Exclusive: Hearn has already laid out plans for four consecutive weeks of boxing, behind closed doors, at Matchroom Boxing headquarters
The Boxing Board of Control will meet with promoters Eddie Hearn and Frank Warren via video call on Friday to discuss final protocols for the two promotional groups’ respective return to live events in July and draw up agreed plans for professional boxing’s return in the UK.
Eddie Hearn has already laid out plans for four consecutive weeks of boxing, behind closed doors, at Matchroom Boxing headquarters on the 15-acre site in Brentwood, with Frank Warren planning his return either in a hotel ballroom or a television studio, yet to be decided.
Warren told Telegraph Sport that a television studio “would be preferable as it would be easier to manage”. It is understood that Warren may be looking to stage his events at BT Sport’s studios in east London. Robert Smith, general secretary of the Boxing Board, told Telegraph Sport on Wednesday: “We are meeting over video conference on Friday with the promoters who have shown an interest in a return in July to go over the protocols we have drawn up at the Boxing Board over the last few weeks with our medical panel.”
“We will discuss the things we require and what the adjustments we feel will have to be made in reference to the venues being suggested by the promoters involved. Once we have done that we will then send out an official statement explaining the parameters to all other promoters we have in the UK.”
The discussion on Friday will include the reduced numbers of fighters, medical officers, officials and promotional staff taking part, as well as all procedures from testing, equipment use, and how the participants will be housed leading up to the fight night.
Sparring for fighters will be allowed from mid-June, with the Boxing Board still advising that, where possible, boxers and their trainers should look to train outdoors, with coaches wearing face masks. Hearn aims to include two title fights in the four weeks of action, which will include female boxer Terri Harper’s defence of the WBC super featherweight title against Natasha Jonas, while the last of the four events will be Dillian Whyte against the former world title challenger Alexander Povetkin. Whyte is currently training in Portugal, while Povetkin would have to complete the 14-day quarantine period on arriving in the UK.</p>
Smith told Telegraph Sport that bringing overseas fighters to the UK is “at the promoter’s own risk” given that they may still not allow non-UK fighters to take part, and that the procedures “may change” if government guidelines on sport taking place alter due to changes made if the coronavirus pandemic spikes again.
Warren is yet to outline the schedule of the fighters involved in his promotional events.