Much like Benn and the "good domestic tear-ups" Matchroom used to book, which they avoid like the plague now... Kelly and Crocker for example. Imagine Benn-Kelly at a stadium with the kind of build-up Froch-Groves or even Frampton-Quigg had.
From what Hearn said recently, before everything blew up with Benn & Zuffa, he presented Benn with 3 options 1. Kelly for the world title at 154 2. Crocker for the world title at 147 3. Rolly Romero Hearn said he knew from the off there was no way he would take the Kelly fight and his reason for not wanting to fight Crocker was because he didn’t like Billy Nelson lol
Also isn’t Rolly the WBA champ now Boots has moved up? Crazy to think the lad who’s always banged on about “wanting a belt like his old man” has basically turned down all three routes Hearn said were there (Kelly/Crocker/Rolly). Problem with Conor is he hasn’t really had a proper fight since that run in 2020–22 (Formella to Van Heerden). No denying he looked good and was making real progress, but every one of those performances has a huge asterisk next to it. And the fight in a couple of weeks tells us nothing either, unless ironically he looks bad. Plus crazy to think back in 2021 after the Avanesyan loss, with Conor on that run of form, he’d have been heavily favoured to beat Kelly and probably in spectacular fashion. Now it’s the complete reverse.
Evidently, he's not a man of his word. All the "loyalty" talk and "not the way my bread is buttered" chat he gave in a previous interview is clearly BS. Makes you wonder what other lies he's come out with regarding his failed tests.
Is David Benavidez not something like 6 months older than Whittaker I know they were linked to fight but I don’t think it would ever happen especially with Benavidez moving up
Whilst I’m no fan of Fast-Car, without Eddie Conor doesn’t navigate that whole mess anywhere near as cleanly, not personally and not financially. He’d have had to eat the ban, probably haemorrhage money, maybe even end up bankrupt along the way. Eddie was the first point of call, and no one went to bat for him harder in a PR capacity throughout. Then the second the good times start rolling and there’s a bigger cheque on the table, he’s gone. The manager plays a part, but Conor runs his own ship. He owed Eddie at minimum a phone call and the chance to counter. Instead he just walked – same streak as his old man before he found God. Not that Eddie’s any different. Just two people who dress self-interest up as loyalty until it costs them something. After all, this is the same Eddie Hearn who swore he’d never work with Big Baby Miller again and has just signed him. PEDs and hair systems, birds of a feather.
Bump to see if Whittaker has accepted a fight against a guy who is able to fight back. No rush for confirmation...
I hope you are a patient person, you could be bumping this many times over the next couple of years waiting for that to happen