By Scott Gilfoid: WBO lightweight champion Ricky Burns’ promoter Eddie Hearn is starting early with the excuses for why he won’t be trying to match Burns with WBC lightweight champion Adrien Broner for September, saying that Broner is busy with a fighting WBA welterweight champion Paulie Malignaggi.
That has got to be the worst excuse for dodging an opponent I’ve ever seen because Broner is fighting Malignaggi next month on June 22nd, and Burns doesn’t have a fight until likely late September.
That’s three full months, which is more than enough for Broner to prepare for Burns. Heck, I think Broner could be ready to fight Burns on two weeks’ notice. That’s how far apart the two fighters are in talent.
Hearn said this to the BBC “The mandatory challenge is done. Now he [Burns] can take voluntary challenges and unification fights. [Miguel] Vazquez is one we’d like to have. [Gavin] Rees is fighting Crolla, Broner is fighting Paulie Malignaggi and Richard Abril is interested in a fight.”
Why is Hearn even mentioning Rees? I mean, the guy just finished getting royally whipped by Broner last February in a 5th round stoppage, so why would Rees even be mentioned. I figured that Hearn would look to protect Burns for his next fight, but I didn’t think he’d go that far. That’s sad.
I honestly don’t think Hearn would match Burns with Broner even if he had a completely open plate in terms of his schedule. Saying that Broner wouldn’t be ready to fight Burns in September because he has a fight in June against Malignaggi is a weak, weak excuse by Hearn.
Broner has been trying to get a fight with Burns for two years now and each time he tries he’s turned down. I just don’t think Hearn wants to match Burns against Broner, and after seeing how Burns struggled badly against Jose Gonzalez last Saturday, I don’t blame Hearn one bit.
If I was Burns’ promoter there is no way on earth I would ever match Burns against Broner. No way would I make that fight. Sure, I’d name drop Broner’s name 24/7 to get Burns some badly needed attention, but if Golden Boy or Broner started showing interest, I’d come up with some great excuse why Burns can’t fight him.
I wouldn’t Burns to get spanked and end up as just another contender. I also would do what Hearn is doing and that’s not giving Jose Gonzalez a rematch ever unless Burns absolutely had to.
Gonzalez was too dominant over Burns last Saturday, and if he didn’t gas out after the 7th and suffer the hand injury, Gonzalez would have easily won the last 5 rounds of the fight easy.
Who’s to say that Gonzalez won’t fix his stamina problem and easily beat Burns in a rematch? I wouldn’t chance it, and I agree with what Hearn is doing. Take the win and run.
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