It’s no secret that Eddie Hearn is not Conor Benn’s biggest fan since their split earlier this year, but the Matchroom boss just made a frosty statement about the future of his former charge’s boxing career.
Hearn signed Benn to Matchroom when he was just 18 years old, as a young, ferocious fighter with all the promise of his father before him. He promoted Benn through his early years, curating his resume to set him up for big fights.
That opportunity arrived when Chris Eubank Jr. signed to fight in a cross-generational family grudge match in 2022. But just days before the fight, Benn failed a drug test that almost destroyed his career and reputation. Benn has been very open about the dark place this took him to and when he eventually did get back in the ring, it took some time for the fans to warm back up to him.
But they did after he and Eubank Jr. put on a fight of the year contender last year, with Benn losing by a slim margin, though Benn would get his revenge in the rematch towards the end of 2025.
Hearn on Benn’s future
Then, seemingly out of nowhere, after ten years of loyalty, Benn jumped ship to Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing on a reported $15 million contract. This sent shockwaves throughout the boxing world – some respecting Benn for making a financial decision for himself and his family, and others calling Benn disloyal.
Now, off the back of his loss to Garcia, his former promoter has seen the perfect opportunity to take another shot at Benn, saying he doesn’t see his career lasting much longer
“Conor Benn will be done in the next year or so. He may have one more fight; who knows, he may not even fight again because he has made his money,” Hearn told iFL TV. “I think he wants his money – he is not going to beat anyone of significance at 160lbs. So what are you in the game for? What Conor Benn is in the game for is to make his money.”
“Conor Benn is not in love with the sport and chasing greatness. He wanted to win a world championship. But Conor Benn’s life is not just boxing, he is interested in a lot of other things.”
What could be next for Conor Benn?
In the build-up to the fight, Benn made it very clear that the weight cut to welterweight for the first time in four years was a miserable experience, so it’s safe to assume that after his failure to capture a world title at 147, he won’t be making 147 or even 154, for that matter. Rumor has it that Benn rehydrated to over 170lbs on fight night.
So if Benn does continue fighting, it seems his future lies in the middleweight division. Current WBO champion Denzel Bentley has just offered Benn a shot at his title – whether or not he is deserving of it.
Another likely option could be a trilogy fight with Chris Eubank Jr. Though he said the rivalry was over, it may be one of his only cash-abundant options left.
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