Eddie Hearn defended Montana Love after he shoved Stevie Spark out of the ring on Saturday night.
Love was looking for the WBA Intercontinental super lightweight belt when he faced his Australian opponent, but was on the back foot after being sent to the canvas, and then suffering a cut above his eye after a clash of heads.
With the American aware that the fight might end prematurely while he was behind on the cards, a sense of urgency, or perhaps desperation, led Love to attack but he then pushed Spark onto and over the ropes, and out of the ring.
Spark seemed nonplussed at the event but returned to the ring apparently unhurt, before the referee waved off the fight and disqualified Love.
Speaking to DAZN after the fight, Hearn defended his fighter.
“I saw it right in front of me. It was a terrible decision by the referee,” he said. “He acted way too quickly. It was 20-30 seconds of madness, from the headbutt to the doctor coming in, I don’t know. Everyone looked lost in the decision-making process. Montana was rough but he was right, he didn’t pick him up.
“Credit to Stevie Spark. When he fell out of the ring, he got right back up and made his way back to the ring. Montana Love didn’t look for a way out, it was turning into a real fight. Montana got off the floor. The referees got to stop making these quick decisions. The referee has a tough job but that was a poor decision. Maybe we’ll do it again.”
Love also said he had not picked up his opponent, and had not meant to eject Spark from the ring.
“I’m holding the rope. He elbowed me, was doing dirty tactics all night, roughhousing,” he stated. “I’m not one of those guys that’s going for that. So, I pushed him off me. I never intentionally [pushed Spark out of the ring]. I’m not picking him up. He’s wrapping his arm around me, grabbing me, and I just pushed him. It ain’t no I picked him up and pushed out the ring. It was just a terrible call.”