After Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn called Artur Beterbiev arrogant for how he’s handled the pre-fight build-up.
During today’s final press conference for this weekend’s undisputed light heavyweight unification between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol, Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn was asked in front of Beterbiev why he referred to him as being arrogant, drawing a carefully crafted response from Hearn.
“Did I say that? I can’t remember,” Hearn joked. “I think he is arrogant, I think all fighters are arrogant. I think you have to be arrogant. But it was more of a frustration to make sure the world is aware of what this fight is and what it means.
“Because as stone cold as Artur Beterbiev is, and as stone cold at Dmitry Bivol is, there’s still that young boy that found boxing, that changed their life through boxing, that had a dream to win every belt in the sport.
“And sometimes one-word answers don’t always tell me the pure emotion and meaning of what victory would do for them on Saturday night. Artur Beterbiev is one of the greatest fighters of our generation, and [Bivol] is one of the purest boxers I’ve ever seen,” Hearn said.
Soon after, when Beterbiev would get a chance on the microphone, he would get a chance to respond to Hearn’s comments about being arrogant by asking the press conference’s moderator if he was instigating a problem.
“You want to make fight with Eddie?,” Beterbiev asked. “Why you do that? It really can be. It really can be, I can do something, you know?”
“Don’t worry about me,” Hearn responded, “you have to get through him first. When [Bivol’s] finished with you, it’ll be easier for me.”
“No need finish with him,” Beterviev would say. “I finish with [Bivol] tomorrow. But you, today, maybe. Maybe today with you.”
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