Conor Benn Signs with Zuffa Boxing (again)

[Oiky]

Can't have it both ways, can't weigh in on people on the radio and then when you get them in front of you don't say boo.

Got no time for that, and I appreciate a lot of boxing media is rubbish, basically people who want to keep in jobs and don't want to lose out on being in the press at shows, and fairplay for admitting the interview was s**t and not in line with how you usually talk but get someone else to do the interview then, who doesn't strong their opinions like you do, or have the interview and lay your cards on the table.

cringe

[mickey1975]

Everyone saying Prograis is out. Jack Catterall says he'll step in. No way would Benn take that.

[CaptainSpacerod]

Everyone saying Prograis is out. Jack Catterall says he'll step in. No way would Benn take that.

Zuffa might insist that he does

[Taansend]

Regis said its Bollocks.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Conor Benn denies he borrowed £500,000 from promoter Eddie Hearn

Eddie Hearn revealed he had loaned Conor Benn $500,000 during his legal battle but the fighter denies he ever borrowed money from the promoter

Conor Benn has denied he borrowed money from Eddie Hearn.

Benn sent shockwaves through the sport of boxing last month when he split from Hearn and signed a one-fight, $15million deal with UFC CEO Dana White's fledgling Zuffa Boxing promotion. Benn will make his debut for the outfit against Regis Prograis next weekend on the undercard of Tyson Fury's comeback fight against Arslanbek Makhmudov.

Since losing his fighter, Hearn claimed he had loaned Benn $500,000 in the aftermath of his failed dug test in 2022 which saw his bout with Chris Eubank Jr cancelled at the last minute. Hearn claimed Benn had since paid him back - but the fighter denies he ever took money from his promoter.

“No one paid my legal bills. He [Hearn] didn't lend me a cent, I paid the legal bills myself," he told The Overlap. "No one called up and checked to see if I had food on the table. I had to do that myself. And that's a big part of the reason as to why no one's going to defend you.



"No one's going to have your back when you're done and forgot about. You have to look after yourself and your family. And that three years taught me what I know now. It's a short career and that taught me what I know now. No one's there to cover me or my family. I am."

Hearn has branded Benn "a dog" for the way he left his promotional outfit, but the fighter insists he wants to patch up their relationship. "It's hard when you're talking the money you're talking," he added. "You can't say it's painful because my loyalty is not with Matchroom Boxing. I love Matchroom. I'm forever grateful.

"Anyone can come out and say anything they ever want about me. My love for Eddie [Hearn], my love for Matchroom will always be there. You know, for Barry [Hearn], the number of times that we've sat down in his office and spoke about life and about everything that helps me be the best, not just fighter, but using my business brain.

For me, I can't even say heartbreaking because ultimately it is what it is. It's a business decision and you have to make the best decision for you, your family and your career. And for me, this is the best decision.

“I didn’t tell Eddie Hearn that I was moving on. I sent him a nice long message saying, 'let's catch up once the dust has settled and once all this has been sorted out'. We didn't know the outcome then, whether it [the offer] was going to be matched or not and I said, listen, we'll speak as soon as this is done. I want to speak to Matchroom Boxing. I want to speak to Eddie because outside of business, which this is, we're friends. And the thing is, this is so public [and] well it can hurt people's egos.”

[Ruthless-RKO]

Drastic money difference behind Zuffa switch - Benn

Conor Benn says a "drastic" difference in money was behind his switch from Eddie Hearn's Matchroom Boxing to Dana White's Zuffa Boxing as he "made the best decision" for his family.

The 29-year-old had been with Matchroom Boxing since he turned professional in 2016 but joined Zuffa in February in a move Hearn described as being a "dagger in the heart" for him.

Hearn said he had learned of Benn's decision via an email from his lawyer and that he had made a "mistake" in trusting the boxer.

"This is one of those decisions where I sit down and I go, 'it changes not just my kids' lives but my kids' kids lives'," Benn told the Overlap podcast., external

"There's nothing I would not be willing to do in the interests of my kids and family over anybody."

Benn, who will fight Regis Prograis on the undercard of Tyson Fury's comeback on 11 April, confirmed the deal with Zuffa Boxing is for one fight, and it is reportedly worth an eight-figure fee to the Englishman.

"It's hard when you're talking the money you're talking," he added. "You can't say it's painful because my loyalty is not with Matchroom - I love Matchroom and am forever grateful [to them]. My love for Eddie and Matchroom will always be there.

"You can't even say heartbreaking because, ultimately, it's a business decision and you have to make the best decision for you, your family and your career. For me, this is the best decision."

Benn is the son of former two-weight world champion Nigel and he said his father "instantly" approved of his switch to Zuffa.

"Yes, drastic," added Benn when asked if the financial difference behind his switch was so significant.

"It's money where you go, 'if you're a couple of million out you go, yeah, we can sort it out'. It's not that."

'I'm paying in blood'

Benn failed a voluntary drugs test - twice testing positive for the banned substance Clomifene in 2022 - and, following a two-year battle with authorities, his provisional suspension was lifted in November 2024.

He has since fought Chris Eubank Jr in two blockbuster bouts - losing the first fight but winning the second - and he said his recent experiences had played a part in his decision.

"Any fight could be your last fight," said Benn. "And, after the three years I've had, I promised myself I would never be in a position again where I have to feel the way I felt.

"It all fell on me. No-one paid my legal bills. He [Hearn] didn't lend me a cent. I paid the legal bills 100% myself.

"That three years taught me what I know now. No-one's there to cover me or my family - I am."

Benn has won 24 of his 25 professional bouts, with his only loss coming in the first fight against Eubank Jr.

He acknowledges he "wouldn't be around today without Matchroom and what they've done and guided me".

"Of course I've spoken to him [Hearn]," Benn told BBC Sport. "It is what it is, it's business and that's all it is.

"I'll always have a friendship with Eddie. Whether he reciprocates that or not is entirely up to him.

"I'm not in this sport to make enemies. I'm here to do the best by my family and give my family the best life possible.

"Also, I'm excited about this journey in my career. It's a new chapter.

"I'm paying in blood. This is violent money. This isn't easy, so I've made the right decision."

Zuffa Boxing is backed by UFC chief Dana White and Saudi Arabian capital.

White's ultimate aim is to sideline the four traditional sanctioning bodies - the WBO, WBC, IBF and WBA - and make Zuffa's belt the premier world title alongside the Ring Magazine title, an organisation owned by Saudi boxing powerbroker Turki Alalshikh.

Benn said his move was "a quick turnaround" and after the one-fight deal he will be a free agent.

"I can do my own, go to Matchroom or stay with Zuffa. It's very short-sighted, the approach," he said, while admitting a one-fight deal is not normal.

"But the big noise that it made, it was worth it," added Benn, who described White as a "very good guy" who "wants to make a big move into boxing".

[rd350lc]

Sure I saw some posts on social media that this is off.
Anyone know if it's the case?

[Taansend]

If Hearn 'loaned' Benn half a million quid there will be trails of some kind.

Someone is lying & the other one can prove it.

I suspect the real truth lies somewhere in between.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Haha!

FFS!

Just gets better

[SeanBrennan]

It’s hard to find sympathy for either party but for once Matchroom are fully in the right

[SeanBrennan]

Although I suspect they’ll all be friends soon

[Ruthless-RKO]

Conor Benn: Fallout with Matchroom is ’short-sighted’ of promoter

Conor Benn has described as “short-sighted” Matchroom’s reaction to his departure for Zuffa Boxing.

The 29-year-old on Saturday fights Regis Prograis on the undercard of Tyson Fury-Arslanbek Makhmudov in what represents his first contest at welterweight for four years and the only one for which he has committed to Zuffa.

It was under Matchroom’s guidance that Benn made his professional debut and became one of British boxing’s richest and highest-profile figures.

The announcement of his signing for Zuffa – and Zuffa’s and Dana White’s status as a potential threat to the ambitions of Matchroom and Eddie Hearn – therefore made such a significant impression on observers of and those within their profession that the recriminations are continuing to unfold.

Hearn was particularly critical of Benn not speaking to him directly to tell him of the development. Benn regardless insisted that he hoped that their friendship could be maintained. Hearn’s father Barry – who worked on fights involving Benn’s celebrated father Nigel – has also criticised the welterweight; so, too, has Matchroom’s chief executive Frank Smith.

Eddie Hearn insists that he loaned Benn £500,000 while he was serving a suspension for testing positive for clomifene. Benn insists that that isn’t true. What is recognised beyond doubt is that Matchroom guided him through the difficult period of his career that followed his twice testing positive for the banned substance in the build-up to his cancelled date with Chris Eubank Jnr in 2022, that on Saturday Benn will earn a career-high purse reported to be in the region of $15,000,000, and that on Sunday he will be a free agent once again.

“I don’t have any ill feeling towards – I can’t say Matchroom – but towards Eddie or Frank for coming out with the things that they’ve come out with,” Benn told Boxing Scene. “I think that’s maybe maturity or age. But ultimately I’d be mentally ill if I didn’t take this opportunity, considering the [other] offers weren’t even close. It’s not even close. Not close at all.

“You’d sit down and you’d go ‘Well done, Con’, one-fight deal’. It’s a bit short-sighted of them, in my opinion. But based on my experience – my life experience so far – I’m not here to make enemies. I ain’t got it in me to make enemies. I’m here to give my family the best life. If you can understand that, you understand that. If you don’t, you don’t. But ultimately they make decisions best for them and the business – the family business – and they wouldn’t do anything to put the family business in jeopardy. They’d choose the business over me. They’d choose the business over other fighters. Not in a bad way. It just is what it is – you would. So when the fighter comes to do it, the fighter ultimately has one career. They don’t have multiple.

“I’m a bit disappointed on a friendship level. I’m a bit upset that they’re not happy for me, because I made them a lot of money. But I’ve got to look at my family. If you want to talk about loyalty, my loyalty’s to my kids [son Eli, five, and daughter Idony, two] before anybody, because when my career’s said and done, are you gonna pay my bills? Are you gonna pay my mortgage? Are you gonna pay for my kids to go to private school? When I’m all said and done and not a hot topic anymore?

“No one pays for my dad’s bills – and it’s not their job to. It’s my dad’s job to. You make the best decisions for your family and that’s exactly what I’ve done – as they do every single day.

“When a fighter doesn’t do good numbers, guess what – they don’t get put on. But they’ve got a family, right? When I’m not hot news, will I get ringside seats still, at a push? Let alone financial. I take that responsibility on myself to do the best decision for my family.

“I haven’t really seen much of the noise. But, if you’re my friend, as all my friends have – they’re so proud of the door that’s opened and the amount of money I’m making for Regis, it’s insane. But all my friends are happy for me. As a friend, you’d be happy for me that I’ve gone through what I’ve gone through in order to get this deal. ‘Wow, well done, Con’, you’ve set your family up for life.’ That’s not the energy I got or have been getting [from Matchroom]. It’s more, anger, and not happy for me. Knowing that they’re probably all sitting at the table thinking about how they could destroy the deal, or not let the deal go ahead, but it really changes mine and my family’s lives, and I’m blessed that I’ve had this opportunity.”

Benn has refused to rule out a reunion with Matchroom after the fight with the 37-year-old Prograis.

For all that he has been so open and so vocal about the decision Benn has taken, it also remains possible that in sufficiently appealing circumstances Hearn would be willing to promote him again.

“When you’re talking eight figures it’s not really a shit storm, is it?” Benn then responded when asked how the criticism he has endured compared to that that followed the clomifene controversy of 2022. “I don’t know – I’m not on social media, so I don’t see the noise. But I’m also – it don’t change my reality. Heat for changing my family’s life? Heat for signing a mega deal that others can dream of? Heat for having a third stadium fight on the run? Heat for what?

“I don’t really feel much, because does it matter? Does it matter? I like that I’m giving people things to talk about. I like that people are talking, ‘cause when they’re not talking that’s the problem – good or bad. Some people will agree with my decision; some people don’t. I don’t need to seek the approval or validation of anyone. I make the decision I feel’s right for me; for my career; my family; my life. It’s my career; it’s my family; it’s my kids’ life. Everything else is just – why would someone’s opinion matter to me? I don’t even know your name. You’ll never be in my position; you’ll never be in my shoes.

“Many other fighters may say this and say that; they’ll never have an offer for eight figures sitting on the table. They’ll never have the opportunities that I had. They’ll never have this. I just wouldn’t even think to comment on somebody else’s situation or business decision or family decision. But if other fighters wanna do that to me it makes no difference. I’m not even gonna know them in a year’s time; two years’ time. I don’t even talk to fighters now.

“I honestly just stay in my zone. I don’t talk to many fighters – I don’t talk to no fighters.”

[smiling assassin]

Conor Benn: Fallout with Matchroom is ’short-sighted’ of promoter

Conor Benn has described as “short-sighted” Matchroom’s reaction to his departure for Zuffa Boxing.

The 29-year-old on Saturday fights Regis Prograis on the undercard of Tyson Fury-Arslanbek Makhmudov in what represents his first contest at welterweight for four years and the only one for which he has committed to Zuffa.

It was under Matchroom’s guidance that Benn made his professional debut and became one of British boxing’s richest and highest-profile figures.

The announcement of his signing for Zuffa – and Zuffa’s and Dana White’s status as a potential threat to the ambitions of Matchroom and Eddie Hearn – therefore made such a significant impression on observers of and those within their profession that the recriminations are continuing to unfold.

Hearn was particularly critical of Benn not speaking to him directly to tell him of the development. Benn regardless insisted that he hoped that their friendship could be maintained. Hearn’s father Barry – who worked on fights involving Benn’s celebrated father Nigel – has also criticised the welterweight; so, too, has Matchroom’s chief executive Frank Smith.

Eddie Hearn insists that he loaned Benn £500,000 while he was serving a suspension for testing positive for clomifene. Benn insists that that isn’t true. What is recognised beyond doubt is that Matchroom guided him through the difficult period of his career that followed his twice testing positive for the banned substance in the build-up to his cancelled date with Chris Eubank Jnr in 2022, that on Saturday Benn will earn a career-high purse reported to be in the region of $15,000,000, and that on Sunday he will be a free agent once again.

“I don’t have any ill feeling towards – I can’t say Matchroom – but towards Eddie or Frank for coming out with the things that they’ve come out with,” Benn told Boxing Scene. “I think that’s maybe maturity or age. But ultimately I’d be mentally ill if I didn’t take this opportunity, considering the [other] offers weren’t even close. It’s not even close. Not close at all.

“You’d sit down and you’d go ‘Well done, Con’, one-fight deal’. It’s a bit short-sighted of them, in my opinion. But based on my experience – my life experience so far – I’m not here to make enemies. I ain’t got it in me to make enemies. I’m here to give my family the best life. If you can understand that, you understand that. If you don’t, you don’t. But ultimately they make decisions best for them and the business – the family business – and they wouldn’t do anything to put the family business in jeopardy. They’d choose the business over me. They’d choose the business over other fighters. Not in a bad way. It just is what it is – you would. So when the fighter comes to do it, the fighter ultimately has one career. They don’t have multiple.

“I’m a bit disappointed on a friendship level. I’m a bit upset that they’re not happy for me, because I made them a lot of money. But I’ve got to look at my family. If you want to talk about loyalty, my loyalty’s to my kids [son Eli, five, and daughter Idony, two] before anybody, because when my career’s said and done, are you gonna pay my bills? Are you gonna pay my mortgage? Are you gonna pay for my kids to go to private school? When I’m all said and done and not a hot topic anymore?

“No one pays for my dad’s bills – and it’s not their job to. It’s my dad’s job to. You make the best decisions for your family and that’s exactly what I’ve done – as they do every single day.

“When a fighter doesn’t do good numbers, guess what – they don’t get put on. But they’ve got a family, right? When I’m not hot news, will I get ringside seats still, at a push? Let alone financial. I take that responsibility on myself to do the best decision for my family.

“I haven’t really seen much of the noise. But, if you’re my friend, as all my friends have – they’re so proud of the door that’s opened and the amount of money I’m making for Regis, it’s insane. But all my friends are happy for me. As a friend, you’d be happy for me that I’ve gone through what I’ve gone through in order to get this deal. ‘Wow, well done, Con’, you’ve set your family up for life.’ That’s not the energy I got or have been getting [from Matchroom]. It’s more, anger, and not happy for me. Knowing that they’re probably all sitting at the table thinking about how they could destroy the deal, or not let the deal go ahead, but it really changes mine and my family’s lives, and I’m blessed that I’ve had this opportunity.”

Benn has refused to rule out a reunion with Matchroom after the fight with the 37-year-old Prograis.

For all that he has been so open and so vocal about the decision Benn has taken, it also remains possible that in sufficiently appealing circumstances Hearn would be willing to promote him again.

“When you’re talking eight figures it’s not really a shit storm, is it?” Benn then responded when asked how the criticism he has endured compared to that that followed the clomifene controversy of 2022. “I don’t know – I’m not on social media, so I don’t see the noise. But I’m also – it don’t change my reality. Heat for changing my family’s life? Heat for signing a mega deal that others can dream of? Heat for having a third stadium fight on the run? Heat for what?

“I don’t really feel much, because does it matter? Does it matter? I like that I’m giving people things to talk about. I like that people are talking, ‘cause when they’re not talking that’s the problem – good or bad. Some people will agree with my decision; some people don’t. I don’t need to seek the approval or validation of anyone. I make the decision I feel’s right for me; for my career; my family; my life. It’s my career; it’s my family; it’s my kids’ life. Everything else is just – why would someone’s opinion matter to me? I don’t even know your name. You’ll never be in my position; you’ll never be in my shoes.

“Many other fighters may say this and say that; they’ll never have an offer for eight figures sitting on the table. They’ll never have the opportunities that I had. They’ll never have this. I just wouldn’t even think to comment on somebody else’s situation or business decision or family decision. But if other fighters wanna do that to me it makes no difference. I’m not even gonna know them in a year’s time; two years’ time. I don’t even talk to fighters now.

“I honestly just stay in my zone. I don’t talk to many fighters – I don’t talk to no fighters.”

He don’t talk to fighters but he likes to do interviews playing the victim, mug.

[golden_labrador]

Although I suspect they’ll all be friends soon

100%

[Taansend]

So let me get this clear.....

Benn signs with Zuffa Boxing for 15 million (quid or dollars?).

But that's NOT a one fight deal. Or it might be, but it wasn't this fight?

Or is it 15 million over X amount of fights?

Zuffa boxing only recognise eight weight divisions, so will Benn be fighting for their version of the Welterweight belt against whoever they feel like or will the get an Alphabet champion to jump ship?

Do they have a long term strategy for Benn or was it just to fornicate with Hearn?

Thanks

[Ruthless-RKO]

So apparently; this weekends fight was that one fight deal.

Signs with Zuffa, don’t even appear on a Zuffa card.

Just had him on a Ring Magazine card instead.

But as far as news outlets are concerned and even his own manager, he’s a promotional free and back to the drawing board to start negotiations.

He could very well go back to Hearn now.

It would have been stupid for him to pass on the 15million one fight deal.

[Controversial]

So apparently; this weekends fight was that one fight deal.

Signs with Zuffa, don’t even appear on a Zuffa card.

Just had him on a Ring Magazine card instead.

But as far as news outlets are concerned and even his own manager, he’s a promotional free and back to the drawing board to start negotiations.

He could very well go back to Hearn now.

It would have been stupid for him to pass on the 15million one fight deal.

All very bizarre, surely Zuffa lost money on that, I can't see what they gained other than pissing Hearn off. I don't blame Benn for taking the money either, he'd have been nuts not to but doesn't excuse how he dealt with it.

[jameswilson]

Not sure if already mentioned but Chris Billam Smith has signed with Zuffa.

[Taansend]

So apparently; this weekends fight was that one fight deal.

---------

It would have been stupid for him to pass on the 15million one fight deal.

If he seriously got 15 million (quid or pounds) for that then fair play to the lad.

I still don't get it unless Zuffa got 15 million (quid or pounds) worth out of advertising out of it.

And the big bald Zuffa bloke said Hearn was the biggest pussy in Boxing. How does him paying Benn equate to that?

It feels like there has to be so much more to this.

[tony1234]

Good luck to Benn getting any kind of decent money again but if he really got 15 million for that why fight again ?

[Glass Joe]

Good luck to Benn getting any kind of decent money again but if he really got 15 million for that why fight again ?

Tax man?

[Ruthless-RKO]

Good luck to Benn getting any kind of decent money again but if he really got 15 million for that why fight again ?

Tax man?

He made 9 million for each of his Eubak fights too.

Add that to the 15 million.

Taxman takes his cut.

He earned way more than his old man.

[Coco]

Good luck to Benn getting any kind of decent money again but if he really got 15 million for that why fight again ?

Tax man?

He made 9 million for each of his Eubak fights too.

Add that to the 15 million.

Taxman takes his cut.

He earned way more than his old man.

Or he could take some British title fights on BBC IPlayer for 30k....

Make hay when the sun shines

[a force]

There was barely a cheer when he emerged from the tunnel on Saturday night. He just isn’t that popular. I know journalists like Fat Dan keep saying the £15m is real but I just can’t believe it is. If they’ve genuinely paid him that it must be the worst business done in boxing history.

I’ve said it before that I don’t think he’s even top 5 in Britain & Ireland at welterweight (Catterall, Crocker, Donovan, Walker & McCormack) never mind this world level talk.

Josh Kelly would make him look silly at 154. I’m not even sure he would beat Fawaz or Davis at 154.

He’s got one big pay day at world level to come & then his days earning big money will end as everyone will see how hopelessly out of his depth he is.

His only other hope is to try & get someone like Brook or Khan out of retirement.

[smiling assassin]

He’s not British level. He’s very fit and tough il give him that but he’s novice like in his movements and still raw. I said it before and il say it again he wouldn’t be a sure thing if he fought for the southern area title.

He’s not a shit fighter but there is nothing in his boxing that says he is anything other than extremely average.