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Backyard Fight Nights: How Eddie Hearn Revolutionized Boxing During the Pandemic

Building an Arena in the Backyard

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit and live sports events were canceled, boxing promoter Eddie Hearn found himself in a bind. He had already booked several fight shows, with venues, flights, and hotels all paid for. But with the government shutting down all live events, Hearn was left scrambling.

Sitting on the stairs of his childhood home, Hearn had an idea - he would build a fight camp right in his own backyard. He pitched the plan to his father, saying they would create an arena in the garden, hire a nearby hotel to serve as a bubble, and isolate the fighters for testing before ferrying them up to the makeshift venue.