Conor Benn’s switch from Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing to Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing has seen a slew of accusations thrown at the British welterweight — from “stabbing Hearn in the back” to “the biggest betrayal in boxing,” along with plenty of other Judas-like references.
Benn (24-1, 14 KOs) stands to make $15 million from his one-fight deal, which speculation suggests will take place in the UK by the end of May. His former promoter, Hearn, was upset about the situation as he made the rounds through British media. His main concern was that Benn was unable to make a phone call to discuss, implying his former fighter only wanted to communicate with him through a lawyer.
“I didn’t not want to speak with him,” Benn told Boxing King Media. “I didn’t want to go into the details of it, and I think things were very heated with the teams.”
“And knowing how I am as an individual, would that have been beneficial? Would the call have been great for us? I personally don’t think it would have.”
“But once the dust had settled and everything had calmed down, I messaged him and said, ‘I love you, mate,’ and, you know, ‘this isn’t the end of the road.’ The journey does continue.”
Matchroom developed Benn from a fighter looked over as Nigel Benn’s son, to a headline boxer in his own right, and someone who could headline back-to-back stadium events across from Chris Eubank Jr. in England. Hearn also fiercely backed Benn during the fighter’s most controversial years, as they fought to clear his name amid a drug-testing scandal.
Benn continued: “But when things are heated, I’ve said things in the moment from previous experiences where you regret saying them. Why speak in the midst of hurt, ego, pride, anger? Nothing good comes from it. I think we both could have dealt with it better privately.”
Benn’s two-weight world champion father, Nigel, helps guide Conor alongside manager Keith Connolly. When asked whether he confided in his father about the opportunity, he said: “Yeah. When my dad heard the numbers, it was a no-brainer.”
He finished: “My love for Eddie and my love for Barry [Hearn] — they are the best people I have worked with to date.
“I’ve never felt the need to go anywhere else, I’ve never wanted to go anywhere else. They’ve made me the fighter I am today.”