Eddie Hearn mocks Zuffa Boxing over Stevenson exit

The Matchroom boss calls the departure humiliating for Dana White’s promotion.

As is well known, Shakur Stevenson left Dana White’s promotion rather quickly without even fighting a single bout. Matchroom boss Eddie Hearn, of course, didn’t wait long to share his opinion on the matter, describing the departure as humiliating for the promotion.

Zuffa Boxing had signed Shakur Stevenson in July. To clarify, Shakur Stevenson is currently one of the biggest names in boxing and brings tremendous added value to a promotion because he attracts a great deal of attention. However, nothing came of it, as he secured his release just a short while ago. In an interview with IFL TV, Hearn said:

“Unbelievable, I thought it was a publicity stunt, to be honest with you. Like, until Shakur’s team called me, messaged me last night, I thought it was all just some kind of stunt for an announcement, because it was so bad, so embarrassing, so humiliating for Zuffa, that I thought it can’t be real. Because it happened, and literally within 30 seconds I had 50 messages. ‘Oh my God, have you seen this? Zuffa’s finished. Zuffa’s imploding. Dana White’s head falling off.’ What the f*ck. And I thought, nah, this can’t be right. Like, how can you sign your most high-profile fighter, and then he leaves you without even fighting? I don’t think, in the history of boxing, that has ever happened. Tell me a time when a promoter has signed a pound-for-pound great, the biggest signing they’ve ever signed, and he has left before he’s even fought. That has never happened”

Of course, these are harsh words directed at White, what else would you expect? The two of them have been at each other’s throats many times before, and it’s no surprise that he’s commenting on it and, naturally, using it to his advantage. Of course, he’s happy to run with news like this; it would probably be the same the other way around. So what do you think, is Hearn right in what he’s saying, or is he deliberately exaggerating a bit?