Boxing promoter Frank Warren is suing former world boxing champion Ricky Burns for about £2M ($3.2M), saying the Scotsman was "tapped up" by rival promoter Eddie Hearn, according to the BBC. Burns told the High Court in London that he "pulled out of an agreement with Warren's company because of unpaid fight purses." Warren, however, said, "He got tapped up. That's the bottom line. Behind the scenes he got tapped up by another promoter. That's what this is all about and it's very disappointing." Warren wants the money "he says he lost when former WBO lightweight champion Burns signed with Hearn last year." The relationship "ended after a successful title defence in Glasgow" was promoted by Hearn's Matchroom Sport Ltd. Burns subsequently signed an "exclusive promotional deal
with Hearn's company and signed up Alex Morrison as his sole manager." In his High Court claim, Warren "says the moves were in
breach of a series of binding agreements he had signed with the boxer." Warren said that he is due about £90,000 ($145,100) in unpaid manager's commission and that his company is owed £1.8M ($2.9M) in lost income. He added that he had "done what he could to help Burns' career,
often to his detriment as a promoter, such as pushing for a fight to be
held in Scotland when overseas venues would have paid better." Describing Burns as having a "massive heart,"
Warren said, "Up until this litigation, I quite liked him. Now I am
very disappointed. Very, very disappointed." Burns disputes that Warren "provided any more than
promotion" after '10 and said the agreement with WPL was "cancelled by
non-payment of full fight fees" (BBC, 10/8).
