For many years the relationship between Eddie Hearn and Frank Warren has not been the most friendly. The two promoters for Matchroom Boxing and Queensberry Promotions hadn't been in the same room for over 15 years until recently. The two have agreed to work together, and not just out of the kindness of their hearts.
Hearn and Warren have combined their respective fighters to produce a five-on-five money-making show in Saudi Arabia on June 1. The event will be broadcast globally on DAZN PPV and will feature top-tier fighters such as Deontay Wilder, Filip Hrgovic, Dmitry Bivol and Raymond Ford.
This isn't the first time Hearn and Warren have worked together, but since Turki Al-Arshik's influence established Riyadh as the undisputed home of boxing, the two have traveled extensively by plane and regularly promoted major events together.
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One might expect the pair to have met when Hearn's father, Barry, was a key figure at Matchroom, but it wasn't until November's “Judgment Day” press conference that the rival promoters first met.
“I've probably seen (Frank Warren) hundreds of times on my phone or in on-screen interviews but I've never met him in person,” Hearn told BBC.com. “It was a very simple exchange. I said, forget the nonsense, this is a massive opportunity for Queensberry, for Matchroom, for boxing and for our fighters so don't screw it up. And he said pretty much the same to me.”
“Matchroom and Queensberry will always be rivals and that's good for the fans because we'll do our best to put on a great show to get ahead of our competitors, but I've always said that when the opportunity arises for a fighter, egos are usually put aside.”
Be ready to put your ego aside for this 5 on 5 event.
What is a 5 on 5 boxing event?
The 5-on-5 event pitted five Queensberry fighters against five Matchroom fighters, with Warren and Hearn selecting five fighters from a range of weight classes to compete against each other.
The matches are as follows:
- Zhang Zhilei (-190) vs. Deontay Wilder (+150); heavyweight
- Raymond Ford (c) (-150) vs. Nick Ball (+125) for the WBA featherweight title
- Filip Hrgovic (-225) vs. Daniel Dubois (+175); heavyweight
- Hamza Sheeraz (-200) vs. Austin Williams (+160); Middleweight
- Craig Richards (-150) vs. Willie Hutchinson (+125); light heavyweight
*Betting odds are BetMGM
The event will have a points system: a decision win is worth one point, a KO/TKO win is worth two points, and a draw is worth zero points. Captains' scores will be multiplied by two. Warren chose Hamza Sheeraz as the Queensberry captain, while Hearn chose promotional free agent Deontay Wilder (wildcard pick) as the Matchroom captain.
“The evening of June 1 will be a thrilling and spectacular return to Riyadh. With a five-on-five concept, the pride and reputation of both companies will be on the line and neither promoter can afford to lose…Our handpicked five champions are ready to rule Riyadh,” Warren said.
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“The best sport comes from the best rivalries and I am confident that Matchroom will win the Queensberry on June 1,” said Hearn. “I have assembled a team of world-class elites who are ready for the job and we cannot afford to lose. This unprecedented five-on-five bout will be the first of many duels with Frank Warren and his team – and may the best win!”
It's not just bragging rights that are at stake: beyond the title, Filip Hrgovic and Daniel Dubois are also vying for the chance to face Joshua later this year, while Wilder and Zhang are looking to maintain their presence in the heavyweight division.
