Barry Hearn on cancer surgery: The only thing that can ruin my life.

According to The Sun: Barry Hearn notes that 'the only thing that can ruin my life is death', recounting his prostate cancer surgery that he underwent last year while filming a new show.

The legendary British sports promoter underwent this procedure while filming a Netflix documentary titled 'Matchroom: The Biggest Show', which premieres today on the platform.

Eddie, 46 years old, learned about his father's surgery during a classy lunch in London.

Recovery after the surgery turned out to be difficult: Barry had to refrain from any 'physical activity' for six weeks, causing him to miss the Anthony Joshua heavyweight title fight against Daniel Dubois in September 2024.

Barry, who founded his business in 1982 and now 'claims his fortune exceeds a billion pounds', has already survived three heart attacks. The first one occurred in 2002, and the second in April 2020 when he had surgery to insert two stents early in the Covid pandemic.

According to Eddie, the last attack happened during a match between Leyton Orient and Stockport at Wembley Stadium in May.

The stress from work — Barry manages boxing, darts, snooker, fishing, and nine-ball pool — has already taken its toll.

“We have a small problem with the prostate, which means we need to go through various important parts of my body and remove a bit of it,” Barry told his son about the surgery.

Eddie noted: “The problem is that with my father, you never know how serious it is because he won't tell you. I worry a lot about it.”

“Life is a great humbler. You are never invincible. Our family means everything to us, and I have no other heroes besides my father,” he added.

Barry emphasized: “The only thing that can ruin my life is death. And the good Lord will decide when the time comes to go.”

He also added that he wants his ashes scattered on a private lake that has 64 carp named after colleagues. He is confident that even if he needs to slow down in making decisions, that is unlikely to happen.

“I found in Eddie someone who can replace me and add to the empire,” Barry noted.

The Netflix series consists of six episodes and is styled like 'Legacy', where Eddie is preparing to take over the business.

Eddie believes that 'people know him more than Barry Hearn, and that part of this is what he wants.'

This news underscores not only the importance of Barry's personal trials but also his indomitable spirit. In times of hardship, family and sports empire remain important priorities for him, and their shared history is an interesting element of the new documentary that is likely to capture the attention of many viewers. Watching Eddie try to carve out his place in the Hearn dynasty gives us a chance to see how the inheritance of responsibility clashes with the legacy of great achievements.