Benn split from Hearn last month to join UFC CEO Dana White’s fledgling outfit Zuffa Boxing and signed a one-fight $15million deal
Conor Benn speaks out(Image: talkSPORT)
Conor Benn wants to work with Eddie Hearn again – but insists he owes nothing to his ex-promoter.
Benn split from Hearn last month to join UFC CEO Dana White’s fledgling outfit Zuffa Boxing. He has signed a one-fight $15million deal which will see him take on Regis Prograis on the undercard of Tyson Fury’s clash with Arslanbek Makhmudov at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on April 12.
And Benn insists he has no ill-feeling towards Hearn, telling talkSPORT Boxing : “I’ve got love for Matchroom. I’ve got love for Eddie. Irrelevant of what they’ve been saying, irrelevant of what’s been said, I still want Eddie in my corner. You know, I don’t hold any type of feelings towards him. Ultimately, if you ask me to choose out of my family and what sets my family up, my family’s legacy, my kids are my legacy. When they don’t want to cover my dad’s business class flights over, you’re reminded that you have a time span.
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“When you’re done, nobody cares. When I’m done, nobody’s going to care. Nobody, and there’ll be a new one of me. Make hay while the sun’s shining. Take the best deal for me that feels right for me and my family, and it was the best deal by a country mile. So for me, I’m excited to be boxing under the Zuffa banner and really lead the way.”
Benn added: “I don’t feel like I owe anybody anything. I owe my family. I owe my son a good life. I owe my son a blessed life. I owe my opening doors for my son that no one else can open. It’s my responsibility. That is my responsibility. He is my legacy. Not just my son, my daughter and potentially more kids on the way. That is my legacy.
“Everything else is just noise, and I really use my dad’s career as a sort of benchmark. Because who checks for my dad now? Who pays for my dad’s bills now? Who would have paid for my dad’s bills when I was in school? Or put me through private school? Nobody. So yes, I’m a hot topic right now. I’m not always going to be, because when I’m settling down, I’m settling off into the sunset and you won’t ever see me ever again. Which ain’t far away.”
Benn defeated Chris Eubank Jr in his last fight and had set his sights on becoming world champion at welterweight this year. And he insists he can realise his dream, despite Zuffa’s reluctance to work with the traditional sanctioning bodies. “I made sure nothing changes.,” he added. “I want the WBC world title this year. That is a must. So I don’t know the politics of it all. I don’t know what’s been said. I don’t know what Zuffa are doing. My team know and it’s almost guaranteed that I’ll fight for the world title at the end of the year providing I do what I need to do April 11.”
