Eddie Hearn disappointed by talks over Jose Pedraza v Stephen Smith
Tuesday 23 February 2016 14:12, UK
Eddie Hearn has been left 'disappointed' by Jose Pedraza's team as he looks to secure Stephen Smith's mandatory world title shot.
Smith (23-1-KO13) stopped Devis Boschiero in September 2015 to earn a bout with IBF world super-featherweight champion Pedraza (21-0-KO12) but talks over a date have continued to stall, leaving Hearn determined to win the resulting purse bids and stage the fight in Britain.
The Matchroom promoter told Sky Sports: "We agreed a deal probably over a month ago with Lou DiBella. Pedraza is promoted by DiBella and advised by Al Haymon. It was on the morning of the purse bids that were scheduled, so we did it to get them cancelled.
"We both contacted the IBF to let them know a deal had been reached, we exchanged paperwork and drafted contracts back and forth. We were told the date would be March 26 but with options - if convenient to both parties - of two other dates.
It's a mess. We contacted the IBF to say: 'Enough's enough.' If Pedraza's team aren't capable of staging the fight in America, we'd love to do it over here.
"As time wore on, it became increasingly evident that they couldn't fulfill that date so we were told it'd be moved to April 2 or April 9. There have been tiny bits of communication and no answers and obviously we've got a fighter in Stephen Smith who is ready to go. They've got a fighter who I think believed he was fighting on February 20 in Puerto Rico.
"It's a mess. We contacted the IBF to say: 'Enough's enough.' If Pedraza's team aren't capable of staging the fight in America, we'd love to do it over here. Purse bids are now set and we're going to be aggressive in those bids. I just need to get a date for Stephen Smith.
"There is a lot of shuffling around of TV networks in America and people waiting on dates and it's just taken too long. They've got a lot of fighters to service, obviously, but that's not our problem. We won a world title eliminator and we are the mandatory - Pedraza has to fight Smith or relinquish the title.
"We took their word that an agreement was reached and we'd be given a date. We've got a great relationship with Lou DiBella and it's unusual for this kind of thing to happen. The purse bids take place on March 3 and fingers crossed we can get this fight in the UK.
"We understand the problem with scheduling events for broadcasters but as time went on, there was pure silence on the April dates as well. We kept setting deadlines and enough is enough. We are going to revert to bids. Perhaps we should have done that the first time around, but I didn't expect any problems once we'd agreed terms. We need to get moving."
Puerto Rico's Pedraza won the vacant title in June 2015 when he outpointed Andriy Klimov in Birmingham, Alabama.
