Eddie Hearn ready to move fights to Saudi Arabia to ease schedule issues caused by coronavirus

Pandemic has caused three high-profile events to be postponed, including Anthony Joshua's world title fight with Kubrat Pulev

Eddie Hearn, right, took Anthony Joshua's heavyweight world title fight against Andy Ruiz Jr to Saudi Arabia and is expected to host many more events in the Kingdom. PA

Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn has said he is considering the possibility of moving fights overseas to combat the postponements caused by the coronavirus pandemic, with Saudi Arabia his preferred destination.

Hearn and his Matchroom Boxing operation have already had a number of high profile shows get delayed due to the outbreak, including Anthony Joshua's heavyweight world title fight against Kubrat Pulev, which was initially scheduled for June 20 at the new Tottenham Hotspur football stadium in London.

Prior to that, heavyweight contender Dillian Whyte was set to face Alexander Povetkin in Manchester, before veteran Dereck Chisora was slated to fight Oleksandr Usyk in the Ukrainian superstar's heavyweight debut in London on May 23.

With all three events postponed, it is likely to cause a scheduling logjam in terms of venue availability and pay-per-view options, particularly with the United Kingdom still in the grips of the pandemic.

Hearn is therefore looking at Saudi Arabia - where Joshua reclaimed his world titles against Andy Ruiz Jr in December - as a potential solution as the Kingdom is likely to get the coronavirus under control sooner than the UK.

“I was due to have a show in Saudi Arabia in the first week of July, that is unlikely now," Hearn said, with some reports claiming that show would have been headlined by Filipino superstar Manny Pacquiao.

“I do think everywhere will be different, I don’t think all the global governments are going to get together and say something like: ‘From July 1, sport worldwide is allowed’.

“Some sports will start a lot sooner, in some countries, than others and Saudi could be one of the countries that gets on top of it sooner.

“We need to put these fights on somewhere, whether they are British title fights, our prospects, world title fights or pay-per-view fights.

“Ideally we would want them where we scheduled them but I also would not rule out the bigger fights going international.”

Saudi Arabia has already proved its capabilities of putting on world class boxing events.

Prior to December's 'Clash on the Dunes', the Kingdom hosted the Super Middleweight World Boxing Super Series final between Callum Smith and George Groves in Jeddah in September 2018, which Smith won via seventh round knockout.

Former world champion Amir Khan also fought in Jeddah, in July 2019, and delivered a fourth-round stoppage victory over Billy Dib.

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