Eddie Hearn Slams Tyson Fury's Choice: Boxing Legacy Over Lucrative Safety?
In a recent interview, Eddie Hearn slams Tyson Fury's latest decision to fight Francis Ngannou, a newcomer to the boxing ring. The match, offering Fury a paycheck between $30-40 million, contrasts sharply with a more lucrative but riskier $60-80 million bout against seasoned boxer Oleksandr Usyk. Hearn argues that Fury is intentionally dodging fights with formidable opponents like Usyk and Anthony Joshua, prioritizing safety over challenge. Contrary to claims by Fury's team that Usyk and Joshua are hesitant to face him, Hearn insists it's Fury who avoids these fights due to their potential risks and less favorable terms. As a world champion boasting a stellar record of 33-0-1 with 24 KOs, Hearn believes Fury owes his fans matches that live up to their expectations. However, Fury's decision to face MMA fighter Ngannou has drawn criticism from Hearn, who believes it does not align with boxing fans' expectations. This move, while appealing to MMA enthusiasts cheering for Ngannou's big payday, shows a disconnection from Fury's own boxing fan base. In the ever-evolving world of boxing, these latest developments raise questions about Fury's future choices and his commitment to giving fans the thrilling bouts they crave. Hearn said: “So, number one, I don’t think he should be stripped of the world heavyweight title. Number two, it’s terrible for boxing because the World heavyweight champion should be making the fights that the world of boxing wants to see to cement your legacy as a true great.” “Okay, so the fact is, we have been trying; boxing has been waiting for the undisputed heavyweight championship for five, six, seven, however many years. “You’ve got an opportunity there for Tyson Fury to fight Oleksandr Usyk for 60, 70, 80 million dollars, and he didn’t want to do it, and that would cement Tyson Fury as a true great of the modern era. “When you look at Tyson Fury’s victories over the last six, seven years, they are Sefer Seferi, Francesco Pianeta, Tom Schwartz Otto Wallin, Deontay Wilder, Derek Chisora, and Dillian Whyte. “So I’m looking for him to fight AJ and Usyk. Listen, maybe he beats those guys. He’s a brilliant fighter. The problem and I face this problem sometimes as well. Frank Warren says the reason these fights is because everyone’s buggering off to Saudi Arabia. “Yeah, to be in legacy-defining heavyweight fights. You’re buggering off to Saudi Arabia to fight a debutant [Ngannou], who has absolutely no chance in the fight,” said Hearn. Tyson Walked Away “Commercially, I think it’s decent business, but we should just be a bit more honest sometimes and just go, ‘It is what it is.’ I don’t like the way they say, ‘Well, Usyk wouldn’t fight me. Joshua wouldn’t find me.” “What else? And I especially don’t like the WBC saying that either because the WBC are pushing the narrative. So, Mauricio [Sulaiman], you’re telling me that Joshua didn’t want the fight [with Fury]. You’re telling me that Usyk didn’t want the fight with Tyson Fury. Come on.” “No, Fury didn’t like the terms of the fight, so he walked away from those fights, but what he’s doing? He’s fighting a fight for, I don’t know, 30-40 million, whatever that he can’t lose. So I’m not here to criticize the fight. I don’t mind it. I think it’ll do okay. “The only people that are happy with the fight are MMA fans because I think they like Francis Ngannou, and they’re pleased for him to secure the bag. Boxing fans are furious. “The reality is Fury is smart. Fury knows how difficult the Usyk fight is, and he had a number in his mind, and he knows that this fight is very tough, and to take it, ‘I’m going to want this amount of money.’ “The reality is. I see it time and time again, if you believe you can win, if you want the fight, you get it made. So what? Take 70 or 80 million for the fight, but it’s business, and I get it.”
