Forty-eight hours is a long time in boxing. Just a few days before Leigh Wood and Josh Warrington's rematch, Eddie Hearn seemed on cloud nine.

A five-year extension with DAZN, penned on Wednesday, secured another half-decade for Matchroom Boxing on both sides of the North Atlantic.

Talk of Anthony Joshua mounting a possible July return to the ring had begun to percolate. Major title fights were brewing for other marquee stars.

Despite being rooted to the Midlands, Hearn was expected to have one eye on Las Vegas, trained on Mario Barrios and Ryan Garcia's major bout.

The pair's WBC welterweight title clash would produce a winner that likely teed up a showdown with one of his stable's star men in Conor Benn.

Placed as the governing body's leading challenger despite two fights at middleweight, the Briton's likely title bid was another arrow in the quiver.

Fast forward a few days, and the landscape looked very different. Hearn had known, of course - but the wider boxing world had been caught fast.

Through thick and thin

Benn's defection from his long-term home to Zuffa Boxing wasn't just a shock. It effectively upended the entire paradigm and a generational bond.

The star had been with Matchroom since he turned professional, following in the footsteps of his father Nigel. It was where he had made his name.

It was where he had also found steadfast support during a drawn-out multi-year battle over adverse test findings that practically derailed his career.

Through thick and thin, Hearn stood in support - and last November, the duo seemingly reaped the sweetest rewards with the fighter's biggest win.

(Queensberry/Leigh Dawney)

Talk of a bout with Garcia or Barrios, or a mega-money fight with Shakur Stevenson, has swirled ever since rematch glory over Chris Eubank Jr..

Now, despite Benn's own words suggesting a desire to continue with Hearn in his corner, it appears the latter will play no part in the wider picture.

After several years of steadfast loyalty that have helped to position the fighter as one of the sport's most bankable stars, it is a significant blow.

Love him or loathe him, Hearn's position as a promoter has helped champion fighters old and young while brokering the interest of new generations.

A show of support

It was perhaps little surprise then that at his first public appearance over the weekend, plenty of his stars on a Matchroom show backed him to the hilt.

Dave Allen, the cult hero whose second lease of life has come under the promoter, may have not always seen eye to eye with Hearn over his career.

But he promised a performance in the promoter's honour and promptly put Karim Berredjem out inside a minute to the delight of nearly everyone there.

"I said to Eddie I was going to let my shots go," he said afterwards. "I've got commitment issues but not for this man here. He can get me what I want."

Support from other names down the bill, stretching from MMA convert Molly McCann to rising star Leo Atang, further underlined the love for Hearn.

Mark Robinson / Matchroom Boxing

For the latter, it surely will offer gratification after a bruising week where he admitted he assumed Benn's renewal with Matchroom was a formality.

Furthermore though, it will offer incentive for him as Zuffa's continued raids on the talent pools of traditional promoter models find further speed too.

Hearn touched on the matter himself, addressing BBC 5 Live's Boxing with Steve Bunce podcast: "I think it's a blessing to be in those kinds of battles.

"It's going to be a long, hard battle. But I'm also privileged and honoured that it seems to be a battle between me and him. And I'm well up for it."

If this is indeed the rallying cry, then the dice has been cast. One thing seems certain though - there are always those who will have his back from here on out.

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