Eddie Hearn was unimpressed by the praise heaped on Zuffa Boxing’s first UK event in Bournemouth and took several chances at Dana White’s promotion after Matchroom’s show in Sheffield on Saturday night.
While many fans hailed Chris Billam-Smith’s win over Ryan Rozicki and Cheavon Clarke’s win over Jack Massey as the standout fights of the night, Hearn suggested the overall card did not justify some of the hype surrounding Zuffa Boxing’s arrival in Britain.
“I heard Chev Clarke won. Billam-Smith, the guy (Rozicki) retired on his chair. Was it a decent fight?” Hearn told iFL TV. “Ben Shalom shows are another level for Zuffa.
“In boxing, they don’t know what they’re talking about. They have absolutely no clue about the sport, but they’re powerful, and they get around,” says Hearn.
Hearn responded after being told of the comments White made during his post-fight press conference. The Matchroom chairman questioned whether one successful night was enough to back up the claims being made about Zuffa Boxing’s future in the sport.
The Bournemouth card produced two widely praised fights in Billam-Smith-Rozicki and Clarke-Massey, but it also featured several quick stoppages and one-sided contests that divided some fans over the overall quality of the event.
“We are all looking forward to judging the piece of work in a few months because guess what? Soon it will be July.
“Wait until you see the piece of work as it stretches throughout the year.
“Like, it’s just lies, lies, lies, lies, lies, lies. That’s all it is,” Hearn said.
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Last updated on 06/07/2026 at 01:58
