“We have a truly, world class stable of fighters, and you will see more announcements soon for others signing extended terms with us, along with some new signings,” Hearn said.
Hearn is playing a classic “buy low, hold long” game. By locking them down now, he avoids the headache of a bidding war once they’re headlining arenas or being courted by the new deep pockets of Zuffa Boxing.
He’s essentially creating a closed ecosystem. With that massive new DAZN extension through 2031, he has the guaranteed dates to keep these guys active, which is the ultimate leverage for a young fighter who just wants to stay busy.
Thehe timing isn’t accidental. With Conor Benn recently jumping ship to Zuffa for that $15M payday, Hearn realized his “gentleman’s agreements” weren’t enough. He’s shifting toward iron-clad, long-term contracts for the 21-23 age bracket.
It’s cheaper to double a prospect’s salary now than to try and match a Vegas-backed offer once they’re 15-0 with a British title around their waist. He’s building a “fortress” around his domestic talent to ensure that if anyone wants them, they’ll have to pay Matchroom a king’s ransom in step-aside or release fees.
The timing isn’t accidental. With Conor Benn recently jumping ship to Zuffa for that $15M payday, Hearn realized his “gentleman’s agreements” weren’t enough. He’s shifting toward iron-clad, long-term contracts for the 21-23 age bracket.
He isn’t just stopping with Liddard and Visioli. If you look at the rest of the stable, the pattern is identical:
Jimmy Sains: Another Tony Sims protégé who just picked up the English middleweight title on the same Copper Box card. Expect his “extension” announcement any day now.
Pat Brown: The cruiserweight powerhouse who is being positioned as the heir to the domestic throne. He’s already being used as a face for the new DAZN 2026-2031 launch.
Cameron Vuong: He picked up the WBO European lightweight title last year and is being groomed for the same path as Visioli.
Junaid Bostan: “Star Boy” is already a Commonwealth Silver champ. Hearn has him on a multi-fight deal that likely has “renewal” written all over it before he touches a world title shot.
Olly Campbell is a boxing journalist who has covered the sport since 2014, providing ringside reporting and technical analysis of major bouts. His work focuses on fighter tendencies, tactical adjustments, and the details that shape high-level competition.