Conor Benn has revealed how “heavily” the decision to leave Matchroom for Zuffa Boxing weighed on him, but described the offer he received from Zuffa as one he “couldn’t turn down”.
The 29 year old – who is ranked at welterweight but last fought and won at middleweight, when victorious in his rematch with Chris Eubank Jnr – stunned observers of his profession when it was so unexpectedly announced that he was leaving the promotional organisation that had guided him from his professional debut into becoming one of British boxing’s highest-profile figures.
Matchroom’s Eddie Hearn was heavily criticised for his attempts to clear Benn of wrongdoing when he twice tested positive for the banned substance clomifene before the original, abandoned date with Eubank Jnr in 2022. He has also since been critical of Benn’s move to one of his biggest professional – and potentially personal – rivals in Zuffa and Dana White.
“You can’t mention those two [Benn and Anthony Joshua] in the same name for many reasons,” was among the things Hearn said. “Joshua is a different breed of class and loyalty.” Matchroom’s chief executive Frank Smith has also been critical.
Benn, however, insists that he remains grateful to both they and Barry Hearn and potentially hopes to work with them in future. It has been reported that Zuffa will pay eight figures for one fight and, to that end, Benn insists that he accepted their offer in an attempt to secure his family’s future – and also that he was advised to do so by his celebrated father, Nigel.
“It wasn’t an easy decision,” he told Boxing King Media. “It was a decision that weighed heavy on me. But it was the best decision for me and my family, and ultimately an offer I couldn’t turn down.
“I’m doing this for my family. It’s an offer that you’d be mentally ill to turn down. I’m blessed to be in the position I’m in. I’m happy to be in the position I’m in. My career’s again taken another turn; a direction I didn’t think it would. But I want to maintain my relationship with Matchroom, specifically Eddie Hearn; Frank Smith.
“Whether it’s easy or not, it’s a decision I had to make for me and my family. In 10, 15 years time, when I’m done and retired, will anybody care about me then? No. Nobody will. Right now I’m hot property. Right now I’m this; now I’m that. In 10, 15 years time, when my kids are 20; when it’s just me and my family sitting down somewhere quiet, is it going to matter? Is anyone going to care? No. Will another Conor Benn come along? Yes. I have to make the right decision for my family. Everything they’ve done for me, I’ll forever be grateful, but not over my blood family.”
Benn also dismissed suggestions of disloyalty, and responded to Hearn insisting that he chose not to speak to him to explain his departure.
“You can see my loyalty with my team as it is,” he said. “I’ve been with my whole team from day dot. I don’t switch teams; I don’t switch trainers. Everyone’s eating; everyone’s happy. That’s my team over the past 10 years. That speaks volumes. It was an extremely hard decision to make. Change is never comfortable, but I’m hoping Eddie’s still in my corner; still with me ‘till the wheels fall off, because I believe I have a strong friendship with Eddie, but this is a decision that in 10, 15 years’ time, if I didn’t take, I’d regret. Any man out there that says otherwise wouldn’t be doing the right decision by him and his family.
“I didn’t choose not to speak to him. I didn’t want to go into the details of it. Things were very heated with the teams, and knowing how I am as an individual, would the call have been beneficial? I personally don’t think it would have. But once the dust had settled and he’d calmed down, I messaged Eddie to say ‘Love you, mate’. This ain’t the end of the road; the journey does continue. But when things are heated – I’ve said things in the moment, where you regret saying them. Why speak in the midst of hurt? Ego; pride; anger. Nothing good comes of it. I think we both could have dealt with it better, privately.
“My dad, when he heard the numbers, it was a no-brainer. My love for Eddie; my love for Barry. They are the best people I’ve 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 into the fighter I am today.
“What’s gonna matter is my kids are set up for life. That’s all that matters to me. Is it a hard decision? Of course it is. But fortune favours the bold.”
