Eddie Hearn faced further backlash from the United States after UK fans gave the Matchroom Boxing promoter both barrels over the Conor Benn issue.
Hearn is under fire for attempting to push through a fight due to a technicality with Benn’s drug test sample despite the fact it came back positive.
The Essex man wanted the fight to go ahead until the B sample was opened and checked. However, the A and B samples are merely two beakers featuring the same sample. Therefore, it’s almost certain to have also come back positive.
Threatening the British Boxing Board of Control with legal action for withdrawing sanctioning, Hearn eventually admitted defeat and called off the event.
Since then, once staunch fans of the outspoken Chairman have turned against the Anthony Joshua and Katie Taylor handler.
Stephen Espinoza on ‘indefensible’ Eddie Hearn
Showtime Boxing’s Stephen Espinoza, who has worked with some of the biggest names in the sport, aired his views on Hearn’s behavior.
“It’s indefensible to pretend that this is a non-issue and to pretend that this should go forward because of procedural issues,” Espinoza told FightHub TV.
“You can’t play both sides of the fence. And you can’t say that VADA is great when it works in your favor. You can’t say that when it works against you, VADA is something that should be ignored.
“The reality is, stuff like this prevents the sport from growing even more. It puts an undo risk on the fighters. It’s indefensible, and it’s an embarrassment for the sport.
Asked if he believes Hearn was motivated by money in his decision to try to keep the Benn vs Chris Eubank Jr. fight on, Espinoza answered: “I can’t see any other MO. It certainly wasn’t for safety.
“There wasn’t a discussion about. We’ve had situations, and there have been situations when there has been contamination, there have been low trace levels. There wasn’t any discussion of that.
Hearn lawsuit
“I don’t know what the levels are [of clomifene]. Nobody does other than a few people. But there was a very fierce defense and supposedly a huge lawsuit coming to enjoin the fight.
“It was clear they were never going to do that because if you go forward with that kind of lawsuit, then a lot of other information comes out, and people see the truth.
“At a certain point, it’s a black eye on the sport. At least that portion of the sport and the people involved in that part of it. UK Anti-Doping pulled their sanction. I don’t think there’s a whole lot of lack of clarity in this situation.”
On Hearn thinking he could force the BBBofC into sanctioning the fight, Espinoza stated: “Whether it’s VADA, UK Anti-Doping, it was serious enough that UKAD pulled the sanction. That’s everything you need to know.
“I think there needs to be more clarity. I know in UK Laws they have different privacy laws than ours, which is complicated.
“But I think there needs to be more clarity and transparency. I think there has to be automatic notification certainly of the opponent.
“Every governing body and every governmental regulatory body anytime any test is failed.
Transparency
“Whether it’s UK Anti-Doping, whether it’s VADA, whether it’s a U.S State Commission. There should be transparency. We should all know this.
“I think it’s ridiculous that people are going forward with combat sports events without knowing the true story about what’s going on with the opponent.
“I think that’s indefensible,” he concluded.
It’s not the only lawsuit that Hearn has been involved in lately. He’s suing Jake Paul for comments regarding judge Glenn Feldman’s scorecard in Saudi Arabia.
On the back of handing in a terrible card for Taylor vs Amanda Serrano, Feldman did likewise for Oleksandr Usyk vs Joshua 2.
Paul accused Feldman of being on the Matchroom payroll. Hearn is unhappy with the YouTuber despite working together.
Regarding Benn and his October 4th UK media revelation, the Briton faces a four-year ban if found guilty of doping for the fight.
Eubank Jr. – on the other hand – is picking up the pieces after successfully boiling down to 157 pounds for the first time in his career.
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