Don King Trying, Eddie Hearn Buying? 20-0 Heavyweight Trevor Bryan
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
According to Don King, “This would give boxing fans around the world a great championship fight they richly deserve. I haven’t talked to (promoter) Eddie (Hearn), but I’ve left multiple messages, and he certainly has my number. I’m ready to talk to Hearn and Joshua (as a possible co-promoter), and (my fighter Trevor) Bryan is ready to step in and make the fight.”
If legendary boxing promoter Don King has his way, Dandy Don will offer his 20-0 WBA Interim World Heavyweight champion Trevor Bryan to fight Anthony Joshua in the main event at Madison Square Garden on June 1, 2019, for the World Heavyweight title. The amount Eddie Hearn and Matchroom Boxing will pay the late substitute challenger has to be worth the opportunity, taking a chance or sacrifice of career.
Bryan, 20-0 with 14 knockouts, Schenectady, New York, turned pro in November 2011 with a second-round stoppage of Demarcus Young at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida. In November 2018, Bryan won the Interim World Boxing Association World Heavyweight title with a fourth-round stoppage of B.J. Flores at Celebrity Theatre in Phoenix, Arizona. This interim title qualified Bryan for a shot at WBA Regular World Heavyweight champion 31-4 Manuel Charr, a Lebanese fighting out of Cologne, Germany, or WBA Super World Heavyweight champion 22-0 Anthony Joshua of Watford, United Kingdom.
Don King is currently 87 years old, the same age as promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank.
Besides Flores, Bryan has fought Derric Rossy, and Elieser Castillo, ‘B’ names, but nobody on the ‘A’ level of heavyweights. Bryan has knocked out journeyman Sandy Antonio Soto three times. While Bryan holds the Interim WBA World Heavyweight title, ex- cruiserweight Mike Hunter holds the WBA International Heavyweight title. Hunter, WBA regular champion Charr, Bryan and Andy Ruiz Jr. are among the remaining names on promoter Eddie Hearns’ short list to replace Jarrell Miller against Joshua at Madison Square Garden.
It is interesting how old Don King has barely managed to stay in the game long after his stable of fighters was gone, but managing one undefeated heavyweight. King and Bryan could conceivably cash out big time with a payday of five million dollars or more to fight Joshua. King has positioned his fight as a possible replacement, and luck and reputation may be in his side as Bryan is an American fighter, and Joshua is making his American debut, meaning USA versus Britain translates into a mega pay-per-view.
King will have his hands full selling his replacement fighter to fellow promoter Hearn. The fight card at Madison Square Garden is already sold. He might, if the Joshua camp prefers a more experienced opponent. In recent years, the semiretired King has promoted heavyweights who were ex-world champions, Bermane Stiverne and Guillermo Jones. King also promoted junior welterweight Amir Imam into a title bout. Imam is currently suing King, claiming he received only 29 thousand dollars out of an expected 300 thousand dollar purse.
With Bryan, King, like other promoters, has a price for which he will take the world heavyweight title opportunity on short notice.
“All I am hearing is a bunch of lies out three. They are saying I asked for 15 million (dollars) for Bryan to fight Joshua. I haven’t asked for a dime, (and) I haven’t talked to Eddie (Hearn). I would be happy to (co-) promote this boxing extravaganza between Anthony Joshua and Trevor Bryan.”
Don King is trying. Promoter Eddie Hearn and the general public would have to be buying Bryan as the legitimate replacement challenger. Truth or lying? In 2017, King’s fighter, former WBC World Heavyweight champion Bermane Stiverne, who went the distance with Deontay Wilder the first time, got knocked down three times and knocked out by Wilder at 2:59 the first round of their November 2017 rematch at Barclays Center. The count was waved.
Don King waves his little American flag. With Bryan, it will be put up or shut up time not just for Bryan’s heavyweight boxing career, but for King’s promotional career as well.
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