Mikey Garcia in talks with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing

Mikey Garcia in talks with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing

By Dan McConnell

It has been reported that British boxing promoter Eddie Hearn has been in talks with undefeated WBC Lightweight title holder and former four-weight world champion Mikey Garcia, as one of his first big signings for his new on-demand sports streaming platform.

Hearn recently announced an eight-year $1 billion deal with on-demand sports streaming platform DAZN, as he aims to expand the Matchroom Boxing brand from the United Kingdom to the United States after launching the biggest ever promotional deal for the sport.

DAZN is already popular in countries such as Germany and Japan, and is set to launch in the US this July. Hearn’s other targets also include Deontay Wilder, Jermell and Jermall Charlo, Errol Spence Jr and Keith Thurman. His main focus is to sign fighters who currently are not tied to a promotional contract with anyone, which is the case for many current Boxing champions.

Eddie Hearn is looking to change the television broadcasts when it comes to the current set-up for watching the top fights around the world, as he is determined to bring an end to the controversial pay-per-view platform and his new deal will be subscription service only.

Hearn also revealed that the undercards of each event will be streamed on major social networking sites for free, this will give fight fan a taster of the fight night and ultimately intrigue them to buy the main card.

Garcia is considered by some as the pound for pound greatest boxer on the planet and has found himself at the centre of a battle for his signature. Current UFC President Dana White has previously looked to dip his toe in the boxing world setting up Zuffa Boxing promotional company and confirmed his negotiations with Garcia when asked at the UFC’s Liverpool event press conference.

However Hearn looks set to win this race and take the US by storm with this block-buster deal. He has hinted at signing WBC Heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder who has no formal promotional deal, increasing this anticipated bout with Hearn’s current poster-boy Anthony Joshua to unify the Heavyweight division.

This comes from rumours Joshua was offered a $500 million deal to secure his signature away from Matchroom Boxing, but it now looks like Joshua will sign a multi-million deal to stay with Matchroom.

Garcia’s next bout will be against undefeated IBF Lightweight champion Robert Easter Jr on July 28th in Los Angeles in a WBC-IBF unification bout.