Hunter parts ways with Matchroom Boxing

The next time heavyweight Michael Hunter will be in the ring, it won’t be back behind the Matchroom Boxing banner,

The 31-year-old Hunter (18-1-1, 12 KOs) as of Wednesday are parting ways after the promotional outfit opted not to renew its contract with him.

Matchroom Boxing CEO Frank Smith told Hunter on Wednesday that he will no longer be a part of the promotional outfit’s plans moving forward speaking to media outlets.

“We did not make him a new offer following the expiration of his contract,” Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn told BoxingScene.com Wednesday. “There is a lot of heavyweight congestion, and with the current issues and backlog, I didn’t feel we could deliver him fights with our outstanding obligations within the division.”

?️@MichaelHunterII targeting a fight in September after parting company with Matchroom Boxing.

UPDATE ???

— Sky Sports Boxing (@SkySportsBoxing) July 1, 2020

Hunter, when he spoke to Boxingscene, understood that this was a business decision.

“It’s all good, that’s just how life moves. It was a business move. Nothing is ever promised, and you don’t know what the next move will be,” Hunter told BoxingScene.com. “I don’t want to be fighting for someone who doesn’t want me anyway.”

In the “exit interview’ from Matchroom, Hunter felt like they were keeping him away from the heavyweights they had in-house for him to challenge. I thought Hunter would’ve been ideal for taking on as a late replacement Anthony Joshua last June once Jarrell Miller tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs and wasn’t cleared to fight.

“I was never fully embraced. I was more like an independent contractor for them,” said Hunter. “They didn’t want me to fight their in-house guys. I’m the boogeyman to them. It was hard for them to find fights for me, but I found that flattering that opponents avoided me. That’s the best badge of honor I could get … I know [not renewing my contract] was a business move, and I have no ill feelings toward them. I was a high risk, low-reward fighter for opponents.”

So what’s is next for Hunter? Still ranked high in the heavyweight rankings, most notably No. 4 in the IBF is working on a contest that would take place in September.

“I’m working on a fight in September, but I’ve parted ways with DAZN and Matchroom,” Hunter speaking Sky Sports.

“I’m putting that out there. I’m basically a free agent now, and I’m looking for opportunities. I’m not sure where that’s going to lead me.

“I love Matchroom. I don’t have a problem with Matchroom. I like the company, but I think it wasn’t feasible for them to continue to allow me to be a part of their company, but not fully embracing the company. They had to make a decision where they fully embraced me or let me go.”

Not often a top 10 heavyweight is laying around on the market. We’ll see where The Las Vegas native Hunter lands next closer to his hopeful September fight date.