Eddie Hearn is not backing Conor Benn when the Brit fights Ryan Garcia later this year.
Hearn and his Matchroom promotional company worked with Benn from the moment he turned pro. They stood by his side when he was banned following a failed drug test and then steered him to two epic fights with his long-time generational rival Chris Eubank Jr.
Although he lost the first by a wide points decision, he reversed his fortunes in the rematch six months later and took a points win of his own. After that, Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing lured Benn away with a big-money offer and had him fight Regis Prograis earlier in the year.
That ended after 12 rounds with a points win for Benn, who then started calling out several world champions, including Ryan Garcia, leading to the upcoming showdown between the pair.
Speaking to ProBoxing Fans, Hearn explained why he thinks his former charge will struggle against Garcia.
“I don’t like Conor at 147. I don’t believe he should be fighting down there. He had those two fights with Eubank at 160, I’m not saying he’s a middleweight. He fought Regis at 150, he looked terrible in that fight. 147 is brutal for him now. He trains so hard, but I don’t think he has power down there. I don’t think he’ll have the chin down there and Ryan’s a world-class fighter.”
Garcia beat Mario Barrios by unanimous decision back in February to lift the WBC title and he will be by far and away the biggest test of Benn’s career.
