“I’m sorry for Jai Opetaia because not only has he been mugged off from Zuffa Boxing on the IBF, now they’re making Jai Opetaia be the scapegoat and put everything on him,” Hearn said to iFL TV. “This is not about Jai Opetaia. Zuffa, in my opinion, have made Jai do this, and this is a Zuffa fight.”

Hearn revealed that a legal letter had already been sent to Opetaia’s representatives.

“I’ve instructed my lawyers today to write to his lawyers and let him know you withdraw me from that complaint, you retract any statement, or I will sue you for defamation because you don’t talk about me like that,” Hearn said. “Not in this sport and not in the way we do business. We have a reputation of over 40 years which is completely squeaky clean across all sport.”

Hearn believes the dispute began after he publicly questioned how boxing’s sanctioning bodies would respond to Zuffa Boxing’s plans for its own championship.

“It’s because I made a comment where I said these governing bodies are going to fight back. They’re not going to stand for Zuffa coming out and saying, ‘We don’t want to work with the governing bodies,'” Hearn said. “I’ve got nothing to do with the IBF. I’ve got nothing to do with Jai Opetaia. But you want to start talking about me in circles, you’ll pay the price.”

Hearn maintained that Opetaia may simply be following advice from others, but made it clear he intends to defend Matchroom’s reputation if his name remains part of the legal complaint.