Hearn Blasts Zuffa, Warns Shakur

“Body of Work in a Body Bag”: Hearn Unloads on Zuffa Boxing

Never one to mince words, Matchroom Boxing chairman Eddie Hearn held nothing back in a scathing critique of Dana White’s new venture, Zuffa Boxing. When asked about his rival promoter’s progress, Hearn was merciless. “We're six months in. We're halfway through the year. Can anybody tell me what Zuffa has done in the first half of the year?” he challenged. “So far, the body of work should be in a f—ing body bag. It's that bad. It's f—ing abysmal.” Hearn also lambasted the contract of UFC Heavyweight Champion Tom Aspinall, calling it an “absolute disgrace” and claiming he would pay the fighter “at least three times more.” He proposed a massive UK showdown between Aspinall and Francis Ngannou, calling it a potential “record breaker” if Aspinall were free from his UFC deal.

A Warning to Shakur Stevenson

Hearn’s criticism of Zuffa extended to its recent high-profile signing, Shakur Stevenson. While expressing his admiration for the fighter—“I love him… he's f—ing great, mate”—Hearn questioned the long-term viability of Zuffa’s strategy. “I just don't know who they're going to put him in with,” Hearn mused. “They're paying these guys five times more than anybody else... to fight who? You're going to put Shakur in with O'Shaquie Foster and give him $15 million?” He labeled the venture a “weird model” and predicted it’s “not going to last very long,” suggesting that while Shakur is a legacy-driven fighter, the current path under Zuffa might be a difficult one for finding meaningful opposition.

Why Anthony Joshua is the “Landlord” of Boxing

In stark contrast to his rivals, Hearn was full of praise for his star client, Anthony Joshua. Following AJ’s claim that he’s the “landlord” of the heavyweight division, Hearn emphatically agreed. “He's the king of the division. He's the king of boxing,” Hearn declared. “The reality is this guy is the biggest star in boxing. This guy is the guy that put heavyweight boxing on the map. This guy is the guy that put British boxing back on the map.” Hearn argued that the entire sport benefits from a confident and active Joshua, stating, “We all owe Joshua the rent… I don't think half of you guys here today would be where you are in this sport without Anthony Joshua. I wouldn't be where I am now in boxing without Anthony Joshua.” He noted that AJ’s confidence is sky-high as he heads into a tune-up fight against a dangerous knockout artist before his planned mega-fight with Tyson Fury at the end of the year.

No Way Benn Beats Garcia at 147

Hearn also weighed in on the highly anticipated, though not yet official, clash between Conor Benn and Ryan Garcia. While calling it a “good fight” and an “exciting” matchup that would be big in the UK, he was firm in his prediction. “I don't see a way he beats Ryan Garcia at 147,” Hearn stated bluntly. He believes Benn is better suited for a higher weight class, around 160 pounds, and that facing a big, powerful welterweight like Garcia is a dangerous proposition. The promoter also alluded to unresolved “legal questions that need answering” regarding Benn, promising to “deal with that appropriately” while the boxing world awaits an official announcement for the potential trans-Atlantic showdown.