If you want a masterclass in the art of the verbal jab, look no further than a boxing promoter with a microphone. From the theatrical bluster of Don King to the sharp-tongued cynicism of Lou DiBella, the giants of the “sweet science” have always been as entertaining outside the ring as their fighters are inside it. But yesterday, Eddie Hearn took things to a level of “Politely Raw” that has the entire combat sports world reaching for the popcorn.
Appearing as a guest on “Politely Raw with Pacman Jones,” the Matchroom Boxing kingpin didn’t just discuss his business—il he declared war on TKO, Zuffa, and specifically, UFC President Dana White.
The “Family Business” vs. the Corporate Giant
The tension between Hearn and White has been simmering for months, but Hearn used his time with Pacman to explain exactly why the relationship soured. According to Hearn, the mutual respect evaporated the moment the UFC’s parent company began eyeing the boxing landscape.
“They wanted to come into my world,” Hearn said, referencing TKO’s recent moves into boxing promotion. “When he [White] came in, he started to fire a couple of shots. He started to question my company, which is ultimately a family business. Which basically translates to: it’s my life, don’t fuck with me. And then it begins.”
Hearn positioned himself as the ultimate underdog against the “next level” corporate power of WWE and UFC, but he isn’t intimidated. In fact, he sounds like a man who relishes the scrap. “I’ve beaten all these other guys,” he noted, referring to rival promoters. “Now the fight is much bigger.”
Exposing the “Fighter Revolution”
Hearn’s most stinging critiques weren’t aimed at Dana White’s personality, but at the UFC’s financial model. In what Hearn describes as an “unbelievable” disparity, he pointed to the “fighter revolution” he believes is bubbling under the surface of the TKO empire.
The promoter laid out a staggering comparison: Conor Benn making $15 million on a boxing undercard versus a UFC heavyweight champion like Tom Aspinall potentially headlining a $100 million revenue night in Las Vegas for a fraction of that.
“How the fuck does that work?” Hearn asked. “In boxing, we will pay about 80% of the profit of the show to the fighters. [The UFC] will pay around 20%, 20 max.”
Hearn’s argument is that by TKO entering the boxing space, they have inadvertently highlighted how much more boxing pays its top talent, potentially forcing a reckoning within the MMA world.
The Ultimate Super-Fight?
Perhaps the most “Raw” moment of the interview came when Pacman asked about the possibility of Hearn and White settling their differences physically. While most promoters would laugh off the suggestion, Hearn leaned in.
“He called me out for a fight, so you never know when that’s gonna happen,” Hearn said with his signature British poise. “I’m available for the right price. If I get knocked out, I get knocked out. But we do it for a lot of money and I believe in the process—I will take his soul.“
Whether we ever see the two promoters square off in a ring or a cage remains to be seen, but the war of words is already providing better content than half the pay-per-views on the calendar. Hearn is betting on himself, betting on his model, and clearly, he isn’t afraid to go 12 rounds with the biggest players in the game.
