Latest news with #BarryHearn
The Independent
6 hours ago
- Sport
- The Independent
Ricky Hatton given surprise boost ahead of comeback fight
British boxing legend Ricky Hatton has been honoured with the Freedom of the City of London just weeks after announcing he will be making a shock comeback. Thirteen years on from his last professional bout, Hatton is set to return to the ring to face Eisa Aldah in Dubai on December 2. But before then he will be recognised for his significant contribution to boxing at the Lord Mayor's Charity Boxing Match on October 8, which will see firefighters from London and New York face each other at the Guildhall. The honour awarded to Hatton is slightly surprising given he hails from Manchester and fought for the majority of his career in the North-West. But the 46-year-old is delighted to receive it ahead of his return to the ring. 'I'm absolutely chuffed to bits to be given the Freedom of the City of London — it's a real honour and something I never imagined happening to me,' Hatton said. 'London's always held a special place in my heart and been the location for many of my fights, most memorably when I won the WBU light welterweight world title at Wembley conference centre against Tony Pep, so to be recognised like this means a lot. 'I'm really looking forward to the Lord Mayor's boxing night at the Guildhall on 8th October — it'll be a great night for a great cause, and I can't wait to be part of it.' Michael Watson and Barry Hearn also honoured Former British and Commonwealth champion Michael Watson as well as Matchroom founder and promoter Barry Hearn have also been given the same honour as Hatton. Watson famously beat Nigel Benn in 1989 before having two fights with Chris Eubank. The rematch almost ended in tragedy, with Watson suffering a near-fatal brain injury. However, Watson was able to pull through after spending 40 days in a coma and having six brain operations. Meanwhile, Hearn guided Eubank during his career, and has since handed over the reins to his son, Eddie, who promotes Anthony Joshua and Conor Benn. Upon receiving the honour, Hearn said: 'I'm absolutely thrilled and deeply honoured to receive the Freedom of the City of London — a place that holds so much history, tradition, and personal meaning for me. 'I'm also incredibly excited about the Lord Mayor's Appeal Fight Night this October 8th — a fantastic evening of sport and fundraising in the heart of London, bringing people together for a great cause. It promises to be a knockout event in every sense!'
Metro
25-06-2025
- Sport
- Metro
Three major World Snooker Tour events move to new TV channel
The Players Championship, Tour Championship and British Open will move to Channel 5 in 2026. The three tournaments have been shown on ITV4 in recent seasons but will change broadcaster next year. The change sees this season's Players Championship (Feb 16-22) and Tour Championship (Mar 30 – Apr 5) make the switch. The British Open will move to Channel 5 in 2026, but this season's edition runs from 22-28 September, before the switch. The broadcasting team of presenters, pundits and commentators have not been confirmed as yet, as Channel 5 show ranking events for the first time. WST Chairman Steve Dawson said: 'We are delighted to be working with 5 for the first time and to add a new broadcaster to our tour. Snooker has a long history of providing fans with free-to-air events with extensive live coverage so this is fantastic news for everyone who follows our sport. 'The Players Championship and Tour Championship are elite events contested only by the best of the best. Players are striving all season to climb the one year list and earn a place in these prestigious tournaments. 'And from 2026, 5 will also broadcast the British Open which is a historic event with its own unique identity including a random draw.' Matchroom Sport president Barry Hearn was asked about the upcoming shake-up in broadcasting deals for World Snooker Tour events at this year's World Championship. 'There's going to be a mixture of broadcasters because quite honestly, broadcasters like snooker,' he said at the Crucible. 'It's delivering ratings. 'We live in a numbers game. ITV4 has been fantastically successful for us in the numbers it's got. 'So, obviously some of the other stations want snooker. And I think in the next couple of weeks we will lay out the deals that we've done. More Trending 'It's going to involve a multiple number of broadcasters. Some free-to-air, some behind the pay-model. But it's a compliment to where snooker is that it's in demand. 'We need to be more encouraging to the younger market, which involves talking to them in the language that they understand and the medium that they understand. And that's why the world is becoming more digital. The future is more Netflix than free-to-air. 'People will be able to watch what they want to watch, the sports they want to watch, when they want to watch it and for a price they can afford. I find that really exciting.' MORE: 10 storylines of the new snooker season as the 2025-26 campaign begins MORE: Anthony Hamilton names snooker star's transformation as 'most impressive thing I've seen' MORE: Ronnie O'Sullivan faces World Snooker Championship nightmare ahead of new season
Daily Mail
19-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Eddie Hearn reveals dad Barry suffered a heart attack during Leyton Orient play-off clash - before attending boxing fight just FIVE days later in rapid recovery
Barry Hearn suffered a heart attack last month during Leyton Orient's play-off semi-final clash against Stockport County, his son Eddie has revealed. Barry, a legendary sports promoter, who has been involved in snooker, boxing, darts, football and more, previously owned the Os between 1995 and 2014. And, according to Eddie, a renowned boxing promoter, Barry felt some discomfort during the first leg of play-off encounter against Stockport and had to be taken to hospital. The 77-year-old, who has had two previous heart attacks, then had a third stent installed. A stent is a small mesh-like tube that helps to keep arteries open and is a common procedure following a heart attack. Thankfully, Barry recovered and despite the ordeal, he was remarkably present at Dave Allen's boxing clash against Johnny Fisher just a week later. Reflecting on what happened, Eddie told Boxing Social: 'He's fine. Obviously it's always very scary, that kind of thing. It was at the Orient match. It will do that to you, Leyton Orient. 'Five minutes in and he said "I'll just see out the game". Unfortunately he had to go down to the doctors and get taken to hospital, he had a heart attack. 'He had another stent. He's had three stents now, three heart attacks. As far as he's concerned he's brand new now. He played cricket at the weekend for Essex Over-70s. He scored 60. 'It actually happened the weekend before the Johnny Fisher fight, so it was back in May, and he went to the Johnny Fisher fight, five days after the heart attack.' Speaking further about his father's rapid recovery and return to normality, Eddie provided further context. 'On the Monday he had a stent put in to his artery,' he added. 'Tuesday they let him out. So he gets back home Tuesday. 'So I'm like "right, well you won't be coming to the Johnny Fisher fight". He says "no I'm f***ing coming to the Johnny Fisher fight". 'No, what are you doing? "I'm not missing the Johnny Fisher fight!" I said "dad, chill out". He goes "I'm not living my life like that, I've had a new stent, I'm brand new".' Eddie continued: 'That's what you're dealing with. When he goes, my dad, it could be next week, or it could be in 10 years, you just never know when your time's up. The 77-year-old owned Orient, who play in League One, for 19 years from 1995 to 2014 'But you will be able to say he lived to the absolute max of his life. And that's a great thing to be able to say.' Orient went on to draw the first leg against Stockport 2-2 before they progressed to the final on penalties following a 1-1 draw in the second leg. However, the Os - who were owned by Hearn when they last reached the League One play-off final in 2014 when they lost to Rotherham - were beaten 1-0 by Charlton to consign Richie Wellens' side to another season in the third tier. Hearn had previously explained the painful nature of that dramatic defeat by Rotherham 11 years ago and how it had impacted him. 'I've been paying for therapy ever since that day against Rotherham!,' he said. 'I get nightmares about it. This (the Charlton game) is my opportunity to cleanse myself, take away my therapist bills, go back to normal sleep patterns.'
The Sun
19-06-2025
- Health
- The Sun
Eddie Hearn reveals dad Barry suffered heart attack at League One play-off clash then went to boxing days later
BARRY HEARN suffered a heart attack during Leyton Orient's play-off clash with Stockport last month, his son Eddie has revealed. But amazingly, the veteran promoter was back on his feet in time to attend the Dave-Allen Johnny Fisher fight just a week later. 5 5 Hearn, 77, felt discomfort early on in Orient's semi-final first-leg and had to be taken to hospital. The snooker supremo subsequently had a third stent installed, having suffered two previous heart attacks. Reliving the ordeal in a conversation with Boxing Social, Matchroom chief Eddie Hearn said of his dad: "He's fine. Obviously it's always very scary, that kind of thing. It was at the Orient match. It will do that to you, Leyton Orient. "Five minutes in and he said 'I'll just see out the game'. Unfortunately he had to go down to the doctors and get taken to hospital, he had a heart attack. "He had another stent. He's had three stents now, three heart attacks." Hearn made a remarkably quick recovery, heading to East London's Copper Box Arena just seven days later to witness Dave Allen's knockout of the year contender against Johnny Fisher. Eddie continued: "As far as he's concerned he's brand new now. He played cricket at the weekend for Essex Over-70s. He scored 60. "It actually happened the weekend before the Johnny Fisher fight, so it was back in May, and he went to the Johnny Fisher fight, five days after the heart attack." BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK 5 Hearn, who turned 77 yesterday, was determined to get back on his feet quickly, with Eddie adding: "On the Monday he had a stent put in to his artery. Tuesday they let him out. So he gets back home Tuesday. "So I'm like 'right, well you won't be coming to the Johnny Fisher fight'. He says 'no I'm f***ing coming to the Johnny Fisher fight'. "No, what are you doing? 'I'm not missing the Johnny Fisher fight!' I said 'dad, chill out'. He goes 'I'm not living my life like that, I've had a new stent, I'm brand new.' "That's what you're dealing with. When he goes, he's actually 77 today, my dad, it could be next week, or it could be in 10 years, you just never know when your time's up. "But you will be able to say he lived to the absolute max of his life. And that's a great thing to be able to say." Orient went on to beat Stockport and book a place in the League One play-off final. Ahead of the Wembley clash with Charlton, Barry revealed to SunSport that O's' play-off final defeat to Rotherham 11 years ago left him needing therapy. Britain's leading sports promoter told SunSport: "I've been paying for therapy ever since that day against Rotherham! "I get nightmares about it. This is my opportunity to cleanse myself, take away my therapist bills, go back to normal sleep patterns." Unfortunately for Hearn, who sold the East London club in 2014, Orient were beaten 1-0 by Charlton under the Wembley arch.
The Sun
16-06-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
‘I wasn't sure I'd play again' – Snooker star Sam Craigie reveals year-long battle with horror neck injury
SNOOKER star Sam Craigie has revealed his year-long battle with a horror neck injury, admitting: 'I wasn't sure I'd play again.' Craigie, 31, is one of snooker's top players after turning professional in 2011. 6 6 6 He boasts 101 century breaks after recording a best ranking finish of third at the 2021 WST Pro Series. But Craigie is currently listed at just 84th in the world after playing his last match in September 2024. The ace vanished from sight following his English Open qualifying defeat to Michael Holt, leading to questions from fans over his future. However, Craigie has now posted a lengthy statement online revealing that he has been dealing with serious health issues. Posting several pictures of himself in hospital with scarring around his neck, the ace revealed that intense shoulder pain and a slipped disc left him unable to play. Craigie admits the setback was so bad that he even considered giving up snooker. However, he is well on the road to recovery and even got his tour card confirmed earlier this month. Craigie is now in line to compete at the Wuhan Open qualifiers on June 23 against Aaron Hill. And he is also scheduled for a British Open qualifier just days later against Yao Pengcheng. Cragie told fans on Instagram: 'Some of you might have been wondering where I have been on the World Snooker Tour. 'Not fit for purpose' - Barry Hearn slams Crucible with World Snooker Championship tipped to 'travel around world' 6 6 6 'Well, it's been a bit of a tough time of late. For around a year, I had been in & out of the GP for shoulder pain. In June 2024, I was sent for an x-ray & MRI where I found I had a tear. 'From around then the pain became almost permanent, I nearly had to withdraw from most tournaments during that time but somehow had my best result in getting to the Semi finals of the German Masters despite the pain I was in. 'Once the season finished, I decided to see a orthopaedic surgeon who informed me the pain in my shoulder was most likely coming from my neck, which was confirmed by an MRI, showing I had a slipped disc. 'I then decided to go forward with the surgery (C5/6 anterior cervical disc replacement) in July as the pain was unbearable. Thankfully, all went well, and I was discharged the following day, thinking I would be back to full health a few weeks after the surgery. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. 'The first few tournaments were only a week or 2 away at the time, but I simply couldn't get down to play a shot when I tried. I informed world snooker about the situation after withdrawing from multiple events. 'The following months, I couldn't do much at all. I wasn't sure if I'd even play snooker again. Around January 2025, I started thinking about snooker seriously again and slowly started having a few hours of practice. 'It was hard to commit to it due to still being in some pain while playing. A couple of months ago I started taking it seriously again. On Friday 6th June 2025 my tour card was confirmed so now I can get my head down and look forward to what the future holds.' Fans were quick to praise Craigie, with one saying: 'It's great you're back in the game.' Another declared: 'Wish you the best.'
