Eddie Hearn announces incredible plan to bring boxing back in UK by hosting fights in his GARDEN
EDDIE HEARN has an audacious plan to host Dillian Whyte’s showdown with Alexander Povetkin — in his GARDEN.
The Matchroom Boxing kingpin wants to stage five-bout fight nights across four consecutive Saturdays on his 15-acre piece of land in Brentwood, Essex.
⚠️ Read our coronavirus in sport live blog for the latest news & updates
With "around 80 to 90" people on site, the £1million set-up could come as soon as mid-July.
The run of shows would close in mid-August with British heavyweight Whyte taking on Povetkin in a WBC interim heavyweight title clash.
Hearn told the : “Just imagine it. It is summer, the house is all lit up, you can see Canary Wharf in the distance and fireworks are going off.
“Then over the hill walk Whyte and Povetkin for a massive tear up on my lawn. World championship boxing in my garden? Oh, go on then.
“It is a huge mission. We are going to turn our headquarters here into an outdoor venue for live boxing, with a full canopy in the middle of the garden and the ring overlooking London.
"We are building changing rooms for the fighters, setting up a space for a ring walk, and figuring out how we can do everything with as few people as possible.
"We are in talks with a nearby hotel about taking control of it for each of the weeks.
"The way it will work is everyone involved - the fighters, their teams, the broadcasters - will go into the hotel on Tuesday and the fighter and their team will go to a testing facility at the hotel.
MOST READ IN SPORT
"You will go in, get tested, be handed a room key and go straight to your room, where you will wait until you get the result of the test.
"The tests are comprehensive and they take 24 hours, so the fighter will stay in their room until they get a call from our doctors, likely on the Wednesday, with their results. If they are positive, they will leave the hotel immediately.
"If they are not, they are able to leave their room and take part in the obligations of fight week, all with social distancing."
CORONAVIRUS CRISIS - STAY IN THE KNOW
Don't miss the latest news and figures - and essential advice for you and your family.
To receive The Sun's Coronavirus newsletter in your inbox every tea time, .
To follow us on Facebook, simply .
Get Britain's best-selling newspaper delivered to your smartphone or tablet each day - .