‘The first rule of Fight Camp is no easy fights,’ says Eddie Hearn

Eddie Hearn Matchroom boxing

EDDIE HEARN is promising the kind hype and excitement that his promotional rivals canโ€™t 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 Matchroomโ€™s 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 Warrenโ€™s first post-lockdown show on July 10 at the BT Sport studios and two months after Bob Arumโ€™s Top Rank brought boxing back to Las Vegas in his air-tight โ€˜Bubbleโ€™ inside the MGM Grand.

โ€œBig props to Top Rank for bringing boxing back,โ€ Hearn said during an online conference call with the British media on Friday (June 26). โ€œBut no one is watching it because no one knows about it and the fights arenโ€™t good enough. I donโ€™t want to come back in a dark studio in the middle of nowhere, itโ€™s not a game show.

โ€œI want to come back with a visual and project that people can get excited about. Itโ€™s about hype but most of all itโ€™s about the fights. We will have five fights every night and they will be 50-50 fights or thereaboutโ€ฆ 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.

โ€œInitially, every fightersโ€™ reaction was, โ€˜Iโ€™d 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 theyโ€™ve realised the uncertainty of the situation weโ€™re in โ€“ there is a chance we wonโ€™t 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. Itโ€™s a chance to come and make a name for yourself.โ€

eddie hearn boxing

Some fighters were concerned that they could not guarantee they would be fighting fit after the constraints of lockdown.

โ€œThereโ€™s no excuse in terms of preparation,โ€ Hearn said. โ€œThe 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. Itโ€™s 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.

โ€œThere is no gate,โ€ Hearn explained. โ€œA show with no gate, you want to keep those to a minimum. Itโ€™s not like weโ€™ve been asking fighters to accept less money. A lot of fighters are taking harder fights than they thought they might have to take and thatโ€™s a good thing.

โ€œBut if you look at the challenges [weโ€™re facing]. If you look at the Whyte-Povetkin fight, the gate there would have been a million quid. So weโ€™re a million short. Whereโ€™s that going to come from?

โ€œWeโ€™ve got a canopy, weโ€™re going to be teraplasting the garden, weโ€™re going to be building changing rooms, weโ€™re hiring hotels. Itโ€™s 30-grand, just for one event, for the [coronavirus] testing.

โ€œI was talking to Bob Arum and he was ranting about how bloody expensive it is. But you canโ€™t cut corners. Weโ€™ve got no choice. You either sit and wait and say weโ€™ll come back in October or November or you give it a crack.

โ€œEveryone will give it a crack in their different way but this is our way of giving it a crack and I think itโ€™s 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 โ€œquirky 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 Cardiffโ€™s 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)

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