‘Irish FA get magnitude of boxing events, GAA don’t’ – Eddie Hearn on Windsor Park and Croke Park discussions

Hearn was speaking ahead of a press conference to promote the upcoming world welterweight title fight between Lewis Crocker and Paddy Donovan in Belfast

Eddie Hearn has questioned how committed Croke Park and the GAA are to delivering a Katie Taylor fight.

The undisputed super-lightweight champion has made clear her dream to fight at GAA Headquarters in recent years and again reiterated it after her recent win over Amanda Serrano.

However, to date Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing, Croke Park and the GAA have been unable to come to an agreement to stage an event at the stadium, with the cost of renting the venue a massive stumbling block.

“When you look at Croke Park, I just don’t think the people there are massive fans of boxing,” Hearn said at Windsor Park on Monday. “I think they’re fans of Katie Taylor, but I just don’t think they really like boxing. But Katie Taylor is beyond boxing.

“I mean, she’s sport, but she’s also history and heritage. And probably one of the greatest ever athletes from that country. Now you see the sports minister saying, after she beat Serrano, ‘yeah, we should look at bringing Katie Taylor to Croke Park’.

“We don’t want handouts. We just want parity between Croke Park and Wembley Stadium in terms of the cost being the same.

“But I don’t know if she’ll fight again. It probably is 50-50. And it’s the first time I’ve ever heard her say, ‘if I fight again’. But I think if we could go to Croke Park, that would certainly maybe twist her arm.”

Hearn was speaking ahead of a press conference to promote the upcoming world welterweight title fight between Lewis Crocker and Paddy Donovan in Belfast.

The bout takes place at Windsor Park on September 13 and the promoter says the IFA and Northern Ireland government really bought into the event.

“We never want a handout. We just want a partnership where we can receive support to make it as big an event as we’d like to,” he explained.

“The Irish FA, the government and Windsor Park realised the magnitude of this event and how great it could be especially for a local boy like Lewis Crocker but also the history of fighting for a world championship.”