Anthony Joshua vs Andy Ruiz: Eddie Hearn hoping world title fight will be a 'breakout night'

By bringing the IBF, WBA and WBO heavyweight champion to New York's Madison Square Garden, Hearn believes it can prove to be the start of a run of success

Eddie Hearn believes Saturday's fight between Anthony Joshua and Andy Ruiz Jr represents the "breakout night" for not only the world heavyweight champion but also for Matchroom USA.

Since re-establishing Matchroom as a major promotional force in the UK, Hearn has come under increasing pressure after expanding into the US, where he has received significant financial backing by streaming service DAZN.

If the more rewarding option was to pursue boxing's most influential market, it will perhaps permanently remain politically sensitive.

Hearn had been given the monopoly of the boxing content of Sky Sports, with whom he has a long-term relationship, but their demands and those of DAZN will occasionally be in conflict and he is also at risk of being expected to deliver too much.

Largely owing to resistance from the US' established boxing powers, Hearn and DAZN are yet to have the influence they had hoped, but by bringing the IBF, WBA and WBO heavyweight champion to New York's Madison Square Garden he believes Joshua excelling will prove the start of a run of success.

After the retirements of Lennox Lewis and Mike Tyson, heavyweight boxing had lost its appeal in the US until Joshua-Wladimir Klitschko and Deontay Wilder-Tyson Fury, but it is Joshua who is considered the world's leading heavyweight and it is hoped that his US debut could make a wider mark.

"This is a major moment for Matchroom USA," Hearn said.

"It's very, very important - selling out The Garden for the world heavyweight championship is why I've invested a lot of money in the card. This is ours, and Joshua's, breakout night in the US.

"We've done five or six shows now, which are going really well, but this is by far the biggest we've done over here and a chance for a wider audience to see what Matchroom do on fight night, and the atmosphere we can create, albeit with 8,000 (travelling) British fans as well.

"DAZN have two iconic fighters - multiple flagship fighters - but the two biggest fighters in the world are Canelo (Saul Alvarez) and Joshua. They're the reason we are here - DAZN. They're driving subscriptions. They're the ones who put the money up and said 'We want Joshua to make his US debut; it's important moving forward that he increases his profile in America'.

Hearn is hoping for a big performance from his main man (PA)

"They'll be the ones trying to make him fight here more often because the UK ones don't really do the same business in the US that the US-based fights do. This is the hub - once something mega goes on in New York it sends shockwaves around the country, so this is really important that they managed to bring him here.

"It's definitely not the last time he'll box in America; he misses the UK and there's nothing like it in terms of atmosphere, so he definitely wants to box back there, probably next, but America's going to be an important market to him."