Eddie Hearn rips Conor Benn’s Zuffa Boxing deal: ‘It’s an ongoing issue’
Eddie Hearn says his relationship with Conor Benn is beyond repair following the welterweight’s decision to extend his deal with Zuffa Boxing through 2028.
Dana White announced the five-fight agreement on ESPN this week, roughly a month after Benn earned a reported $15 million for his one-fight debut against Regis Prograis under the Zuffa banner. Hearn, who promoted Benn for years at Matchroom, told Bad Left Hook that the move exposed a lack of honesty on multiple fronts. “Yeah, some people aren’t as smart as they think,” Hearn said. “I can’t really comment on it too much at the moment, it’s an ongoing issue…The lack of honesty all around has been beaming throughout, so, you know, it’s just funny how people want to dress it up and the lengths that they’ll go to to dress it up. But we shall get to the bottom of it.”
Hearn questions Benn’s character after split
Asked whether the split is final, Hearn confirmed the bridge is burned. “Yes. Without doubt,” he said, per Bad Left Hook. “Listen, I wish him all the best but when you think someone was someone and they show you they’re really not, it makes you question everything they’ve told you throughout the whole time. And I’m learning more as I go along now, things are coming back to me [in my mind], but I shall say no more.”
Benn told ESPN he plans to pursue his WBC mandatory position and remains open to big-name fights. White, meanwhile, used the announcement to air fresh complaints about the boxing business, calling the sport “even more broken than I thought it was” and comparing promoter schedules to a going-out-of-business sale.
Hearn hinted that unresolved business remains between him and Benn. What that entails should become clear in the coming weeks.
Photo by Nereid Ndreu on Unsplash
Original reporting:
- badlefthook.com — Eddie Hearn reacts to Conor Benn’s new deal with Zuffa Boxing | Bad Left Hook
- badlefthook.com — Conor Benn signs five-fight deal with Zuffa Boxing | Bad Left Hook