During the Francis Ngannou vs. Anthony Joshua press conference earlier this year, Eddie Hearn and Frank Warren agreed to host a “5 vs. 5” boxing event in Saudi Arabia after Turki Alalshikh demanded it. However, who would have thought they would take inspiration from the influencer boxing giant Misfits Boxing?
In a recent twist, the head of Matchroom Boxing shared a glimpse of what the “5 vs. 5” clash would look like while appearing in an interview with Boxing King Media. The update comes after the two English rival promoters got together for the first time in history for the ‘Day of Reckoning’ fight card featuring Anthony Joshua and Otto Walin. Here’s what Hearn claims the event would be like!
Eddie Hearn suggests keeping fighters’ identities secret
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Speaking to Hearn, the reporter brought up the event, and Hearn let the floodgates open, divulging the details about the fight. He asserted the exact date will be announced shortly, but “June is the target for that.”
As for the weight class for the fight, Hearn revealed, “There will be two weight classes from Matchroom, two weight classes from Queensbury, and one weight class from His Excellency.” Hearn also revealed how the fighters would be chosen, explaining that each promoter would name their fighter for a specific weight class of their choosing, and the opposition would have to come up with their choice.
Eddie Hearn, for his part, suggested keeping all the fighters a secret until the final press conference. This has already been done by Misfits Boxing, who kept the identities of some fighters a mystery in the Misfits 004.
Moreover, even Warren is pleased with the prospect!
Frank Warren on the 5 vs. 5 match-up
As per a tweet from Michael Benson, Frank Warren, the head of Queensberry, spoke about the Matchroom vs. Queensberry clash, stating, “We’ve always liked a challenge, and this is a mouth-watering one.” He further added, “I honestly think this is one of the most intriguing events you could think of in boxing. A proper event to find out whose stable is stronger. It’s time to settle the score. Who’s getting the bragging rights?”
Frank Warren on the Queensberry vs Matchroom 5 vs 5 event: “We’ve always liked a challenge, and this is a mouth-watering one. I honestly think this is one of the most intriguing events you could think of in boxing. It’s time to settle the score, who’s getting the bragging…
— Michael Benson (@MichaelBensonn) January 18, 2024
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Meanwhile, the tweet also highlighted comments from Eddie Hearn. The head of Matchroom Boxing stated, “For decades it has been the Hearns vs the Warrens. Matchroom vs Queensberry. It is, without [a] doubt, the most storied rivalry in the sport. This unprecedented night of boxing in Riyadh will live long in the memory.”
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While the Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk fight has been unfortunately postponed, Eddie Hearn has revealed some great news for the next Saudi event after Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou. Who are you expecting to see in the ring? And which promotion do you think will win?
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