Eddie Hearn vs Frank Warren: Rival promoters to pick five fighters for epic Matchroom vs Queensberry showdown in Saudi Arabia

Hearn and Warren will pick their best five fighters to do battle (Picture: Getty)

Eddie Hearn and Frank Warren have confirmed plans for a spectacular Matchroom Boxing vs Queensberry Promotions card in Saudi Arabia later this year.

Two of boxing’s leading promoters will select their five best fighters from their respective stables to take on their rivals in a unique boxing tournament with bragging rights on the line.

Hearn and Warren have been two of British boxing’s most fierce rivals for years but are now working together alongside Turki Alalshikh, the head of Saudi’s General Entertainment Authority (GEA) and the man credited with bringing some of the sport’s biggest names together.

The Matchroom vs Queensberry event was teased earlier this week during the press conference unveiling Anthony Joshua’s March showdown with Francis Ngannou with Hearn and Warren shaking hands on stage over the plans.

A date and fight card will be announced in the first week of March.

While Matchroom and Queensberry fighters have fought against each other in the past, this is the first time they will be coming up against each other representing their respective promotional groups.

The card could be led by a long-awaited showdown between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury, the biggest stars of Matchroom and Queensberry respectively.

Fury will fight Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight title next month with Joshua in action against Ngannou three weeks later.

Should both emerge victorious, hopes for their Battle of Britain to finally take place will ramp up once again.

At light-heavyweight, there is the intriguing possibility of Anthony Yarde, represented by Warren, taking on Callum Smith.

The Queensberry chief is also ready to put his money where his mouth is and bet Hearn £1million his fighters will come out on top.

‘First of all, we have got to sort out the weights and what the weight divisions will be. We will work that out and then between us see who it is [that we want to pick].’ Warren told Mail Sport.

‘The good thing about it, because there is five fights, there will be a winner. One of the teams will win, unless we get a draw, and to make it a little more spicy I would like to have a wager on it with him [Eddie Hearn] as well. [I will bet] a million pounds.’