“Future Matchroom Signing” Eddie Hearn Drops Hint About One Of Boxing’s Best Prospects
- Eddie Hearn Has Joked That He Will Sign 2020 Olympic Silver Medallist Ben Whittaker
- Whittaker Turned Down Matchroom To Sign With Rival BOXXER In May 2022
- The Deal Whittaker Took With BOXXER Was Reportedly 2x As Big As Hearn’s Offer
Tokyo 2020 Olympic silver medallist Ben Whittaker inked a promotional contract with Ben Shalom’s BOXXER/ Sky Sports last year, news that was first broken by NoSmokeSport.com.
Whittaker, who is also with Anthony Joshua’s 258 Management, penned a seven-figure deal with the emerging promoters, turning down an offer from Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing.
According to Hearn, Whittaker was days away from signing with Matchroom for significantly less money than offered by BOXXER with a promotional video already shot. However, Shalom then increased the proposal to the point where it was double the amount put forward by Matchroom/DAZN, which sealed the deal for BOXXER.
Eddie Hearn Looks To Sign Whittaker After His Deal Expires
Whittaker was present at the press conference for Edgar Berlanga’s fight with Jason Quigley in New York, promoted by Hearn.
The British promoter jokingly labelled the Darlaston 26-year-old as a “future Matchroom signing” in the press conference stream.
“At the end of the day, you let someone else spend the money”, Hearn told Matchroom Boxing, “And when he’s ready and he’s had the education we’ll come in and we’ll take him to the biggest platforms and the big fights”
Whittaker continued with the kidology insinuating that he was in New York to announce a deal with Hearn.
Derek Chisora Hints The Same Fate
Last month, management stablemate Derek Chisora also claimed that 258 would take Whittaker to DAZN at the end of his deal in a now-deleted interview.
This comes just a month after the public lack of communication between 258 MGT and BOXXER that led to what only can be described as a ‘fiasco’ – the Fabio Wardley-Frazer Clarke situation.
Shannon Ryan, also with 258, had her first four fights with BOXXER/Sky Sports and has now joined Hearn’s Matchroom with questions being asked about the relationship between BOXXER and 258.
Whittaker (3-0, 2 KOs) will take on Vladimir Belujsky (13-6, 9 KOs) next Saturday, July 1 at Manchester’s AO Arena, live on Sky Sports. The card is headlined by Savannah Marshall’s undisputed title challenge of American-based Franchon Crews-Dezurn.