Simon Jordan appeared to question Eddie Hearn’s future in boxing after warning him that Saudi Arabian boxing chiefs have the ability to take complete control of the sport.
Jordan and Hearn engaged in another captivating debate during a live broadcast at talkSPORT, with a large portion centred around the Matchroom Chairman’s involvement with Saudi Arabia and specifically Turki Alalshikh, who has been instrumental in establishing the region as a major player in the boxing world.
Alalshikh has brought Hearn and long-time promotional rival Frank Warren together and pitted them against each other in a 5vs5 tournament in Saudi Arabia in June, with Warren’s Queensberry prevailing with a whitewash.
After their inaugural USA show last month, Alalshikh’s Riyadh Season enter the UK market for the first time on September 21 with the IBF heavyweight world title fight between Daniel Dubois and Anthony Joshua at Wembley Stadium.
Such has been Alalshikh’s influence in attracting fighters to his shows, talkSPORT pundit, Jordan recently questioned whether promoters are even required and doubled down on that suggestion when face-to-face with Hearn.
“When you replace the establishment you become the establishment,” Jordan said.
“We are in a unique period, these guys are getting these fights made for them.
“They just turn up and that for me is not much of a skillset.
“It does make me wonder if the end goal is if the Saudis say ‘what do we need these guys for? They are glorified agents, we can own the fighters.’
“Unless there was a bloody good reason, why would I deal with Hearn and [Frank] Warren.
“If I’ve got the ability to turn out their lights economically what do I need them for?”
Matchroom were the lead promoter for Riyadh Season’s first US card, which saw Terence Crawford claim the WBA super welterweight title from Israil Madrimov.
Hearn insists the event would not have been possible without the work of his company behind the scenes.
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“I think that is a little bit harsh,” the 45-year-old replied.
“We have got a huge business of running global sports. The ability runs deeper than being a glorified agent and a deal maker.
“A few weeks ago we ran the Riyadh Season USA, with a Matchroom team of 40 people.
“It was an event that couldn’t have been done without us in terms of promoting, the infrastructure of TV deals, licensing, dealing with commission, local governments and council.
“The job is just incredible and as the size of the shows increase and the job changes.
“This isn’t a situation of going in and doing a deal and taking a cut.
“Ourselves and Queensberry do a huge amount of work and the requirement of these people and that Turki Alalshikh requires, it is not easy to do it yourself.”
Earlier this week, Alalshikh announced his intentions to cap pay-per-view prices to ensure fans are paying no more than £20 in the UK and $20 around the world.
Former Crystal Palace owner, Jordan refuted Hearn’s suggestion that his company are pivotal to the Saudis and feels they could monopolise the sport if they want to.
“If he can acquire the knowledge to make fights that you guys can’t make.
“He can acquire the knowledge to put on events that you guys put on.
“So with the scale of budget and with the scale of opportunity that they have, they can turn your lights out if they feel like it.
“Now whether they want to or not, is a different matter, whether there’s any benefit of doing that.”
