Eddie Hearn has clarified that Henry Pollock's immediate future lies with Northampton Saints, even as the rebel league R360 has made contact. The boxing promoter, who represents Pollock through his Matchroom Talent Agency, emphasized the England international's loyalty to the club.
Pollock's Commitment
In an interview with The Independent, Hearn revealed Pollock's priorities: "When I sat down with Henry Pollock, everything that he said was about legacy. The first thing he said was, 'I don't want to leave Northampton'. The other weird thing he said was, 'I really want to be in the Olympics'."
Hearn contrasted Pollock's mindset with typical boxing clients, noting, "I work in boxing and for a lot of these guys, it's about making the biggest payday as soon as possible. He could leave and go and make a huge payday somewhere else. But he loves the club. He believes they can win the championship again, and lives 10 minutes away. He really wants to stay."
Rebel League Interest
Despite Pollock's commitment, The Independent reports that R360, the rebel league co-founded by former England captain Mike Tindall, has been in touch with Hearn. The league's launch has been pushed back to 2028. Hearn also maintains "regular contact" with Prem Rugby chief Simon Massie-Taylor and investment firm CVC Capital Partners, which holds stakes in the Premiership and Six Nations.
Criticism of Rugby's Ambition
Hearn criticized rugby's commercial approach, saying, "The market is wrong, in my opinion. This whole thing about one marquee player [at each Prem club]… it's so unambitious." He argued that limiting clubs to one star player deters investors: "People with money… Dyson, Red Bull, forget about them, American franchise investors – do you think they want to come and get involved in a sport where you can only have one star player? No, we want every star player."
He added, "People in rugby go, 'oh, we can't do that, it makes it unfair'. Well make it unfair. When you've got someone doing that, someone else will do that, and someone else will do that, and then Dyson or Red Bull will go, 'here we go'. And then some billionaire will come in, and you begin to attract all of the best players from around the world to the Premiership."
Salary Controversy
Hearn doubled down on his earlier comments about Pollock's reported £150,000 salary, calling it "outrageous." He explained, "They asked me, 'do you think it is fair what he is making at the moment?' And I said, 'no, I think it is outrageous'. He's playing over 30 games a year, getting battered in every game, every training session, he's got the whole rugby world trying to attack him on sight on the rugby pitch."
He highlighted Pollock's achievements: "Everybody is talking about him. He's 21, he's in the England team, he's in the Lions team, he's just won a championship. Every kid wants to be Henry Pollock, every kid wants to buy the Henry Pollock shirt, people are buying season tickets to watch him, buying TNT to watch him."
