Eddie Hearn on Zuffa Boxing's decline and 'potentially the extinction within 10 months'

The Matchroom promoter said DAZN 'stuck the boot in' by signing Teofimo Lopez and Devin Haney, and called Shakur Stevenson fighting only once this year 'criminal'.

Eddie Hearn said he would like to be responsible for Zuffa Boxing's decline "and potentially the extinction within 10 months", but gave DAZN the credit for the damage after Dalton Smith's win over Alberto Puello in Sheffield on Saturday night.

Speaking at the post-fight press conference, the Matchroom promoter said DAZN had done "phenomenal business" by signing Teofimo Lopez and Devin Haney, which "completely took the play away from Zuffa".

He said: "Whilst I would like to be responsible for the decline of Zuffa and potentially the extinction within 10 months, you have to say that DAZN, maybe I tripped him up, but DAZN stuck the boot in right in the nuts when they were down."

Hearn said Stevenson's Zuffa deal was struck because the company believed it had Haney, and that when it could not deliver that fight it wanted to pay Stevenson less for another one.

Stevenson has left Zuffa Boxing, and Dana White has said he offered Stevenson his release. Hearn said: "I'm glad he's out of that mess and I'm glad he can chase legacy because that's what he wants." He added: "To see a guy like that only fight once this year is criminal for me, criminal."

Hearn rated Smith and Stevenson as the top two in the division, called a fight between them "a natural fight" and said Stevenson "will fight anybody" and would be "well up for the Dalton Smith fight". Smith kept his WBC super-lightweight title with a split decision over Puello earlier in the night.

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