Eddie Hearn staunchly defended Matchroom’s matchmaking strategy after witnessing Marc Castro and Jalil Hackett unexpectedly suffer their first defeats at Coliseo Roberto Clemente in San Juan, Puerto Rico on Saturday night.
Castro, a lightweight, and Hackett, a welterweight, both suffered split decision losses to Agustin Ezequiel Quintana and Jose Roman Vazquez on the undercard of the Liam Paro-Richardson Hitchins fight. Instead of questioning the judges’ scoring, Hearn chose to question his fighters’ abilities.
Critics had previously claimed that Matchroom lacked the experience compared to rivals like Frank Warren, Oscar De La Hoya, and Bob Arum.
However, Hearn, son of the hall-of-fame promoter Barry Hearn, defended his company’s approach to guiding fighters’ careers. He emphasized the importance of competitive fights and the necessity for fighters to face tough challenges to grow and improve.
Hearn highlighted the fact that not every prospect will go on to become a world champion, but it is crucial to test them early in their careers to prepare them for the top level.
He also pointed out the success story of Richardson Hitchins, who became the IBF junior-welterweight champion by overcoming challenges and tough opponents.
Hearn concluded by emphasizing the importance of facing tough opponents in sports and accepting losses as a part of the learning process. He urged fighters to be realistic about their abilities and focus on improving to reach the highest level.
