By Charles Brun: Eddie Hearn says he’s not concerned within the Amir Khan vs. Kell Brook battle that’s being talked about. Hearn feels that the 2 fighters are unrealistic so far as the variety of PPV buys the match will generate at this level of their careers.
In response to Hearn, he thinks 400,000 PPV buys could be wonderful for a Khan vs. Brook battle.
That quantity is approach off the 1 million buys that Khan and Brook consider their battle will pull in.
Hearn says Khan & Brook need HUGE cash, however their battle isn’t an enormous one anymore. Each fighters are shot and have completed nothing in a few years.
Khan hasn’t held a world title since 2011 and hasn’t crushed a top-tier fighter since his win over Chris Algieri in 2015. Algieri was a fringe-level fighter again then, and it wasn’t an enormous deal that Khan beat him.
Khan vs. Brook = Not an enormous battle anymore
“I noticed he [Brook] signed his a part of the deal. I’m not concerned with that battle. I’m not concerned in that deal,” mentioned Eddie Hearn to iFL TV on the Khan vs. Brook battle.
“We had a chat with them. I eliminated my curiosity from that battle as a result of I wish to make the Conor Benn – Amir Khan battle. Yeah, we might try this,” mentioned Hearn when instructed that Brook is considering preventing Conor Benn.
“I feel proper now, each guys [Khan and Brook] need large cash [for their fight]. “I noticed Kell Brook say, ‘We’ve obtained the largest battle in British boxing.’ I imply, look, I like Kell, and I like Amir.
“It’s nonetheless a battle that individuals would watch, nevertheless it’s not that massive a battle anymore. No,” mentioned Hearn when instructed that Khan vs. Brook is the subsequent most important battle in British boxing behind Anthony Joshua vs. Tyson Fury.
“No, Dillian Whyte vs. Tyson Fury,” mentioned Hearn in saying that Fury-Whyte is a extra important match-up in British boxing than Khan vs. Brook.
“I feel even greater fights. Yarde beats Lyndon Arthur after which Buatsi towards Yarde for the world title.
“I’m not saying it’s [Khan vs. Brook] isn’t an enormous battle, and I’m not saying I wouldn’t watch it, however the cash they need for that battle doesn’t equate,” mentioned Hearn.
You bought accountable Khan for not taking the battle with Brook earlier of their careers when the boxing public within the UK was considering seeing these two battle.
It’s now pointless for Khan and Brook to sq. off as a result of it might be seen as an old-timers battle, and solely the older followers could be considering seeing it. These guys haven’t stayed related by preventing sufficient.
Khan & Brook overvaluing their battle
“These guys [Khan & Brook] assume it’s going to do one million pay-per-view buys,” Hearn mentioned. “If it does 400,000, I feel they’ve completed very, very effectively. However my curiosity in Conor Benn towards Amir Khan.
“If Conor Benn will get by means of Chris Algieri, and I’m chatting with Amir, and I’m able to make him an enormous provide for that battle. I do see the attraction for Amir preventing somebody like Kell, who isn’t fairly as bold and isn’t fairly as lively anymore.
“Hear, they [Brook and Khan] wish to finish their careers with a bang and make as a lot cash as doable, and I don’t blame them for that. It’s nonetheless a very good battle, nevertheless it’s nowhere, let’s be trustworthy, of what it was.
“I might have guess my home of it doing one million buys again within the day. It was a monster battle. Amir hasn’t boxed for 2 years since Crawford, was it? Kell hasn’t boxed for a yr since Crawford.
“I haven’t seen Kell for some time. He got here to Battle Camp, however I’ll see him this weekend,” Hearn mentioned.
Even 400K PPV buys could be unrealistic for a battle between the 2 badly washed fighters Khan and Brook. It’s not simply Khan and Brook are outdated, and so they definitely are that, however the actual downside is that they don’t battle usually sufficient to remain related.
For instance, Khan hasn’t fought in 2 1/2 years since his win over former tremendous featherweight Billy Dibb in 2019. That’s ages in the past.
As for the 35-year-old Brook, he’s been out of the ring for 12 months since his fourth spherical knockout loss to Terence Crawford in November 2020.
Hearn desires Khan or Broner for Conor Benn
“We might have a look at that, however I’d like a a lot greater battle,” mentioned Hearn when instructed that David Avaneysan’s supervisor Neil Marsh wish to arrange a battle with Conor Benn in 2022.
“I’d prefer to make the Amir Khan battle [against Conor Benn]. I’d prefer to make the Adrien Broner battle. These are fights which can be a lot, a lot greater than David Avanesyan, and with as a lot threat or perhaps even much less threat.
“However the provide they made for Conor Benn, he makes greater than that for preventing [Chris] Algieri. So, it’s not like financially; it was a large provide. I don’t understand how a lot clearer I will be. I’m very trustworthy on this case.
“David Avanesyan is an excellent fighter. I’d put him up within the leagues with Shawn Porter and people varieties of men, and I feel, though Conor doesn’t agree with me, I feel he wants one other battle first.
“I feel Chris Algieri is the right battle, the right step up [for Benn]. I’ve all the time mentioned the one after [Adrian] Granados, Robert Guerrero, Victor Ortiz, Chris Algieri, these are the blokes we wish.
“We obtained one, so we did precisely what we mentioned we had been going to do, and I feel David Avanesyan is a extremely good fighter with very with a low profile, excessive threat, low reward, however a extremely good battle,” mentioned Hearn.
Khan will NEVER conform to battle Conor Benn, and it’s baffling that Hearn doesn’t wish to quit on his dream of creating a battle between them.
Khan doesn’t wish to be a stepping stone for Benn, and Hearn ought to have given up on this concept. As an alternative of Hearn frequently speaking up a Khan-Benn battle, he must throw a ton of cash at Kell to try to take the match with Conor.
Brook mentioned this week that he could be considering preventing Benn if he got the suitable provide.
Avanesyan too dangerous for Benn
“I’m not saying we’ll by no means have a look at that battle [Benn vs. Avanesyan. Of course, we will. That could come with a world championship or world title eliminator or whatever.
“But let’s be honest, David Avanesyan really needs Conor Benn because otherwise, there are plenty of other fights out there.
“Neil Marsh turned down a world title eliminator with us [for Avanesyan] to battle Liam Taylor, however they don’t get any stick about that. I don’t have a nasty phrase to say about David Avanesyan or Neil Marsh.
“How am I conning the general public after I’m being trustworthy with you and saying David Avanesyan is a extremely good fighter. I feel we want one other battle.
“Who would you reasonably see Conor Benn battle? Amir Khan or David Avanesyan? As most people.
“Who would you reasonably see him [Conor Benn] battle? Adrien Broner or David Avanesyan. Excessive threat, low reward. He’s a extremely good fighter, and it’s a extremely harmful battle. However he’s irrelevant is the incorrect phrase as a result of that’s disrespectful, however in comparison with the larger footage of issues.
“If was conning the general public, I’d say, ‘Conor would smash him up; we don’t want him.’ David Avanesyan is nice and harmful, a very good fighter. Can we make that battle subsequent yr?
“Yeah, perhaps, however there are 4 or 5 folks I’d reasonably make the battle for lots more cash, loads greater fights than David Avanesyan,” mentioned Hearn.
Boxing followers could be disenchanted if Benn confronted Adrien Broner or Amir Khan in 2022 reasonably than a strong welterweight like Avanesyan, Jaron Ennis, or Vergil Ortiz Jr.
Benn’s subsequent opponent Chris Algieri, 37, is one other instance of a poor opponent that the general public isn’t considering seeing him battle.
If Benn isn’t able to battle related fighters at this level in his profession, he might return to the novice ranks and get the expertise wanted for his promoter Hearn to trust in matching him towards good opposition.
The best way Hearn is matching Benn, it comes throughout like he’s simply making an attempt to create a fluff report to get him in place for a large cash-out payday. In different phrases, it’s all smoke & mirrors with Conor, and he’s not groomed to win a world title finally.
It seems to be like he’s simply being moved to become profitable off his final identify.
