Tune into Mail Sport’s brand new boxing show ON THE CANVAS as rival promoters Eddie Hearn and Frank Warren lock horns… but with an artistic twist

Both Eddie Hearn and Frank Warren spoke to Mail Sport ahead of the Anthony Joshua v Daniel Dubois match, swapping their boxing jokes for brawls on an episode of ‘On the Canvas’.

Both men, behind a blank canvas, engaged in three rounds of boxing debate as they sketched, painted and roasted each other. And as you might expect, there was no shortage of laughter, light-hearted insults and plenty of boxing talk.

Over the course of three heated rounds, Hearn and Warren sparred over which of their fighters had the better resume heading into this weekend’s clash. They debated whether AJ or Dubois had a better shot at toppling Oleksandr Usyk if given another chance, and concluded with their bold predictions for Saturday night’s showdown.

The real centrepiece, however, was the painting that had been created in the meantime. Hearn, usually known for his smooth confidence when promoting, was quick to downplay his own artistic skills. ‘My artistic skills? Non-existent,’ the Matchroom boss chuckled, holding his pencil as if it were about to self-destruct at any moment. ‘I’d be better off doing one of those caricatures, you know, rather than abstract.’

Frank, on the other hand, walked into the room and asked about the type of paint—was it acrylic?—and the specifications of the canvas we were using. He repeatedly asked for extra time to perfect his masterpiece, clearly dedicated to perfecting every detail.

Joshua (left) and Dubois (right) will fight for the IBF heavyweight title in Wembley on Saturday

Both Hearn (left) and Warren (right) sat behind a blank canvas and engaged in three rounds of boxing debate while sketching, painting and roasting each other.

In the first round, the two promoters had to debate which fighter had the best resume since their respective losses to Oleksandr Usyk: Joshua for Hearn and Dubois for Warren.

Hearn subtly pushed the narrative that Joshua, an Olympic and two-time heavyweight champion, had walked a tougher path since his loss to Usyk. But Warren didn’t back down, pushing his own point that Dubois’ raw power made him a serious threat, then as now.

As they sketched (or tried to), the conversation began to flow. Eddie quickly ran through the numbers. “AJ’s had four fights. Daniel? He’s had two,” he noted, laying out the facts like a lawyer preparing his case.

But Warren wasn’t going to let him go. ‘Daniel could have gotten Otto Wallin out quicker! I think AJ was hesitant the first few rounds.’ Warren fired back, defending Dubois’ strength and determination.

The debate shifted from numbers to stories when Hearn and Warren began painting in round two. As the two dipped their brushes in paint, the topic shifted to which of their fighters would be the most likely to beat Usyk if given the chance again.

AJ had of course already lost twice to the Ukrainian, while Dubois himself also suffered a defeat against the reigning undisputed champion.

Here, Hearn tested Joshua’s experience and determination, making him the most tested contender for a future fight against Usyk. “The pressure on AJ’s shoulders is insane,” Hearn said, emphasizing the sheer weight of expectation Joshua has carried in recent years. He continued: “All AJ is asked is, ‘If you lose, are you going to retire?’ The pressure he’s under is on a different level, but it’s making him mentally stronger.”

“I just think he’s a different fighter. That’s largely down to the work that Ben Davison and the team have done. But look, we can all say it would be different, but Usyk is an incredible technician and he’s someone who adapts very well to what’s in front of him.

Charlotte Daly (left), expert boxing reporter for Mail Sport, hosted the hilarious artistic debate

Queensberry promoter Warren asked for extra time to perfect his masterpiece, clearly committed to perfecting every detail

Matchroom Boxing boss Hearn hilariously described his artistic skills as ‘non-existent’

“I think there’s no doubt that AJ and Daniel’s confidence is at a different level now. But it’s very difficult to say that you could absolutely beat Usyk, but I think both men would do better the second and third time.”

Frank didn’t lose faith in Dubois, though. “Daniel knows he can hurt AJ,” Warren said confidently, referencing the much-discussed rumor that Dubois once knocked Joshua down in sparring. “He knows he can hurt him, and he’s a great puncher.”

Eddie wasn’t having it though. ‘I spoke to everyone there,’ Hearn said dismissively. ‘It didn’t happen. But of course Frank signed Dubois because he dropped AJ!’

The back and forth was typical Hearn and Warren: playful, sharp and full of the promoter energy that only comes when the stakes are high and the personalities are larger than life.

In the third and final round, where both canvases looked more abstract than professional, the subject turned to the big question: who would win in front of a record 96,000 fans at Wembley this weekend?

This time the chatter reached a fever pitch. Hearn was all for his man. He had already gone to great lengths to play down the sparring rumours and was focused on pushing the narrative of Joshua’s greater experience, technical ability and proven track record under pressure.

“I think the way Daniel Dubois comes out,” Hearn began. “If he’s careful, he’s going to be in trouble. I think if he’s aggressive and goes for it, the fight could go longer, and someone gets knocked out early.

“Of course I think AJ is too smart and too experienced, that he will exploit his mistakes and that he will open him up. If he boxes aggressively, AJ will win the fight in three rounds, three rounds of booing.”

Warren and Hearn both appeared to be in good spirits when they appeared at the weigh-in on Friday

Warren expects his fighter, Dubois, to emerge victorious over Joshua at Wembley

Frank, however, remained steadfast. ‘Daniel’s got power,’ Warren repeated, making the point clear. ‘I think Daniel’s going to knock him out. I think it’s going to go four or five rounds and AJ’s going to get knocked out. I think it’s going to be exciting. I think this could even be the British answer to Hagler and Hearns. I think they’re both going to get into the trenches and it’s going to be a shootout.’

But amidst all the boxing talk, it was their reactions to their own artwork that stole the show. As the last brushes were put down and the canvases were unveiled, the promoters got their first look at the portraits they had painstakingly (or in Hearn’s case, painfully) worked on.

Eddie, always despising himself, looked down at his work and winced. “I tell you, I’d better stick to caricatures.” Frank, on the other hand, looked at Hearn’s work and couldn’t resist a snarky quip. “I’m going to hang Eddie’s drawing of me in the window to keep the burglars away,” he joked.

If this verbal and artistic confrontation is anything to go by, the fight at Wembley will be just as explosive. To watch the entire episode and witness the chaos on the canvas for yourself, head over to Mail Sport Boxing on YouTube and watch these two go head-to-head in all their sketch glory. It’s worth every minute.