📸 Mark Robinson

Matchroom boss Eddie Hearn is facing up to what could become a massive failure in the United Kingdom as reports of poor ticket sales over Dillian Whyte v Oscar Rivas continue.

WBN was informed last week that only a few thousand of the 20,000 available had been sold. Top Rank boss Bob Arum then went one better by confirming he was worried about the lack of purchases ahead of a proposed Vasyl Lomachenko v Luke Campbell fight at the same venue.

Loma v Campbell is a done deal for August 31 at The O2 Arena in London. Hearn is yet to make the clash official.

Arum has left it up to Hearn to divulge that information to fans. Something Hearn has so far been tentative to do.

The Whyte v Rivas situation is obviously playing a big part in that decision. A big push to fill the void is expected over the next few days.

It’s less than two weeks until the heavyweights are due to fight.

Hearn has been pleading with the World Boxing Council to make the contest a final eliminator for Deontay Wilder. A move which could help attract more fans to the event.

Participants on the undercard have begun offering tickets to their followers via competitions. A situation which is common with shows that don’t sell as well as anticipated.

It’s bad news for Hearn and Matchroom as their United Kingdom empire, which reigned supreme for years, is struggling of late.

Taking his top stars to the USA due to the massive DAZN paydays on offer, the UK portion of his promotional company has suffered as a consequence.

Sky Sports Head of Boxing Adam Smith has admitted the ongoing demise of British fight nights is not ideal as Hearn continues to pander to the audiences across the Atlantic.

Anthony Joshua is not expected to fight on home soil this year, whilst the likes of Kal Yafai, Callum Smith and Tommy Coyle have all been taken overseas recently.

It’s now a massive ask to pull Whyte v Rivas into the tens of thousands in regards to tickets.

The additions of David Allen v David Price and Derek Chisora v Artur Szpilka are certainly fan-friendly bouts for what is an eye-catching heavyweight triple.

Hopefully things can pick up for what is big a Sky Box Office summer offering on Pay-Per-View.

The Lomachenko v Campbell, taking place just six weeks later, is also expected to be on the paid format.







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