Eddie Hearn Responds to Bob Arum’s Claim That Matchroom Wasted $1 Billion in the U.S.
Top Rank founder Bob Arum recently criticized Eddie Hearn and Matchroom Boxing, accusing the British promoter of squandering his $1 billion budget with little to show for it, and labeling him a “joke” in the U.S. market.
In response, Hearn fired back during an interview with ID Boxing, claiming that Top Rank has essentially “given up” on promoting in the U.S. He also predicted that the company would lose its lucrative TV deal with ESPN.
Hearn’s Criticism of Top Rank’s U.S. Strategy
“I think Top Rank is finished in America,” Hearn stated. “I haven’t seen anything they’ve done this year that’s impressed me at all. They’re hiring out small arenas, and their ESPN numbers are shocking. They’re always booking smaller venues like the Virgin Hotel or Resorts World in Las Vegas, or the smaller arena at MSG.”
Hearn pointed out that Top Rank’s recent U.S. events have failed to attract large audiences or generate significant revenue. As an example, he mentioned that former unified champion Mikaela Mayer headlined an event at The Hangar in Costa Mesa, selling just 600 tickets, which amounted to a modest $37,000 gate.
Hearn’s Predictions for Top Rank and ESPN
“They’re going to Turning Stone next for Efe Ajagba against Oscar Rivas. I think they’ve given up. They’ve probably realized that ESPN isn’t going to renew their contract,” Hearn said. He went on to mock Top Rank by suggesting, “Top Rank? More like Top Wank.”
The Matchroom chairman criticized Top Rank’s choice of fights, using Ajagba vs. Rivas as an example of the company’s declining promotional efforts in the U.S. Hearn believes that such events signal a weakening interest from ESPN, predicting that the network will not renew its contract with Top Rank due to declining TV ratings.
Is There Any Truth to Hearn’s Claims?
Despite Hearn’s bold remarks, there is little evidence to support the notion that ESPN is planning to part ways with Top Rank. While Top Rank has lost some major U.S. attractions, such as Terence Crawford and Tyson Fury’s recent fights taking place in the UK, ESPN’s viewership has remained relatively steady.
