extend Fight Camp beyond the Whyte-Povetkin show but has not ruled out โquirky venuesโ should crowds not be allowed to return after that.
The heavyweight clash between Anthony Joshua and Kubrat Pulev is being targeted for November, with Cardiffโs Principality Stadium still the desired location but the O2 in London and the Manchester Arena are also under consideration.
Scheduled Fight Camp Events
August 1
Sam Eggington v Ted Cheeseman (12 rounds, super-welterweight)
James Tennyson v Gavin Gwynne (12 rounds, vacant British lightweight title)
Jordan Gill v Reece Bellotti (12 rounds, featherweight)
Fabio Wardley vs Simon Vallily (10 rounds, vacant English heavyweight title)
Dalton Smith v Nathan Bennett (lightweight)
August 8
Terri Harper v Natash Jonas (10 rounds, WBC super-featherweight title)
Chris Billam-Smith v Nathan Thorley (12 rounds, Commonwealth cruiserweight title)
Anthony Fowler v Adam Harper (super-welterweight)
Aquib Fiaz v Kane Baker (lightweight)
Ivan Price v TBA (featherweight)
August 14
Felix Cash v Jason Welborn (12 rounds, Commonwealth middleweight title)
Zelfa Barrett v Eric Donovan (super-featherweight)
Keiron Conway v Navid Mansouri (super-welterweight)
Shannon Courtenay v Rachel Ball (super-bantamweight)
John Docherty v TBA (super-middleweight)
August 22
Dillian Whyte v Alexander Povetkin (12 rounds, heavyweight)
Katie Taylor v TBA (10 rounds, undisputed lightweight title)
Martin Bakole v Sergey Kuzmin (10 rounds, heavyweight)
Luther Clay v Chris Congo (10 rounds, welterweight)