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By Jim Calfa: Eddie Hearn says the Demetrius Andrade vs. Zach Parker fight for the WBO 168-lb interim title isn’t a big fight in the U.S or the UK, which is why he didn’t bid high for it during this week’s purse bid.
It’s a dangerous fight for Andrade to take on Parker, as the British fighter arguably has more power & faster hands than Demetrius’ WBO 160-lb mandatory Zhanibek Alimkhanuly.
As such, Hearn says he’s not sure if it’s a fight that Andrade (31-0, 19 KOs) because it’s NOT a title eliminator to become WBO super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez’s mandatory.
The WBO interim title is the only thing Demetrius, 33, will get from beating Parker (22-0, 16 KOs). He would still need to beat another contender in an official eliminator for him to become mandatory for Canelo.
What that means is that Andrade would need to jump through two hoops instead of just one to become mandatory to Canelo, and even then, there’s no guarantee that the Mexican star will defend against him. Canelo could vacate rather than face ‘Boo Boo’ Demetrius, who he calls a “horrible fighter.”
Andrade vs. Parker WON’T interest U.S fans
“When you make a bid for the fight, you make a bid for the commercial value of the fight,” said Eddie Hearn to iFL TV when asked why he keeps losing purse bids.
“It doesn’t matter if you lose it by sixty or seventy thousand or if you lose it by five million,” Hearn continued.
“That’s your interpretation of the value. Demetrius Andrade, which I assume you’re referring to, against Zach Parker, has absolutely no interest in America at all, quite frankly.
“That was the value of the fight we were bidding for in America. Also, in the UK, it’s not mainly a big fight, but I would have liked to have delivered it for Demetrius in America, and that’s what I felt the fight [Andrade vs. Parker] was worth.
“You’ve got to understand business. This sport is full of fur coats and knickers. It’s full of people that want to buy Rolls Royces but can’t afford the petrol.
“So, you’ve got to behave in a way that’s not ego-orientated. It’s not, ‘I’m going to spend more because Dave from Grimsby says I keep losing purse bids.’
“Each individual fight has an individual value,” said Hearn. “That was the individual value for a fight, to be honest with you, it’s not even a big fight,” said Eddie in knocking the Demetrius vs. Zach Parker match.
You can’t blame Hearn for dragging his feet on the Andrade-Parker fight because Demetrius could very well lose.
Hearn is wrong about Andrade vs. Parker not being attractive for U.S boxing fans, as it would be seen as a dangerous fight for Demetrius.
Unlike Andrade’s recent fights, fans won’t know if he’ll come out victorious against Parker.
Demetrius must decide
“We like the route because it’s an interim title, and the winner of that fight can fight someone else and then could become mandatory for Canelo Alvarez,” Hearn said of the Demetrius vs. Parker match.
“So now we have the decision on do we take that fight [Parker] or do we take another fight? That’s what Demetrius Andrade is going to have to decide.
“Obviously, if I won the [purse bid], I wouldn’t be saying it’s not a big fight in America,” said Hearn when asked if the only reason he’s downgrading the Demetrius vs. Parker fight is that he lost the purse bid to Queensbury Promotions.
“Look, let me make one thing clear. Demetrius Andrade against Zach Parker in America, I’m sorry, is NOT a big fight. But there is a route that could make sense for us to go down that route. That’s why I bid for it.
“At that level, you can’t go to Demetrius Andrade and say, ‘Oh, do you want to take X to do the fight?’ That was the money that, I think, Demetrius, $1.2 million purse to fight Zach Parker. I think that’s pretty great money, to be honest with you.
“He’s been earning more money to defend his world title, and he’s not a world championship fight. It’s an interim [WBO 168-lb title].
“Unfortunately, that was the value that I felt that fight had. I can’t be more honest than that, so we’ll see what happens,” said Hearn.
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