Eddie Hearn sat at the edge of the ring, stunned. The news hit hard: Conor Benn, the undefeated welterweight nurtured under Matchroom, was gone, bound for Dana White’s new Zuffa Boxing. For Hearn, who stood by Benn through thick and thin, the departure was more than just business.
Benn has been with Matchroom since turning pro in 2016. Hearn molded his path, promoting every fight, defending him through doping allegations, and at times, opening his own wallet to bankroll legal battles. “I gave a lot… loaned him hundreds of thousands of pounds,” Hearn told reporters, his words weighed down by a mix of hurt and disbelief.
The final break stung, not least of all because Benn’s team broke the news via a lawyer’s email. Benn refused Hearn’s request for even a phone call to say he was leaving.
“I misjudged his character,” Hearn said in a candid iFL TV interview. “After everything, I thought I at least deserved a call.”
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From the other side, Benn sounded respectful. He thanked Hearn and Matchroom, even suggested he’d be happy if they stayed involved in his career. But he made it clear: he wanted the biggest stage, and when Zuffa came calling, the temptation was too strong.
White, fresh off the success of his UFC empire, had Zuffa Boxing up and running by early 2026. Three major shows in Las Vegas were already in the books, and expansion into the UK and Ireland, the heartlands of British boxing, was next on the checklist. All signs pointed to Benn being at the top of White’s agenda, with whispers of an eight-figure payday for his first Zuffa outing.
Benn, whose WBC ranking still holds firm, spelled it out: he wants legacy fights and doesn’t see Matchroom being able to deliver at the scale promised by Zuffa. The cash helped, sure, but for Benn, it’s about grabbing the fights that define a career.
The move stings for Hearn beyond the money. Years of loyalty, support, and public defense now feel wasted. “I think after everything I’ve done, I deserved more than an email,” Hearn fumed. This wasn’t just a promotional split; it seems more akin to a personal fracture.
Benn’s switch comes just as Dana White ramps up his campaign to disrupt boxing’s old guard. White’s made no secret of his disdain for traditional promoters, promising to shake things up with bigger events and bigger purses, while backing from TKO Group and Saudi money lets him take risks few can match. Hearn, vocal as ever, has fired back, calling Zuffa’s moves risky and questioning White’s Saudi ties. He frames Benn’s decision as the start of a long fight between old rivals and new money.
Will Benn and Hearn work together again? Benn says never say never, but Hearn’s trust has plainly been rattled. All signs point to entrenched camps for now, with each charting a separate course through an increasingly fractured and competitive fight scene.
For boxing’s old institutions, Benn’s jump to Zuffa is a flashing warning sign. Promoters with decades in the game can no longer count on loyalty alone, fighters want big nights and bigger checks, and Zuffa’s got both. As White pushes to control title fights and fast-tracks his expansion into Britain and Ireland, the line in the sand is clear: adapt or get left behind.
Benn’s move is about more than one fighter. Zuffa now holds a proven ticket-seller and a shot at reshaping how big-time fights get made. Hearn, left reeling, has to come to terms with a new age where old-school loyalty often can’t compete with bold ambition and deep pockets.
All eyes now turn to what Zuffa does with Benn and who takes the next leap. Boxing just got a little less predictable and a lot more interesting.
