Eddie Hearn wants to make it abundantly clear that Conor Benn has a bright future ahead of him.
The head of Matchroom Boxing recently responded to reports that Benn, the rising welterweight and son of Nigel Benn, is gearing up for an intriguing catchweight bout against countryman Chris Eubank Jr., the longtime middleweight contender and son of the two-division champion. Neither fighter has a belt, but their offensive-minded approach inside the ring and rich lineage make for an attractive and lucrative domestic dust-up.
Yet Hearn, who was careful to say that the fight was far from a finished deal, batted away any suggestion that Benn is simply trying to “cash-out” with a career payday by facing Eubank, rather than, say, go up against a legitimate contender in his own division at 147. Benn has wowed some observers with his stoppages over solid, but over-the-hill, veterans in the past year, while frustrating others who claim that he is being protected. In Eubank, Benn would face a fellow power puncher who fights at a full two weight classes above him.
Hearn said negotiations were still ongoing with Eubank’s team, led by veteran Kalle Sauerland and Wasserman Boxing.
“Wasserman has got to be happy,” Hearn told IFL TV. “Junior’s got to be happy. Conor’s gotta be happy. [Benn trainer] Tony’s got to be happy. It’s just one of those fights like I said that comes around once in a lifetime, but it’s got to be right because it’s not a cash out fight for us. Conor Benn is a huge star with a huge future.”
Hearn has been in a similar situation in the past. In 2016, welterweight Kell Brook, Hearn’s charge, went up in weight to challenge Gennadiy Golovkin for two middleweight titles; the fight, of course, was held at 160 and not at a catchweight. Brook received a brutal beatdown, suffering a broken orbital bone en route to getting stopped in the fifth round. Hearn was criticized by some for his decision to greenlight that fight.
Regarding Benn, Hearn is confident that his client can pull off the win over the bigger Eubank.
“[Benn] believes—we believe—that he can beat Chris Eubank Jr.” Hearn said. “And obviously we know the rewards of that fight financially. It’s just an epic fight.”
Still, Hearn was keen on emphasizing that a Benn-Eubank fight was still far from the finish line. Hearn said regardless of whether it is Eubank or someone else, Benn will be fighting on Oct. 8 at O2 Arena in London.
“There’s a long way to go,” Hearn. “Does that mean we can get it made? Possibly. Things change with just one conversation.
“Don’t be surprised to see Conor Benn fighting someone else on October eighth,” Hearn added. “We’ve kept our options open but we’re almost at decision time. I’m talking about the next few days.”
