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Hearn slams 'stubborn' De La Hoya

Amir Khan will be hoping his boxing skills take centre stage when he fights Paul McCloskey © Getty Images

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Big fight preview - Khan a bridge too far for McCloskey

Paul McCloskey's promoter Eddie Hearn has blasted Oscar De La Hoya, insisting that his company have committed "commercial suicide" in the lead up to his charge's fight with Amir Khan.

WBA light-welterweight champion Khan puts his belt on the line against McCloskey at Manchester's MEN Arena on Saturday night. Rather than focusing on the fight itself, a lot of the pre-fight hype has centred on Sky's decision to pull the contest from their pay-per-view billing.

The broadcasting giant decided to exert a degree of quality control, instead downgrading the event to Sky Sports 3. Khan's team took exception to this, however, preferring to shun Sky's offer in favour of striking up a deal with minor pay-per-view outfit Primetime.

Hearn has since blasted Khan's advisers, claiming his fighter will now earn more from the fight than the champion. De La Hoya, whose Golden Boy Promotions company works with Khan across the Atlantic, hit back saying: "When Khan decided to go to Primetime, people are saying 'what are you doing, you're crazy!' Well, years from now we're going to see who is crazy. HBO didn't pick up this fight for free. If you think Amir Khan is not making money, you've got another thing coming."

Never one to mince his words, Hearn responded with interest, criticising De La Hoya for being 'stubborn'.

"I respect you totally but I do not respect your knowledge of boxing in the UK and the television market," he said. "To say that it is about the fans and take it off the biggest platform in the UK and put it on a small channel with about 5,000 viewers is total commercial suicide.

"To cost your client £1.5million is unacceptable to any sportsman. If we keep doing things like this, we'll kill the game. Don't be stubborn and stupid and kill your relationship with Sky. It shows stubbornness and a lack of understanding of the TV market. There's not one person who thinks this was the right decision."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.