Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn has given Jeff Fenech’s protege Brock Jarvis the ultimate compliment despite the 24-year-old Aussie’s US debut almost ending in disaster.
In fact, the Matchroom boss has praised the Australian boxing industry as a whole as Aussie boxers start to make waves on the international scene.
Watch Boxing Live & On-Demand on Kayo. Selected international fights, classic bouts and more. New to Kayo? Start Your Free Trial >
Speaking this week to businessman and podcast host Mark Bouris on his Straight Talk podcast, Hearn spoke about the rise of his business on the back of fighters including Anthony Joshua and Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and in conjunction with streaming platform DAZN.
But Hearn has the likes of heavyweight Demsey McKean, Ebanie “The Blonde Bomber” Bridges and Jarvis signed onto fight deals with Matchroom.
He believes that Australia boxing is in a good place and making waves on the international stage.
Matchroom also swooped in to promote three-belt champion Teofimo Lopez’ lightweight title fight with Aussie George Kambosos Jr. on November 28 (Australian time).
But it was Jarvis who appeared to catch Hearn’s eye.
The rising Aussie lightweight moved to 20-0 in October in his first US fight, claiming a fifth round TKO win over Mexican Alejandro Frias Rodriquez.
While the fairly early stoppage may make it seem it was all one way traffic, the fight told a different story as Jarvis was on the verge of being KO’ed himself in the second round.
It looked as though Jarvis was out on his feet and the commentators said it was looking like a “disaster” but the young Aussie came back out to keep his record unbeaten.
Hearn, who had only just signed Jarvis to Matchroom Boxing, said he was as stunned as everyone else about the comeback.
“With Brock, he came out and I said to him in the change rooms before the fight, ‘just relax, don’t be too keen to impress’,” Hearn said. “And he didn’t listen to me.
“He went out there like a train, he got caught cold. I mean, he showed so much heart in that round to stay on his feet – it could have been stopped. But then to dig down and bite down on the gumshield, comeback and force the stoppage, that shows me – forget ability – that shows me tremendous heart. And I know he’s got ability. Sometimes that heart doesn’t exist.
“There are many fighters there that would have taken a knee and gone ‘I’m not about this life’. But you know Brock Jarvis has got a big set of nuts on him. And that’s really important when you’re talking about fighting at that level.
“He’s got to improve but we know he’s got ability and if he’s got heart, which now he’s proven he has, I’m really excited about Brock Jarvis.”
Bouris said that Fenech said at a recent event that Jarvis was so dazed from the second round, all the Aussie champion tried to get him to do was “breathe, just breathe”.
He said that changed the fight as Jarvis went to work after the stunning in the second round.
Hearn added that while he does have favourites in his stable, he said all his fighters know they will get the opportunities depending good they are and how hard they want to work.
And while he has big names like vanquished unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua and four-weight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, Hearn said the Aussies were well and truly on his radar.
“As big as Australian boxing is getting, everyone wants to come over and box globally,” he said. “They feel that Australia is a small pond for boxing and they want to spread their wings and become a global star. Actually, Australia boxing is getting bigger and bigger and will be there soon.
“But you look at Demsey McKean, he boxed at the weekend and he was so nervous. You’ve got Ebanie Bridges, she’s made huge noise in the US. Skye Nicholson is also here at the moment looking to potentially turn pro.”
