Conor Benn has only his short-term future mapped out with Zuffa Boxing.
Benn caused a huge stir when he announced that he was leaving Matchroom Boxing, Eddie Hearn’s promotional company who had been by his side ever since he turned professional.
They had done a good job of building his profile and securing him the two biggest fights of his career with Chris Eubank Jr. The first he lost on the cards, but the second he won unanimously after 12 rounds.
Many argue that the more important role Hearn and Matchroom played was staying by Benn’s side during two tumultuous years in which he was out of the sport, having tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs, with Hearn securing him two fights out in the US and also reportedly loaning him money to get him through.
That didn’t stop Benn from being persuaded to sign with UFC promoter Dana White’s new boxing outfit, Zuffa, having been lured with a huge financial offer for just one fight.
Speaking to Gary Neville on The Overlap, Benn was asked what happens after his next fight.
“I’m a free agent. I could go on my own, I could go with Matchroom, I could stay with Zuffa. It’s very short-sighted, the approach, but obviously the big noise they made, it was worth the one fight deal.”
That one fight is against Regis Prograis, a former champion who has twice been to the UK and twice lost to Josh Taylor and Jack Catterall.
He will be fighting for the first time up at 150lbs, with the bout serving as the co-main event of Tyson Fury versus Arslanbek Makhmudov at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London this month.
