Promoter Eddie Hearn is not having a good week. The Matchroom Boxing boss was part of another mess just days before Fury vs. Joshua will collapse for a contract.
The Essex man watched a fight between light heavyweight star Josh Buatsi and former world champion Jean Pascal fall apart.
Like the Fury cancellation, accusations flew from both sides.
Hearn said his side wanted VADA proof in the contract from day one. Pascal’s team said they had signed up and would put it on the paperwork.
However, Hearn and Buatsi moved on when the IBF deadline expired. They have no intention of giving Pascal’s team another chance.
Pascual was not happy.
Why did Joshua Buatsi vs Jean Pascal collapse?
“This is disappointing news for boxing fans. He really wanted to hand Joshua Buatsi his first loss as an A-side fighter in his backyard.
“They wanted VADA tests, we agreed. VADA Testing can confirm that they have had my paperwork for a week waiting for Buatsi to sign a contract,” she added.
Hearn responded: “Josh Buatsi and 258 [his management team, the same as Anthony Joshua’s] they insisted on VADA testing in the contract, not once it was signed.
“We said it from the beginning. They were not comfortable with that, “we will tell them to start once they sign the contract”.
Lou DiBella, representing Pascal, defended the Haitian-Canadian.
“It’s completely dishonest, idiot. If this is what 258 Management is spinning, they are complete scams.
“Pascal signed up with VADA and sent them his whereabouts. The Buatsi team was notified. This is TV/broadcast fear or politics [over BT Sport televising the fight].
accusations
He added directly to Eddie Hearn: “Stop being cute. Are you ever fucking honest?
As usual, it didn’t take long for the Matchroom Boxing boss to respond saying, “So why not put it in the contract as requested from the start?
“Sassy boy Louis!”
DiBella further described his actions: “The fight agreement for Buatsi was circulated to all parties last week. The hard deadline for IBF fight deals was yesterday at 5 p.m. [Tuesday].
“Forget that it was unnecessary; the bout deal change request didn’t come until after the deadline! See below,” the Hall of Famer added, pulling out emails to make his point.
Greg Leon added his opinion by stating that Matchroom matchmaker Kevin Rooney Jr. told him weeks ago that the fight would not take place.
Eddie Hearn lost the IBF bid
He explained, “If your team really wanted the fight, would your employees send me shit like this today?
“What else happened weeks ago? That’s how it is. You lost the offer! If your team really wanted the VADA test, it could have started last week when they received our documents.
“All you had to do was sign.”
After the IBF ordered Pascal to go through the bidding process again to face Michael Eifert, Leon added: “He sounds like a clown who should have bid £87k more if he wanted to dictate policy.
“Now he blames everyone else for his mistakes. Notice that it’s not touching my tweets. JP, leave him alone. He goes to the gym and trains for Eifert.”
Pascal said: “We agreed with Vada from day one! We sent my documentation”, confirmed Pascal. “If they wanted it written in the contract, why wait ten minutes before the deadline?
“Why not ask for it right when they receive it?”
Leon responded to fans’ concerns: “They were stalling. People genuinely concerned about drug testing don’t let a week go by. We didn’t have to rush because they were in danger of default, not us. We sign everything.”
“He agreed with Vada from day one but didn’t put it in the contract,” the Essex man said.
Back and forth
DiBella, Hearn and Pascal then went through a revealing back-and-forth.
LD: Here’s why Eddie. And you know that the request for a provision in the bout agreement was unnecessary and after the IBF deadline.
JP: You asked to put it in the contract after the deadline. Are you serious now? Were you trying to stop the process?
My form was already in the hands of VADA. Why didn’t you ask that from the beginning? You waited until the deadline. As was probably your way out of the fight.
Eddie Hearn: Why did your team refuse to include VADA testing in the contract?
LD: Because we had already committed to VADA testing in writing, Pascal had submitted his VADA forms.
No Matchroom/Josh Buatsi application was received until after the IBF deadline for receiving bout deals. This is an embarrassing shift of blame!
And the IBF standard form bout agreement does not require VADA testing. We addressed VADA’s request because we felt it was fair, given Pascal’s history.
We copied the IBF on our submission to VADA testing even though it has nothing to do with them or their combat agreement.
Jean Pascal: Didn’t you forget that you lost the bid? Although we accept your request for VADA. You just had to send the signed contract. The tests would have started immediately.
havard
Stop with your false narrative, Eddie. We are smart here. We went to college and Lou DiBella went to Harvard.
EH: Did your team agree to our request to include it in the contract? Yes or no?
JP: We never refuse! Lou and Greg tell Eddie to stop spreading fake news. False narrative!
Ask VADA if they have my completed form from last week. Eddie doesn’t need to tarnish my name and accept the fact that they were scared by Josh Buatsi.
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