Boxing News: A Clash of Promoters in the U.S. Market
In a display of promotional rivalry, the boxing world has been captivated by the brewing tension between Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions and Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing. The root of the conflict appears to stem from Hearn’s foray into the U.S. market, a territory that De La Hoya views as his own.
De La Hoya’s recent social media outburst expressed his discontent, stating, “No promoter is coming into my territory and think they can take over ‘my’ sport!!! This is war!!!” The former champion’s comments suggest a territorial battle, as he urged Hearn to “stay in the U.K. and promote” and leave the U.S. market to “real promoters.”
The heated exchange comes as Hearn, appointed by Saudi Arabia’s entertainment authority, prepares to stage a stacked card on August 3 at the BMO Stadium in Los Angeles. The card boasts an impressive lineup, including a WBA junior middleweight title bout between Terence Crawford and Israil Madrimov, as well as several other high-profile matchups.
Hearn has even gone as far as declaring this the “best card ever staged in America,” a claim that has irked De La Hoya, who sees it as an encroachment on his territory. Hearn’s response on social media mocked De La Hoya’s position, stating, “Oscar De La Hoya, for real, are you OK? You’re stalking me like a crazed fan.“
Analyst Chris Algieri suggests that the conflict runs deeper than just the loss of Saul “Canelo” Alvarez to Hearn during the pandemic. Algieri believes the heart of the beef lies in De La Hoya’s view of the situation as a “turf battle,” with Hearn coming into the Mexican-American’s “hood” and promoting shows with the backing of a powerful Saudi figure.
As the two promoters continue their war of words, the boxing community eagerly awaits the outcome of this high-stakes promotional battle for the U.S. market.
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