Over the course of just a few hours, news has broken of how Donald Trump has tested positive for Covid-19. First Lady Melania Trump also tested positive. The ramifications here could prove to be enormous. Trump certainly has his detractors but surely everyone is hoping the President makes a full recovery, that his wife also comes through okay. In the boxing world, news broke yesterday evening UK time of how promoter Eddie Hearn has also tested positive for the coronavirus.
Like Trump – who tweeted “we will get through this together,” – Hearn is trying to remain in good spirits:
“Gutted to find out I tested positive for Covid-19 today and have to leave the bubble immediately. Thankfully all other tests were negative. Heading home to rest – catch up tomorrow,” Hearn wrote in a Twitter message last night.
Hearn’s Sunday show in Milton Keynes, headlined by Joshua Buatsi, 12-0(10) against Marko Calic, 11-0(6), for the WBA international light-heavyweight title, will go ahead as scheduled, with all the fighters on the card testing negative, as Hearn said. But how Hearn’s immediate future will be affected remains to be seen. Hearn has been very creative in his efforts to keep the big fights coming despite the coronavirus; even staging fights on his own front lawn. Hearn, like his fighters, is tested frequently and before yesterday evening he had always tested negative.
It’s not known how ill Hearn is, if he’s currently showing any symptoms of coronavirus. If he is, and if he needs to be hospitalized, Hearn, age 41, will very likely be unable to do any wheeling and dealing as far as getting big fights made. Hearn had been adamant that his fight schedule will carry on – with fans or without fans.
And there are some big fights coming up that involve Hearn; the Anthony Joshua-Kubrat Pulev fight for example. Will these fights go ahead if Hearn is immobilized? Above all, as with the President, let’s all hope Hearn pulls through at this testing time and makes a full recovery. As far as this terrible disease goes, it’s abundantly clear we are far from out of the woods yet.