Conor Benn - stuck in a moment, and a holding pattern

Last Saturday lunchtime in the Chelsea Ballroom, deep within The Cosmopolitan Hotel at the heart of the Las Vegas Strip, Conor Benn ring-walked to his second consecutive fight in the US.

Back in September 2023, Benn unanimously decisioned little-known Mexican, Rodolfo Orozco in a resort venue in Orlando, Florida and on Saturday same-resulted the even littler-known club fighter, Peter Dobson.

Both opponents had been forensically selected with non-tomato can records on the label, but were expected to be chopped and canned by Conor Benn for sure, as stepping stones to redemption, recognition and the right to fight one of the big guns.

During Benn’s absence from the ring, a legend had seemed to grow of his being the most feared puncher in and around the welterweights. The heavily tattooed son of former middle and super-middleweight world champion Nigel Benn and certainly possessing an all action, aggressive style backed up by street smart trash talking, he was Manna from Heaven for Matchroom Boxing as one of their chief content providers.

The curious case of Conor Benn really started at the end of 2020 when he unanimously outfought and outboxed Germany’s Sebastien Formella, whose only previous loss had been to Shawn Porter in California three months before.

Before this fight, Benn’s popularity as a product and a personality had been steadily growing, but question marks certainly remained over how good he actually was between the ropes. And having boxing royalty as a father, whilst possibly advantageous to open initial doors, made it much easier for fans to close them on the young fighter if his talent didn’t start living up to the name.

Prior to the Formella fight, Benn had taken the usual undercard bouts against the novice pros, gatekeepers and European imports that build a prospect’s record. He dealt with those, if not spectacularly then solidly. The only real wobble came against little-known Frenchman Cedrick Peynaud in December 2017. He floored Benn twice in the first round before tasting the canvas himself in the fifth and sixth, ultimately losing by decision to the Englishman. They rematched the following year to a less dramatic script with Benn unanimously outpointing Peynaud and moving on.

2021 was a great year for Benn. In April he overwhelmed and stopped the tough veteran Samuel Vargas on his feet in just 82 seconds of their first round. Next time out, Benn looked for constant offence but had to settle for a unanimous shutout of the cute, backfooting Adrian Granados in September. He then closed off December by icing the experienced Chris Algieri with a crisp combination as a handful of seconds remained in the fourth round.

Each fight in 2021 was a step up in opponent quality and a tougher test than the previous one. Conor Benn stepped up, passed those tests in style and had to start being looked at as someone who could start feeding on the fringes of world level.

South African southpaw and former IBO welterweight champion, Chris Van Heerden hadn’t fought for two years when he was announced as Benn’s next opponent in Manchester in April 2022. Tough and experienced but suitably veteran, Van Heerden was easy work for Benn, who dominated from the first bell forcing a referee stoppage a minute or so into the second round.

The curious case of Conor Benn was now about to take one hell of a plot                    twist. #BORNRIVALS

“Well, good afternoon everyone and welcome to this press conference in London to announce what I still can’t really believe. I’m sure many of you sitting here can’t quite believe it as well. Eubank Jr. against Benn, October 8^th O2 Arena, live and exclusive on DAZN PPV. I wish we had seven O2 Arenas, this fight is an absolute monster. The biggest in British boxing, perhaps one of the biggest ever in the sport in this country.” So said Matchroom Boxing’s Eddie Hearn on 12^th August 2022 at the launch press conference for a 157lb Sportstainment™ event between two born rivals. However…

Breaking News: “The big fight is off, Conor Benn against Chris Eubank Jr. is off. Confirmation in the last few minutes on the story that we reported to you yesterday.” Per Sky Sports News on the Friday before fight night, “The word now from the joint promoters: After discussions, we have taken the decision to formally postpone the bout, it is undeniable that the British Boxing Board of Control’s (BBBofC) decision to withdraw their sanctioning was procedurally flawed and without due process, say the promoters. That remains a legal issue between the promoters and the Board which we intend to pursue, say Wasserman Boxing and Matchroom, however whilst there are legal routes to facilitate the fight taking place as planned, we do not believe that it is in the fighter’s interests for those to be pursued at such a late stage or in the wider interest of the sport.”

The moral, legal and licensing fallout has rightly been immense and immensely confusing.

“Conor Benn’s suspension imposed for failing two drug tests in the build-up to his cancelled fight with Chris Eubank Jr. has been lifted. UK Anti-Doping confirmed the news first revealed by Benn and his promoters Matchroom Boxing on Friday afternoon, but added that it has 21 days to appeal against the verdict of the National Anti-Doping Panel, an independent tribunal. Benn was formally charged by Ukad in April after twice testing positive for the female fertility drug clomiphene in the      build-up to October’s catchweight showdown with British rival Eubank Jr.” This was reported by The Guardian newspaper on Friday 28^th July 2023, “Benn had been banned from competing in the UK until his case had been heard by Ukad, although he was free to fight overseas.”

Benn is yet to be re-licensed by the BBBofC in the UK, hence Ozorco in a Florida resort venue and Dobson on the Las Vegas strip. The governing body have refused to consider his application until the appeal launched by themselves and Ukad has been heard and resolved. That hearing is set for later this month.

So where, does that leave us now? The plot remains thickened and the case remains curious.

Speaking to DAZN in the ring after the Dobson victory, promoter Eddie Hearn said, “I’m glad that he’s bagged 10 and 12 rounds, and you know people will always criticise Conor Benn but will they step up and fight him? You know he wants the names at 147lbs. I’m still absolutely baffled by Chris Eubank Jr. You know, people talk about him making 160lbs. No one talks about Conor Benn moving up two divisions to fight him. And he’ll criticise tonight, he’ll talk about this yet he continues to turn down a payday three times bigger than he can get anywhere else. So if he’s easy work and you want to make the biggest fight in the history of British boxing, make it.”

“Yeah, yeah he’s a pussy, that’s it, that’s it, that’s all there is to it, I ain’t got nothing else to say.” Added Conor Benn.

Of course Matchroom Boxing want the Eubank Jr. fight, dark and gothic though it may be, but the financial projections are obviously staggering.

Responding to this renewed jawing, Chris Eubank Jr. responded by publishing the following on the ‘X formerly known as Twitter’, “Jerry… I mean Eddie… you have my number you can call me anytime & this is exactly how the conversation will go. I got Bob ‘Arum’ on the other line… I BETTER HERE YOU SAY IT!!!”

For his part, Conor Benn has spent a bit more time on ‘X’ since the Dobson working lunch, cranking up that trash talkin’ with the great and the good in and around the division, who all seem keen to get involved.

To Gervonta Davis, “Don’t be all talk, let’s make sure this happens next. Me and you centre of the ring and we will see who’s left standing.”

To Devin Haney, “How is pillow fists talking about power? Who tf have you knocked out recently? Come feel my power then! Pussy.”

To Errol Spence Jr, “Fight me next and I’ll close that other eye you wanker.”

As curious as the case of Conor Benn is, right now, he remains in a great position commercially as Eddie Hearn summarised in a post to ‘X’, “Is there anyone between 140-160lb who doesn’t want to fight @conornigel Whole world calling his name.. big fight next!”

But, where is he athletically? We will find out if he faces either one of the aforementioned Davis, Haney or Spence Jr.

We might find out if he faces Kell Brook, Liam Smith or even Josh Kelly.

We won’t find out just yet though, if he pitches up against another Spider Rico in an American resort venue or ball room.