This week, a massive explosion hit social media when Josh Buatsi pulled the plug on an IBF light heavyweight eliminator with Jean Pascal.
Using Pascal’s previous misdemeanors as cause for concern, and rightly so, Buatsi insisted on random VADA drug testing. The move came after Lou DiBella won the IBF auction by offering nearly $1,000,000 to put on the fight.
As World Boxing News clarified, DiBella agreed to Buatsi’s request and had his team contact VADA to set things right.
Even though the procedure was launched and Pascal’s whereabouts were revealed to VADA, Buatsi’s team insisted that an entirely new contract be drawn up with the drug test stipulation.
And this is where both sides disagree on what happened next. Josh Buatsi’s manager, Eddie Hearn, claims his man would have signed if the deal had come before a recent deadline.
Why was Josh Buasti vs Jean Pascal cancelled?
However, DiBella and Pascal’s manager, Greg Leon, sees it as Hearn, Buatsi and 258 Management stalling until after the deadline to avoid the fight.
Leon also stated that Buatsi had no intention of continuing with the contest after Hearn lost the bidding process.
DiBella has passed the UK rights to the fight to Hearn’s archenemy, Frank Warren.
The whole situation came to a head for the entire boxing community to witness.
DiBella said, “It’s completely dishonest nonsense. 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].
He added directly to Hearn: “Stop being cute. Are you ever fucking honest?
change of contract
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.
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.”
He turned his attention to Hearn after Pascal was ordered by the IBF 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.”
Josh Buatsi vs Jean Pascal deal was never signed
At that moment, Pascal himself inserted himself into the conversation.
The controversial former world champion vowed to change his ways after four adverse test findings in 2021. He has since defeated Meng Fanlong to earn IBF consideration.
“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.”
DiBella and Hearn swap
Hearn then returned to the fold.
“He agreed with Vada from day one but didn’t put it in the contract,” the Essex man said.
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.
EH: Why did your team refuse to include VADA tests 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.
JP: Didn’t you forget you lost the offer? Although we accept your request for VADA. You just had to send the signed contract. The tests would have started immediately.
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?
false narrative
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.
The whole debacle is yet another example of the animosity between Eddie Hearn and some promoters in the States.
Nothing seems to go right when Lou, Bob Arum, Oscar De La Hoya or Leonard Ellerbe are involved.
It’s sad for the fans and wrestlers alike that the haters of the promotion can’t bury their differences for the good of the sport.
Unfortunately, nothing seems to be changing anytime soon.
The views expressed in this article are the views of Phil Jay.
WBN editor Phil Jay has over ten years of boxing news experience. He follows WBN on Facebook @officialworldboxingnews, Instagram and Twitter @worldboxingnews.
