By Declan Taylor
EDDIE HEARN has accused the IBF of ‘ruining boxing’ after they ordered Jaron Ennis to defend his welterweight title against Karen Chukhadzhian.
‘Boots’ only beat the 28-year-old 18 months ago but the IBF have installed the Ukrainian as their mandatory challenger following his three victories since that defeat.
Ennis and his promoter Hearn have been working on a unification clash with WBO champion Brian Norman, which would allow the Philadelphian to sidestep Chuikhadzhian for now, but the Matchroom boss has been left incensed by the IBF’s decision.
He told the Matchroom YouTube channel: “We’re in a situation with the IBF that is absolutely ridiculous. They have ordered Chukhadzhian to have the rematch.
“Listen, the kid’s a good fighter but Boots has already beaten him. The IBF have got to stop with this, they are ruining boxing by ordering fights that people really don’t want to see especially when he’s already beaten him.
“We may vacate the belt and do something different because Boots has got to prove to the world how great he is. We might even fight Chukhadzhian to get it out of the way.”
However, Hearn has also revealed that discussions regarding the Norman fight are now at a standstill after making three offers.
“It’s frustrating because you hear what Brian Norman Sr, or his dad, is saying and none of it really makes sense,” Hearn said. “This is a really simple situation – the first offer that was made to Brian Norman was nicely over a million dollars. They said they felt it was nowhere near.
“We’ve made two more offers, with an extra quarter of a million dollars every time, to levels that Brian Norman will never see. We keep getting told we’re close, then we go back and make another offer and then we’re told by his team that we are actually not that close.
“I start to think ‘Brian Norman, do you want this fight?’ or are you clout chasing? Do you want to be great, Brian Norman? I’m not being funny but who is Brian Norman? I know he’s a good fighter but nobody knows who Brian Norman is.
“You say ‘Boots is over-rated’, you say he is not the bogeyman so why would you not take this bucket load of money to prove that you’re the best welterweight in the world?
“Brian Norman has missed the boat and now he’s got to go and fight someone for peanuts that nobody has ever heard of. Boot is alright, he’s on a fortune. But Brian Norman had the chance to prove himself as a superstar but they dropped the ball.”