Eddie Hearn pessimistic about Crawford-Spence in the UK
Eddie Hearn, a British promoter, said Terence Crawford is mistaken in thinking that organising a match between himself and Errol Spence Jr. in the UK as opposed to the United States will increase attendance. The current mixed martial arts scene in the United Kingdom is surely seeing a lot of colours. Fans are anticipating the return of the UFC to London next month.
From online bars, and slots to boxing arenas, the anticipation, headlines, and speculations are already increasing. Besides, alongside the hype, many are seeing a rise in boxing-themed slot games that fans are loving. There are even sites where you can compare several operators for these online pokies.
Meanwhile, Hearn believes that with Crawford now in charge, it will be nearly impossible for him to book a fight with Spence (28-0, 22 KOs), the undisputed welterweight title-holder of the IBF, WBA, and WBC, or Jermell Charlo, the undisputed title-holder of the junior middleweight division, if he chooses to believe that the fights will perform better in the UK than the States.
Why Spence Vs. Crawford Won’t Work in the UK
Crawford's insistence on holding the Spence match in the United Kingdom will not be met with success. Spence's PBC management would never go through with that plan since they are aware that hosting the match abroad before a crowd of British fans won't result in significant financial gains.
By walking away from discussions with Spence to face David Avanesyan on the BLK Prime pay-per-view, Crawford, 35, has already lost a large amount of his fan base. Even if Crawford may not wish to acknowledge it, many boxing fans now have little desire to ever see Crawford and Spence square off.
In his remarks, Terence Crawford suggested that he and Spence would earn much more in England. Venues will be sold out. The interviewer mentioned that the gate earnings are definitely higher in Vegas. Eddie Hearn also told the media that Terence Crawford was completely mistaken in thinking that a fight with Errol Spence would get more PPV viewers in the UK than in the United States.
Hearn made an effort to enlighten us. Spence vs. Crawford may bring in a maximum gate of $5 million in the UK. At the door in Las Vegas, it would bring in $25 million. Crawford is certain it will work with five times that much money.
“You're conversing with him, and you understand that he is the boss." You and a boxer are sitting down, and he says something like, "What you would like to do is travel to England." It sounds like a “no” from the very beginning. Al Haymon will engage in a battle like that for that reason.
He also mentions that the audience knows this model. “I'm good, folks. I'll give you every penny. Everyone keeps their revenue share, and we'll take 15% open book. That'd be a beautiful deal for Haymon perhaps,” Hearn explains.
Hearn also questioned the anticipated earnings. Numerous pay-per-view purchases do it, though. But he wants a guarantee. If he were Al Haymon, Hearn states that he would promise that Spence vs. Crawford would sell at least 400,000 tickets.
Hearn quoted Crawford as saying that it could not only fill out an arena but also generate more revenue than it does in the United States. He also stated that Terence Crawford is undoubtedly a great boxer and one of Hearn's favourites, but Crawford's poor eyesight soured Hearn's praise for him.
UFC Returns to London in January in the Meantime
Meanwhile, the UFC is awaiting a grand return to London in the new year. The UFC has confirmed that they will have a pay-per-view event in London again the following year. This year, UFC supremo Dana White delivered two events to the UK, including fights between Molly McCann, Tom Aspinall, and Paddy Pimblett. Both performances were hailed as smashing successes, drawing sold-out audiences on two different evenings to London's O2 stadium.
While watching UFC 278 from across the pond, British viewers witnessed Leon Edwards defeat Kamaru Usman to become the second-ever British UFC title holder. In order to defeat Usman by KO in the fifth round and win the UFC welterweight championship, Edwards put on the spectacle of a lifetime. The Nigerian was anticipated to be given a chance for swift atonement.
The O2 Arena is anticipated to host the most recent UK tournament, despite the fact that the Principality Stadium in Cardiff is a potential destination. The remainder of the program may feature Paddy Pimblett and Molly McCann, a Liverpool duo who have been a fan favourite fixture of previous fight cards in London. However, Pimblett has already stated he intends to fight in the United States and will not engage in any more combat in the UK.