Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn talks to Fight Hub TV about the launch of PBC on Amazon Prime, starting with a PPV event headlined by Keith Thurman vs Tim Tszyu. Hearn admits that he thinks as a fan the card will provide a fun night of boxing, but doesn’t see how any of the fights will drive a successful PPV performance.
Hearn on the launch of PBC on Prime with a Keith Thurman vs Tim Tszyu PPV
“I think it’s a good night of boxing. I think it’s a bit of a botch job where it’s just like throw a load of stuff together. The main event, for me, is a very weak PPV.
“I don’t mind saying, I find Keith Thurman quite an interesting character. He’s sort of disappeared for two years, he’s come back to the press conference, he’s like, his chat is interesting. The suit is interesting, he looks a little bit older than he did before and I’m not really sure what he’s doing in the game or how hungry he is.
“I just feel like as a PPV, historically we know those kind of PPVs don’t sell, and if it’s a good card it don’t really matter because you have to grab the attention with a big headliner, whether that’s Tank against Ryan Garcia, whether that’s Canelo against X…not Keith Thurman against Tim Tszyu. That is not going to do good numbers on PPV.
“As a night, I quite like it. I think as a boxing fan I’d buy it, but that’s not going to give you the numbers…Keith Thurman vs Tim Tsyzu is probably a fight I could probably say to you guys ‘give me a hundred fights to be made’ and you would not say Keith Thurman against Tim Tszyu. Like, you wouldn’t. And I think, by the way, Tim Tszyu will stop Keith Thurman, 100%.”
On Rolando Romero vs Isaac ‘Pitbull’ Cruz
“I mean, Pitbull will — I think he’s a really entertaining fighter, a little bit limited at elite level — I think he will steamroll through Rolly and will stop him. I say Rolly at the press conference. I mean, the guy don’t even really look like he wants to be there…it’s not a compelling fight. Again, it’s not a fight that’s going to drive PPV sales.
“If you combine it all, and this is not being a hater — good night of boxing. But you know that ain’t gonna do PPV numbers.”