Scott Fitzgerald: Eddie Hearn lays out lengths he went to in bid to "save" jailed Preston boxer

The Commonwealth Games champion was handed a 46-week prison sentence this week after Preston Crown Court heard how Levi Francis was left with a broken jaw following a devastating blow inflicted near the Grand Junction pub in Watery Lane, Ashton.

Fitzgerald could be released in a matter of days having already spent around six months in prison awaiting trial. The incident was fuelled by drink and drugs and while the court heard the 31-year-old was now sober he does have other legal proceedings pending.

Hearn was asked by IFL TV about this week’s court proceedings and revealed the lengths he went to in a bid to get the one-time British super-welterweight champion back on track as his life spiralled out of control.

“I don’t want to talk too much about Scott Fitzgerald’s personal situation because I was involved with him for a long time behind the scenes more than anyone will know,” said the Matchroom chief, who helps guide the careers of some of the sport’s biggest names, including Anthony Joshua and Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez.

“He had a fantastic career ahead of him. He beat Anthony Fowler, he was a huge ticket seller from Preston, he had so many opportunities. I was probably a little bit naive because I felt I could help him, and I felt I could talk to him. I’d drive up to meet him or he’d come to the office and I thought naively I could snap him out of it. He’s a great lad and sometimes it would break my heart to see him in meetings and think ‘I can’t believe what’s happened to you’. He had his whole life ahead of him but it just shows in life, no matter what the picture looks like to you from the outside, everyone’s different and some people are struggling so much in themselves that you can’t help them or save them.”

Hearn believes hitting rock bottom might be what Fitzgerald needs to rebuild his life.

“Honestly, I think this will be the best thing that happens to Scott Fitzgerald,” he added. ”Maybe I’m over-speaking here but time in prison might be the thing that allows him to get himself right. He had the world in front of him but it was irrelevant. I’ve never seen this before with one of my fighters and hopefully this will get him right and he can rebuild his life.”

After winning gold in Glasgow in 2014, Fitzgerald has won all 15 of his professional fights - 10 of them by knockouts. He won the WBA international super-welterweight title in March 2019 and then the British title in October 2019. But due to the pandemic he could not return to the ring until May 2021 when he beat Frenchman Gregory Trenel, stopping him in the third round.