The rift between Eddie Hearn and his former fighter Conor Benn continues with the promoter now claiming that Benn offered him money in an effort to prevent any bad press.
Hearn and Benn go back a long way. Hearn, of Matchroom Boxing, promoted Benn's debut in 2016 and went on to guide him to his career-defining two-fight rivalry with Chris Eubank Jnr last year.
Benn, 25-1 (14 KOs), lost the first bout on points in April only to gain revenge, also on the cards, in the rematch seven months later. Yet it was what came before, when Benn failed two separate performance-enhancing drug tests in 2022, is perhaps when Hearn did his best work for Benn, now 29. The controversy resulted in the late cancellation of Eubank Jnr-Benn in October that year.
The promoter defiantly stuck by his boxer and claimed Benn was innocent in the face of two provisional suspensions. He organized fights for Benn in America while he battled against the charges. Benn was ultimately given the green light to fight in the UK again after winning his case. Hearn, with help from Turki Alalshikh, then rearranged the Eubank Jnr showdown.
So it was a huge surprise when Benn, after his promoters persuaded the WBC to install him as the mandatory challenger at welterweight, opted to sign for Zuffa Boxing in February. What began as a one-fight deal, and saw Benn outpoint Regis Prograis, was then extended in April.
Keith Connelly, Benn's manager, has since claimed that Hearn was offered the role of 'special advisor' to Benn but the promoter turned it down.
"I'm not going to listen to that right load of shit," Hearn responded when in conversation with Pro Boxing Fans. "Offered me role as special advisor? Take your special advisor and stick it up your fucking slimey arse.
" What he did was, Conor Benn offered me money to keep my mouth shut. It said it in the email from his lawyer, 'we'll give you this amount of money', and I'll tell you, 'we'll give you $250,000 to not say anything negative about us'. Fuck off."
