Eddie Hearn recently shared his insights on various controversies and lessons learned with Seconds Out
The situations involving Conor Benn and Dillian White, while seemingly analogous, were inherently different in many respects. Hearn emphasized the difference in the substances tested for, the timeframe leading up to the fight, and the broader reactions from the British Boxing Board of Control to VADA’s outside testing.
“Firstly, obviously the test was different; the substances were different, the time scale was different in terms of how long to go to the fire.”
“The first fight was a co-promotion. This is not a co-promotion. I’m the sole promoter.”
What happens when multiple promotional entities are involved?
“Our co-promotives were spoken to, they wanted to look into the situation, they did, they were happy to proceed with the bout subject to British Boxing Board of Control clearance.”
The inherent complexities of co-promotion can lead to a longer decision-making process.
Learning from the Past
“I think we made mistakes, we learned from those mistakes…hopefully you’re pleased with how we learned and dealt with it this time around.”
No venture is without its challenges, and boxing is no exception. Hearn candidly admits to the lessons learned from previous situations and takes pride in his efforts to rectify and improve upon past decisions.
Still, he feels the waters remain murky.
“I still think it’s cloudy, and there needs to be changes and improvements.”
A pressing issue in the boxing world is the discrepancies in drug testing. Hearn aspires for a more streamlined process:
“I would love to see one universal body testing fighters.”
His sentiment reflects a broader call in the boxing community for consistency and transparency in fighter testing.
Trust in Fighters
Dillian White’s past controversies with testing raise a poignant question.
“Do you take him at his word this time that he’s completely innocent?”
While Hearn does not directly represent White, their shared history in the ring makes this query relevant.
“I would like to think that he’s innocent.”
Hearn touches upon the baffling aspect of why fighters would risk using substances despite knowing the rigorous testing protocols.
“These guys know there’s going to be extreme testing, so how can you actually do that?”
This dilemma resonates with many in the boxing community, further emphasizing the need for clarity and stringent testing measures.
