BIG HEARNERS
Logan Paul and KSI winner to continue boxing and be promoted by Eddie Hearn as both ‘could beat 10% of boxers’
EDDIE HEARN admitted he will likely promote KSI and Logan Paul again after their rematch - because the numbers they generate are too good to ignore.
The YouTube rivals - who drew in an exhibition bout last August - turn professional for their second fight in Los Angeles this Saturday.
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And despite heavy criticism from the hardcore boxing circle, promoter Hearn does not shy away from wanting to work with the social media stars again - and says they can beat 10 per cent of other boxers.
Hearn told “Judging by the numbers I’m seeing, yeah.
“A lot depends on the fight doesn’t it? They’re not Sugar Ray Leonard and Marvin Hagler.
“It’s not going to be the best boxing match you’ve ever seen, but it’s going to be dramatic and I think clinical and I think exciting.
“If it’s unbelievable and you get three, four rounds of tear up and someone knocks someone out, what do you think the winners going to do? They’re going to go on, aren’t they.
“I reckon they’d beat five or ten per cent of current professionals because you’re taking into consideration when we sign a fighter, and they might be 18, 19, making their debut, some of the early opposition could be competitive.”
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KSI and Logan both insisted their pay-per-view bout in LA is only the start of their ring careers.
But even Hearn mocked the pair for claiming they can go onto win titles and beat seasoned pros - despite praising both debutantes training camps.
He said: “I think they have both lost their heads a little bit the way they’re talking.
“I think Logan said ‘Yeah, I believe I can go on and become a world champion’ - I’m like ‘OK mate, calm down, Shannon Briggs has been pumping you up ’.
“But what I will say is they’ve both taken it as seriously as you can possibly take it. Both been in camp, both trained really hard and got good teams.”
Hearn has done a major U-turn after slamming the exhibition bout last year - but is happy to admit the fanfare has brought him around - and insists no one is being made to tune in.
“Yeah probably, I dunno. But after the first fight, I think it would have been impossible for me to slate.
“Listen, I wouldn’t be doing this if it didn’t do numbers, believe me.
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“But what I’m saying is I can’t criticise it because we’ve seen the numbers now, I’ve just got to be honest and say the numbers are huge, it’s great fun, it’s a different audience and we’re doing it.
“It baffles me, you get some people… and it’s like you’re going round their house, getting them out of bed in their Transformers pyjamas, carrying them out of bed, bolting them to the sofa, turning it on and hitting the red button to order the pay-per-view.
“And you’re saying ‘Tough, you’re watching it’. I just say don’t watch it."
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