In a judgement handed down today in the case brought by promoter and manager Frank Warren against Ricky Burns for wrongful termination of his promotional contract and unpaid management fees, The Court upheld both agreements, ordering Burns to pay substantial outstanding management fees.
Burns, whose career completely crashed after joining Eddie Hearn and Matchroom, badly losing two contests and his world title in the process, was also found in the Judgement to have wrongfully terminated his promotional contract with Frank Warren.
Ricky Burns lost or abandoned 17 out of the 20 issues the Judge had to determine and the Judge found his explanation and arguments about management commission were ‘untenable in the context of this case’. The Judge also ruled that Burns was wrong to claim that his purse for the Kevin Mitchell contest was £200,000 but that it was £160,000 as Mr Warren had stated. It transpired during trial that Ricky Burns is earning far less than £160,000 now he is being promoted by Matchroom Sport.
Eddie Hearn was quoted as saying last March that “we’ve been provided with a letter from Ricky 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.” The Judge however found otherwise.
This is not the first time that Eddie Hearn has been shown to be a liar and on this occasion it cost Ricky Burns dearly.
Obvious parallels can be drawn with Hearn’s father Barry, Chairman of Matchroom Sport, who was described in his litigation with Former World Super Middleweight Champion Steve Collins as “a liar and a shyster”.
During the trial it also emerged that the letter terminating Burns’ promotional agreement (which Eddie Hearn said Burns gave him as proof that he was a free agent) was not actually signed by Burns, and his signature had been forged. This was also apparently the case when Burns allegedly didn’t sign an offensive and racist letter to Labour MP Tessa Jowell that was sent from the office of his co-manager Alex Morrison, claiming it was from Burns.
Meanwhile Alex Morison is yet to pay his substantial libel damages that were awarded to Mr Warren and has enquired about an instalments plan to cover the outstanding amounts owed.
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