Ronnie O’Sullivan v Hossein Vafaei: Snooker chief Barry Hearn 'fell off chair laughing' after Vafaei jibe
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Updated 21/04/2023 at 08:30 GMT
“It’s good because it’s real – it’s not invented like WWE.” Barry Hearn struggled to hide his glee when asked by Eurosport about the looming grudge match between Ronnie O’Sullivan and Hossein Vafaei at the World Championship. The pair have been locked in a war of words ahead of the Crucible showdown, with Vafaei aiming to “shut” O’Sullivan’s mouth after an astonishing attack on his former hero.
'Not invented like WWE' - Hearn hypes O'Sullivan v Vafaei rivalry
WST president Barry Hearn confessed he fell off his chair laughing after hearing Hossein Vafaei claim Ronnie O’Sullivan was “such a nice person – when he’s asleep”.
O’Sullivan and Vafaei meet in a hotly anticipated grudge match in the World Championship second round across three sessions on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
The build-up to the match has been dominated by their war of words. Vafaei said he wants to “shut” O’Sullivan’s mouth in an astonishing broadside after the seven-time champion warned other players to not “rattle my cage” earlier in the week.
Hearn said that genuine rivalries could only help snooker, especially with the younger generation.
Speaking to Eurosport ahead of the match, the 74-year-old said: “The trouble with snooker is you say: ‘I’ve got two lovely lads out there, they’re playing a lovely game and playing really well’. And the younger audience go ‘it’s a bit yawny, we need something’.
“Someone making a fabulous shot or Kyren Wilson’s 147, things like that, are of course massive news and are brilliant to entertain fans. But we are in the entertainment business.
“I mean I love Hossein’s comment – ‘I like Ronnie O’Sullivan when he’s asleep’. I just fell off my chair laughing.
“And I can see Ronnie going ‘let’s get on the table and see who’s got the funny lines after that’. I think it will inspire Ronnie to be his best and I think the other guy is a b***** good player as well. This is a cracking game.”
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'I like having something to prove' - O'Sullivan on Vafaei criticism
Hearn cheekily compared the build-up to the iconic boxing double-header between Nigel Benn and Chris Eubank in the 1990s, and the regularly mooted, but as yet unsigned, heavyweight clash between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.
“What a fight! Eubank v Benn. AJ v Tyson Fury. My son [boxing promoter] Eddie said to me the other day ‘Dad, let me do the promotion on this one!’” joked Hearn.
He continued: “It’s also good because it’s real. It’s not invented like WWE and rehearsed. This is real between two great players and it’s going to be a great snooker match.
“But all of a sudden there’s another level of interest, perhaps to a wider audience. There’s a smell of a little bit of conflict in the air which sells tickets, puts bums on seats and gains viewers.”
Asked whether he wants to see more rivalry in the sport, he added: “I want to see whatever’s natural.
“I don’t want to see it invented and obviously I want to see it reasonably controlled. But at the same time, if there is a little edge to a match, I’m in.”
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Vafaei wants to 'shut' O'Sullivan's mouth as he flames rivalry
O'Sullivan and Vafaei have a long-standing prickly relationship.
Vafaei memorably told O'Sullivan to retire for being "disrespectful" ahead of the 2022 World Championship and claimed he was "not good for the game".
However, O'Sullivan insisted on Thursday he wants Vafaei to win the whole tournament should he be eliminated by the Iranian in their duel – and rejected suggestions the pair had deliberately tried to make it more like a boxing fight.
"I wish I was getting paid boxer's money, Tyson Fury's money! We are not. I don't think I have said anything to personalise things. I'm sure we will hug and make up at some point," O'Sullivan told Eurosport.
"If I don't go on and win the tournament then I would love to see him go on and win the tournament. It would probably be the best thing for snooker and would do great for the game. It is his chance to make himself a superstar.
"I don't want him to feel like there is pressure on him. I don't want to put that on myself or anyone. He works hard and if he beats me then he deserves some credit.
"A lot of the players have said certain things about me or done certain things and I've just thought 'that wasn't very nice' and it just inspires me to want to stay in the game longer. The more they want me to go, the more I want to hang around."
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