27 October 2020

Promoter Eddie Hearn hits back at Kell Brook in furious rant after Sky turn down chance to show Crawford fight

Promoter Eddie Hearn has snapped back at Kell Brook after the British boxer expressed his disappointment at Sky failing to pick up the UK rights to his upcoming fight with Terence Crawford.

Brook is set to take on pound-for-pound star Crawford in Las Vegas on November 14 as he bids to become a two-time welterweight world champion.

Brook was one of Hearn’s first signings as a promoter back in 2011 (PA)

But the fight will not be shown on Sky Sports as the broadcaster rejected the proposal to make it a pay-per-view event, leading the fight to be put on Premier Sports instead.

After Sky had passed up the opportunity to show the fight, Brook came out to say he was ‘gutted’ his long-time broadcaster had decided to go another route.

But Hearn, who is Sky Sports’ exclusive UK promoter and has worked with Brook for nine years, was left furious at his former fighter’s comments.

"I was really disappointed to be honest with you, and I was quite angry," he told iFL TV. "I will say this because I do feel like 99 per cent of what was said was total b******s.

"When Amir Khan boxed Terence Crawford, Kell Brook flew out there and he was talking to Top Rank. He had meetings with Top Rank probably about that fight and probably about other fights as well which didn't go down very well with me to be honest with you. I'm an all or nothing kind of guy.

"I was never involved with one conversation they had with Top Rank regarding this fight, no consultation, no opinion from me, no part of the negotiations of the deal whatsoever.

“Once you turn your back on me, don't ever turn round and start walking back to me. You're either with me or you're not. If you're with me, I will give you everything as I have done for that young man for eight years.”

Brook had numerous big fights on Sky Sports against the likes of Gennady Golovkin and Errol Spence Jr, although he was stopped in both those contests in 2016 and 2017.

Since then, the 34-year-old has boxed just three times in more than three years, leading some ex-fighters such as Carl Froch to suggest he may be using the Crawford bout to cash out of the sport.

Crawford is considered currently to be one of the best fighters in the world, boasting a perfect professional record of 36-0.

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