I assume Eddie is telling the truth about the terms of the contract. He stands to lose too much in terms of reputational damage to have gone out on such a limb otherwise. Beyond that, a rematch clause in favour of the champ is fairly standard for any fight, let alone where the contender was being given a shot that they hadn't really earned. Which is not to say that such a clause necessarily dictates one sole outcome.
What we appear to have is a game of chicken, Ruiz hoping Hearn will blink. Even though Hearn is driving the bigger, more robust vehicle, and Ruiz will be the one driven off the road should they collide, Eddie still stands to suffer some inconvenient damage if he ploughs headline into Ruiz's piece of junk.
Hearn has legal precedent on his side, in the very similar case of Rahman trying to weasel out of his rematch with Lennox Lewis. But the wheels of the law turn slowly and that is a potential headache for Hearn/Joshua.
What we appear to have is a game of chicken, Ruiz hoping Hearn will blink. Even though Hearn is driving the bigger, more robust vehicle, and Ruiz will be the one driven off the road should they collide, Eddie still stands to suffer some inconvenient damage if he ploughs headline into Ruiz's piece of junk.
Hearn has legal precedent on his side, in the very similar case of Rahman trying to weasel out of his rematch with Lennox Lewis. But the wheels of the law turn slowly and that is a potential headache for Hearn/Joshua.
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