By Charles Brun: Eddie Hearn says the cut that Tyson Fury suffered last weekend against Otto Wallin would have likely resulted in him being stopped if the fight had taken place anywhere else in the world. Fury (29-0-1, 20 KOs) fought Wallin (20-1, 13 KOs) at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, and he won an ugly 12 round unanimous decision. The ringside let the fight continue without stopping it despite Fury suffering a horrendous cut over his right eye in the 3rd round.
Some boxing fans think Fury was given special treatment by his not being stopped due to his popularity. He’s got a huge rematch with WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder signed for 2020. If Fury had lost to Wallin, it would have wiped that fight out, and he would have been looking at having to face the Swedish heavyweight again.
The fight looked more like a draw, but the judges gave Fury the decision by a set of lopsided scores [118-110, 117-111 and 116-112] that didn’t fit what took place in the fight.
Hearn says the cut will likely keep lineal heavyweight Fury out of the ring until March or April of next year. He’s currently slated to face WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder in a rematch on February 22. Given the severity of Fury’s cut, it’s going to be difficult for him to do any real sparring until close to the date of the fight. Fury can probably still do it, but he won’t be at his best if he can’t spar during the entire training camp.
Hearn: Fury’s fight with Wallin likely would have been stopped anywhere else
“He was very lucky not to have his first loss; not because he lost the fight, but because that cut would have stopped probably anywhere else in the world, and he would have lost the fight,” said Hearn to IFL TV about Fury’s fight against Wallin last Saturday. “I just think it’s another example of a fighter that’s not motivated. I wouldn’t say not motivated, but I don’t think he wanted to fight Otto Wallin. It’s good. He made his money, but I believe it was a below par performance. He ended up getting a little sloppy.
“A terrific cut. I don’t know how long he’s out for; next March or April? Something like that. I don’t know. And that effects the WBC position with [Dillian] Whyte, and all kinds of things. It might be a good thing for Deontay, because if he ever announces his fight with Luis Ortiz, which sounds like November 23,” said Hearn,
Hearn is being kind in giving Fury a free pass for his performance against Wallin by blaming it on him being unmotivated. It looked more like a case of Fury fighting a guy that’s on the same level as him talent-wise, and he couldn’t dominate. Fury struggled because he fought a fighter that was equal to him in size and ability.
Wilder won’t be ready for February 22 says Hearn
“He’s not going to be ready for February 22 anyway,” said Hearn. He [Fury] put on a s— performance. Someone with an under-performance, and someone got lucky with a cut. It ended up being a decent fight,” said Hearn.
Wilder’s November 23 rematch against Luis Ortiz will make it difficult for him to face Fury on February 22, according to Hearn. He doesn’t believe he can do it. So with Fury suffering a bad cut against Wallin, it works well for Wilder, because it gives him more time.
Wilder made the mistake of falling for all Fury’s feints during their fight last December. The rest of the guys Fury has fought have been either fringe contenders or 2nd tier fighters. Wallin wasn’t falling for Fury’s feints, and he was lighting him up with left hands down the pipe. That’s how you beat Fury. You ignore his feints, and you throw straight punches to his midsection, and then to his head.
Eddie talks about Arum’s reaction to him making offer for Lomachenko to face Haney
“Bob [Arum] is double slippery. He’s a little bit; two faced is the wrong word,” said Hearn about Top Rank Boxing promoter Bob Arum. “You seen him in London. Umar doesn’t help. ‘Hey, Bob, have you heard about what Eddie said about you?’ The main thing about Bob is the funny facts are driving him loopy, so he’s all over the place. This is how these old school promoters work, these bitter old guys. ‘Eddie don’t know s— about boxing, and his fighters on DAZN are a joke. It’s a joke.’ Oh, I’m going to make Lomachenko an offer for Devin Haney as his mandatory. ‘Right, I’m going to sue him. If he keeps talking about my fighters, I’m going to sue him.’
They’ve got no game, and they’ve got no banter. They’ve got nothing at all. You can’t pipe up, and slag another man off, and have me come back and have a little go. Then come back and say, ‘I’m going to sue him for tortious interference.’ What, making you an offer for my guy [Devin Haney], who is mandatory, against your guy [Lomachenko]? These guys are crazy. They’re so like..during the week, their face goes redder, redder and redder, as their blood pressure boils, boils and boils. Just relax and play the game. You’ve got Warren, and you’ve got Bob,” said Hearn.
Hearn was reacting to Top Rank promoter Bob Arum’s rant last Saturday night after the Fury vs. Wallin fight. Arum was angry about how Hearn had labeled the Fury-Wallin fight a “disgrace” ahead of time.
Hearn talks Ellerbe
“Oh, Leonard Ellerbe. Let me put Leonard Ellerbe’s relevance into context,” said Hearn about Mayweather Promotions CEO Ellerbe. “I’ve got more followers on my parody account than Leonard Ellerbe has got in total. He’s on there [Twitter] all day, ‘Hearn this, and Hearn that.’ Mate, have a day off. Do some work, and polish your shoes. You know he has those crocodile shoes that he likes to keep nice and shiny. Relax, mate. What’s a matter of you mate? Irrelevant [Ellerbe], boring, old, yesterday’s news,” said Hearn in labeling his rival promoters without naming them. “Out of the way, we’re [Matchroom Boxing] are coming in,” said Hearn.