Boxing legend and promoter Oscar De La Hoya has recently made bold statements, blaming promoter Eddie Hearn for mishandling Anthony Joshua’s career. According to De La Hoya, Joshua, once at the pinnacle of his career, has seen his fortunes dwindle under Hearn’s guidance.
In a striking comment, De La Hoya remarked: “Anthony Joshua had the world at his fingertips, and you found a way to fumble his career.” The Golden Boy founder didn’t stop there, continuing to call out Hearn for his losing streak against rival promoter Frank Warren. “This was another ‘L’ for Eddie Hearn, who is literally 0-11 to Frank Warren this year,” he said, highlighting Hearn’s poor record in high-profile bouts.
De La Hoya further alluded to what he described as the “Matchroom curse,” a dig at the management company led by Hearn. “This continues the Matchroom curse meaning, if you sign to Matchroom, you’re either guaranteed to lose or get injured,” De La Hoya stated, suggesting that fighters under Matchroom Boxing have faced consistent setbacks.
The criticism from De La Hoya comes at a pivotal time for Anthony Joshua, who has been trying to rebuild his career after a series of ups and downs in recent years. Despite his global fame and early dominance in the heavyweight division, Joshua’s losses to Andy Ruiz Jr. and Oleksandr Usyk have left his future uncertain.
Eddie Hearn, who has been Joshua’s promoter throughout his professional career, has faced scrutiny for some of the decisions made regarding Joshua’s fights and career trajectory. However, Hearn remains one of the most prominent figures in the boxing world and continues to work with top talent.
The tension between promoters, particularly Hearn and Warren, is nothing new in the boxing industry. With high stakes in every match, promoters are often vocal about their successes and the perceived failures of their rivals. De La Hoya’s latest remarks have added fuel to this ongoing rivalry, bringing more attention to the state of Anthony Joshua’s career and the broader competitive landscape of boxing promotion.
