Conor Benn Signs with Zuffa Boxing (again)

[Wales]

Are we underestimating Benn's value or are Zuffa overestimating it?

I mean when I saw 8 figures, which is 10million, for 1 fight? I mean I just fail to see who the hell he can fight and generate the buys to cover that plus everything else ffs. Yeah I'm sure him and Eubank covered that but neither do that vs anyone else.

The only person who he can generate that against would be Mayweather.

But Floyd was selling out based on him being p4p #1. I doubt 50 year old money grabbing Mayweather has as much appeal but he has a lot of experience building and selling fights. Benn is not a likable guy and not a name. You usually need someone who has some value as a "good guy" vs the "bad guy" in Mayweather, that's how Floyd operates but Benn won't be able to be the "good guy" with the UK behind him. He was already seen as a petulant cheat and now his image has gone even further into the bin.

What do you mean “generate it”. The Saudis don’t need to generate anything,
Cristiano Ronaldo is getting paid £15m a month! Thats not being generated, the Saudi PIF pay it as part of their “vision for 2030, boosting the economy and tourism” (basically sports washing)

They need names and names won’t go there unless they’re paid silly money .

Dubois getting £10m or AJ getting 50m for fighting Ngannou.

No fighter from the UK would fight in Saudi for the same money / deal they’d get paid for fighting in the UK.

Benn ain’t signing for them unless they’re paying life changing generational money that he can’t get here .

[Wales]

Suposidly a 1 fight 8 figure (10 million plus) deal…

I just can’t see who it could really be…

Ryan Garcia? (Surely that would of waited on the result of this fight…)

Haney?

Tank?

Pac?

PAC is the only person I can think of that Benn would be favorite against and generate enough for him to make 8 figures….

So I guess Benn is in a live one?

if it's any of them, Zuffa may have bought the most expensive sacrificial lamb in history

Its a 1 fight deal... so they arnt going to give him 10 million for a gimmie...

Also, with the streaming modal (paramount) i assume the strratergy is get a fight that UK fans will sign up for the 6 bucks a month or whatever, and then hope most of them forget to unsubscribe.

The Saudi PIF is worth like 950 billion , most wealthy sovereign wealth fund in the world.

If 950 billion was £950 then £10m would be less than a penny .

I think Benn could easily generate £10m, but they don’t care as long as they get the UK audience.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Things Eddie Hearn did for Conor Benn

Eddie Hearn signs Benn in 2016 and he makes his pro debut under Matchroom

Eddie Hearn gets Conor Benn a number of fights on some big Anthony Joshua PPV cards

Benn stays undefeated under Matchroom and they get him a WBA title fight that he wins

Eddie Hearn gives Conor Benn a new deal with Matchroom in 2021

Eddie Hearn secures the Chris Eubank Jr fight for Conor Benn in 2022

The fight gets cancelled because Conor Benn fails a drug test

Conor Benn gets suspended by the board and his career is in limbo

Eddie Hearn receives heavy criticism for publicly defending Conor Benn after his failed drug test

Eddie Hearn loans Conor Benn “hundreds of thousands” of dollars while he is out of the ring for over 500 days

Eddie Hearn continues to defend Conor Benn while he is out of the ring despite facing heavy criticism

Conor Benn’s suspension is lifted after an independent panel cleared him

Eddie Hearn once again secures Conor Benn the Chris Eubank Jr fight but this time at a 60,000 seat football stadium

Conor Benn loses the fight, making it the first loss in his career

Eddie Hearn once again gets him another Chris Eubank Jr fight, at the same stadium, and this time he wins

Now, in 2026, Conor Benn signs for Eddie Hearn’s rival, Dana Whie, without even calling Eddie Hearn

it’s a cold world out here

Source: ACD MMA

[Ruthless-RKO]

[Ruthless-RKO]

[gregregegg]

Ben vs Garcia is surely the fight.

I don’t hate it for Benn either. Garcia is way better but he suddenly can look very vunerable when being bullied (weird philli shell)…

I think if Benn just was reckless front foot he either gets chinned early or makes it interesting.

[keithmoonhangover]

Ben vs Garcia is surely the fight.

I don’t hate it for Benn either. Garcia is way better but he suddenly can look very vunerable when being bullied (weird philli shell)…

I think if Benn just was reckless front foot he either gets chinned early or makes it interesting.

Ryan didn't mention Benn's name after his fight last night. He wants Shakur next.

[coneye]

Will Benn make 147 . Garcia started off and i thought wow when this kids on he.s on . But has it went onstarted to wonder is Garcia looking real good or Barios real bad

[jameswilson]

When was the last defection that was this big?

Froch to Hearn? Fury to Warren didn't feel like that much of a 'defection.' Almost like it happened in stages that Hennessy wasn't involved there. Frampton and Quigg sort of swapping promoters seemed quite a big one, added an edge and then Frampton going alone with McGuigan.

I do have to say when I saw the intragram post my jaw hit the floor with this one. I genuinely looked at the source and was like 'this has to be one of those fake news posts' and then slowly you realise 'jesus it's true.'

[mickey1975]

When was the last defection that was this big?

Froch to Hearn? Fury to Warren didn't feel like that much of a 'defection.' Almost like it happened in stages that Hennessy wasn't involved there. Frampton and Quigg sort of swapping promoters seemed quite a big one, added an edge and then Frampton going alone with McGuigan.

I do have to say when I saw the intragram post my jaw hit the floor with this one. I genuinely looked at the source and was like 'this has to be one of those fake news posts' and then slowly you realise 'jesus it's true.'

Hearn to DAZN, after all they’d done for him.

[Phenomenal-Nutrition]

Serious question here forget the loyalty and all that i.ve read he.s gonna get 10...15 mill were sumizing its going to be a Zumma fight in the Uk . So question is WHO can Benn fighgt to generate them figures and even more so WHO can he fight that he can beat all the real big dogs will rip him apart anyone but a big name and it generates a big loss really without Hearn looking after him i can see Benns carreer going downhill he.s reached his pinnacle

Pacquaio maybe

[keithmoonhangover]

Boxers move from one promoter to another all the time, it's part of the business. Some show loyalty, like AJ, but others jump ship like Fury and Whitaker. But to not even tell Eddie face to face after everything they've been through is gutless and the act of a guy that deep down, knows he ain't doing the right thing.

[Spud MK2]

i am not going to sit on the fence any longer.

i am genuinely shocked and angered there are still
people in boxing who give excuses to the the likes of Connor .Benn …. please lets not forget he still has explanations to give reference allegedly adverse findings in 2 seperate drugs tests months apart.

Benn has had a pop at anyone whho has sooke against him … l think he a horrible deceitful ££&@
just my opinion

We are mean to feel sorry for poor eddie … all
because he leant connor hundreds of thousands of pounds so loop holes in the law couldn’t be manoeuvred so the explanations did not have to be given for the adverse findings.

eddie and connorvdeserve each other

[joshj909]

i am not going to sit on the fence any longer.

i am genuinely shocked and angered there are still
people in boxing who give excuses to the the likes of Connor .Benn …. please lets not forget he still has explanations to give reference allegedly adverse findings in 2 seperate drugs tests months apart.

Benn has had a pop at anyone whho has sooke against him … l think he a horrible deceitful ££&@
just my opinion

We are mean to feel sorry for poor eddie … all
because he leant connor hundreds of thousands of pounds so loop holes in the law couldn’t be manoeuvred so the explanations did not have to be given for the adverse findings.

eddie and connorvdeserve each other

Dana doesn't see PED's as a bad thing. He takes them himself. He knowingly put a failed test Brock Lesnar in with Mark Hunt without telling Hunt. He changed the entire drug test system used by the UFC because he wanted Conor to fight knowing he wouldn't pass a test. If anyone is going to back Conor as much as Eddie, it's Dana.

[tony1234]

By going to Zuffa it just makes Benn easier to ignore

[Spud MK2]

i hope tony sims dumps
benn

[keithmoonhangover]

i am not going to sit on the fence any longer.

i am genuinely shocked and angered there are still
people in boxing who give excuses to the the likes of Connor .Benn …. please lets not forget he still has explanations to give reference allegedly adverse findings in 2 seperate drugs tests months apart.

Benn has had a pop at anyone whho has sooke against him … l think he a horrible deceitful ££&@
just my opinion

We are mean to feel sorry for poor eddie … all
because he leant connor hundreds of thousands of pounds so loop holes in the law couldn’t be manoeuvred so the explanations did not have to be given for the adverse findings.

eddie and connorvdeserve each other

Dana doesn't see PED's as a bad thing. He takes them himself.

And he's a wife beater.

[smiling assassin]

i hope tony sims dumps
benn

Surely to train out of the matchroom gym you must have to be a matchroom fighter

[Nightmare Roy]

i am not going to sit on the fence any longer.

i am genuinely shocked and angered there are still
people in boxing who give excuses to the the likes of Connor .Benn …. please lets not forget he still has explanations to give reference allegedly adverse findings in 2 seperate drugs tests months apart.

Benn has had a pop at anyone whho has sooke against him … l think he a horrible deceitful ££&@
just my opinion

We are mean to feel sorry for poor eddie … all
because he leant connor hundreds of thousands of pounds so loop holes in the law couldn’t be manoeuvred so the explanations did not have to be given for the adverse findings.

eddie and connorvdeserve each other

Dana doesn't see PED's as a bad thing. He takes them himself.

And he's a wife beater.

Apart from that, salt of the earth

[keithmoonhangover]

Dana doesn't see PED's as a bad thing. He takes them himself.

And he's a wife beater.

Apart from that, salt of the earth

Future Nobel prize winner.

[KiwiRider]

When was the last defection that was this big?

Froch to Hearn? Fury to Warren didn't feel like that much of a 'defection.' Almost like it happened in stages that Hennessy wasn't involved there. Frampton and Quigg sort of swapping promoters seemed quite a big one, added an edge and then Frampton going alone with McGuigan.

I do have to say when I saw the intragram post my jaw hit the floor with this one. I genuinely looked at the source and was like 'this has to be one of those fake news posts' and then slowly you realise 'jesus it's true.'

Maybe Eddie thought he had done all he could with Connor?
I didn't think there was much left for him after the first Eubank fight, and yet they curled out a rematch.
If another promotor wants to throw money Benn's way, good luck to them both, but there comes a time to cut loose and I trust Eddie's experience in so far as he chose the right time ..

[rd350lc]

When was the last defection that was this big?

Froch to Hearn? Fury to Warren didn't feel like that much of a 'defection.' Almost like it happened in stages that Hennessy wasn't involved there. Frampton and Quigg sort of swapping promoters seemed quite a big one, added an edge and then Frampton going alone with McGuigan.

I do have to say when I saw the intragram post my jaw hit the floor with this one. I genuinely looked at the source and was like 'this has to be one of those fake news posts' and then slowly you realise 'jesus it's true.'

Maybe Eddie thought he had done all he could with Connor?
I didn't think there was much left for him after the first Eubank fight, and yet they curled out a rematch.
If another promotor wants to throw money Benn's way, good luck to them both, but there comes a time to cut loose and I trust Eddie's experience in so far as he chose the right time ..

I think this, he knew his ceiling long ago.

[joshj909]

Based on Dana's comments. How much do we think this is just Dana trying to get one over on Eddie? Realistically, this sounds like a bad financial investment from Zuffa to pay Benn 10m. Even if Benn goes against Pac or Garcia, they could make equally as good money with someone else but paying them far less.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Frank Smith’s take:

Matchroom feels Benn lacked loyalty

Smith suggests they believed Benn was loyal — and were wrong:

“We’ve made the mistakes now of believing he was loyal.”

He also says they never tried to block his money opportunities:

“We’re never going to stand in the way of people making money… but there’s a way to do things.”

Then the key dig:

“He obviously doesn’t have those values.”

That’s basically accusing Benn of handling his exit poorly.

————

“That’s the character he is” — Smith says this was predictable

Smith claims Benn always had this side to him:

“I always thought Conor had this kind of thing in him.”

“That’s the character he is.”

————

Matchroom built Benn’s career (their biggest point)

Smith emphasizes how much they invested in him — especially Eddie Hearn.

“Conor wouldn’t be in the position he’s in without Matchroom.”

“Without Eddie.”

He highlights the long-term support:

“10 years of grit, work, determination, investment.”

And reminds people they backed him through tough moments:

“Who would have stood by him… and not shied away from defending him week in, week out?”

This is a reference to struggles in Benn’s career (including controversy).

————

Personal relationship between Smith and Benn was rocky

Smith reveals they didn’t always get along:

“I always had a very up-and-down relationship with him.”

He says he was brutally honest with Benn:

“I tell him the truth.”

Then a sharp critique of Benn’s entourage:

Athletes like people who “blow smoke up their arse.”

And:

They “tell them what they want to hear.”

He suggests Benn prefers yes-men rather than tough feedback.

————

Still admits Benn is a huge star

Smith doesn’t go full scorched-earth.

He praises Benn’s value:

“I still believe he’s a huge commercial star.”

So this isn’t saying Benn isn’t good — just that they’re unhappy with him personally.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Based on Dana's comments. How much do we think this is just Dana trying to get one over on Eddie? Realistically, this sounds like a bad financial investment from Zuffa to pay Benn 10m. Even if Benn goes against Pac or Garcia, they could make equally as good money with someone else but paying them far less.

This one definitely has Turki’s backing.

He’s paying the money. I mean he paid him £8m for his Eubank fight.

Imagine all them UFC stars? I’d be pissed if this was on Zuffa.