Recently, we posted dueling stories from Ricky Burns/Eddie Hearns & Frank Warren about their ongoing legal drama, and which side came out ahead. There’s another set of releases sent from each side today. Here, we’ll showcase what each side had to say in full.
From Frank Warren:
The Court today confirmed that boxing promoter Frank Warren won his claim against boxer Ricky Burns. The Judge found that there was no basis for Burns to walk away from his promotional and management agreements.
Promoter Eddie Hearn advised Burns that Warren had no claim at all, saying last March, “we’ve been provided with a letter from Burns as confirmation that he has terminated his agreement… We have advice from our lawyers and I’m very comfortable. There is no contract now.”
However this advice, now proven to be inaccurate, given to him by Hearn and his co-manager Alex Morrison, who did not give evidence nor attend the trial on any day, has proved costly to Burns who must now pay £200,000 of his own legal fees and a further £170,000 by the end of January to pay Warren’s damages and costs, with other substantial sums to follow.
Morrison also lost an action to Warren recently in relation to a libel connected to this case and he too was ordered to pay £110,000 plus further substantial costs.
Coincidentally Hearn’s solicitors Mischon De Reya also represented Ricky Burns.
Frank Warren said today, “I’m glad that the Court upheld my management and promotional agreements. I’m sorry that it came to this, as under my guidance Ricky became a double world champion, but his reliance on the advice of others has unfortunately cost him dearly.”
From Ricky Burns/Matchroom:
Having successfully defended a claim of nearly £2m by Frank Warren last month, Ricky Burns was disappointed to have been ordered to pay an element of costs towards Warren in relation to the far smaller award in Warren’s favor for unpaid management commission. Burns will be appealing the decision to the Court of Appeal.
Whilst the Judge did not believe Burns should be responsible for Warren’s costs of nearly £800,000, he did, however, require Burns to pay £100,000 to Warren as an interim payment. It is hoped that this sum will be set off against the monies due to Burns from Warren once the matter has been dealt with by the British Boxing Board of Control. Burns remains owed the sum of £102,000 from his fight against Kevin Mitchell over two years after Frank Warren’s wife put his promotional company, Frank Warren Promotions Limited, into Administration.
