Anthony Joshua vs Andy Ruiz Jr: an open letter to Eddie Hearn
Sorry to interrupt your busy schedule, Eddie, but we really want to know when are you going to do your job and make the heavyweight fights everyone wants to see? Yours sincerely, GQ
BY
GQ
7:00 AM
Dear
Eddie Hearn,
We at
GQ hope you are well. We understand you are out of the country at the moment, but we wanted to write to you to discuss the world heavyweight boxing scene at the moment.
Firstly, congratulations on the organisation of
Anthony Joshua’s international professional debut at the mecca of boxing, Madison Square Garden, New York. Great-looking event, media coverage has been exceptional (as ever) and the undercard is decent. And now you’ve even got your own podcast. Good for you.
Tyson Fury’s promoter,
Frank Warren, and
Deontay Wilder’s main man, Shelly Finkel, on why these big fights aren’t happening. But Eddie, as the man who has guided AJ’s career from the day he turned pro, as the man who has helped AJ secure the WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO heavyweight titles, you simply have to deliver the super fights. And we would like to know why you aren’t. Or can’t.
Wladimir Klitschko back in April 2017, we have all watched and paid for the right to see Big Josh beat Carlos Takam, Joseph Parker and
Alexander Povetkin... and now we are patiently waiting for him to fight Andy Ruiz Jr. And, let’s be honest, Eddie, when we saw the Mexican-American on the stage before the face-off he looked like a competition winner. And we suppose he is really. But fight fans are the losers.
“He’s got great hand speed, a boxing brain and he’s tough. Make no mistake, AJ has a fight on his hands,” you said. He hasn’t really, though, has he, Eddie? This is the kind of fight you can make if AJ is ticking off a mandatory. It’s a tick-over fight. A US introduction. A money maker. A safe bet.
And now our patience is wearing thin. And you are still charging pay-per-view prices for fights that don’t deserve it. So the question stands: when will the big fights come?
As AJ’s promoter, that is on you. No one doubts you have been fantastic for building the profile of British boxing. We like you, Eddie, we always have. You and your dad, Barry, have transformed the sport from small halls to iconic British stadium fights, 90,000 fans at Wembley – we’ve been with you all the way. But now
you have to deliver.
If you can’t, maybe it is time for you to step aside and let someone else do it.
This could – and should – be a golden era of heavyweight boxing, but until you make the fights it simply won’t be.
We at
GQ, and the British boxing public, very much look forward to hearing from you on this.
Best wishes,
GQ
