Eddie Hearn says Conor Benn will retire, fall out with Zuffa Boxing or fight Chris Eubank Jr a third time; Benn and Zuffa have not responded in the report.
What you need to know
- Eddie Hearn says Benn is 'at the bottom of the pile' at Zuffa Boxing after his loss to Ryan Garcia.
- Hearn expects Benn to retire, fall out with Zuffa or fight Chris Eubank Jr for a third time.
- Hearn spoke at the post-fight press conference after Dalton Smith beat Alberto Puello in Sheffield.
Reported, not confirmed
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Ryan Garcia stopped Conor Benn in round two of their WBC welterweight title fight in Las Vegas in September.
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Hearn says Benn's Zuffa contract includes a comeback fight 'for quite a lot of money'.
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Hearn says Zuffa would offer Benn opponents he won't accept, including Carlos Adames for the world middleweight title, which Hearn says will never happen.
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Benn and Chris Eubank Jr last fought at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in November 2025.
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No response from Benn or Zuffa to Hearn's comments appears in the report.
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Conor Benn's future at Zuffa Boxing is being talked down by a rival promoter. Eddie Hearn of Matchroom said Benn is "at the bottom of the pile" at the company, weeks after Ryan Garcia stopped him in the second round of their WBC welterweight title fight in Las Vegas in September.
Hearn spoke at the post-fight press conference in Sheffield, after Dalton Smith beat Alberto Puello by split decision. He sketched a pointed picture of Benn's arrival at Zuffa: the private jet, the visit to the UFC headquarters in Vegas, the big deal, and then a short night's work that ended in a stoppage.
According to Hearn, Benn has a comeback fight in his contract "for quite a lot of money." Hearn said Zuffa would offer him opponents he will not accept, then suggest a world middleweight title fight with Carlos Adames, possibly for less money. Hearn dismissed that idea outright, saying it is "never going to happen."
His forecast was that Benn will retire, have a big argument with Zuffa, or fight Chris Eubank Jr again. Hearn said Eubank Jr "actually holds all the keys" to a Benn trilogy and would hold Benn to his terms if Benn wants the fight. The two last met at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in November 2025.
These are the views of a promoter with no stake in Benn's Zuffa contract, and the report carries no response from Benn, Eubank Jr or Zuffa. Benn is 30 and fights at welterweight, so a move up to middleweight for Adames would be a significant jump.
Watch for any word from Zuffa on what it plans for Benn's comeback, and whether Eubank Jr's camp responds to Hearn's description of the trilogy.
Hearn spoke at the post-fight press conference in Sheffield, after Dalton Smith beat Alberto Puello by split decision. He sketched a pointed picture of Benn's arrival at Zuffa: the private jet, the visit to the UFC headquarters in Vegas, the big deal, and then a short night's work that ended in a stoppage.
According to Hearn, Benn has a comeback fight in his contract "for quite a lot of money." Hearn said Zuffa would offer him opponents he will not accept, then suggest a world middleweight title fight with Carlos Adames, possibly for less money. Hearn dismissed that idea outright, saying it is "never going to happen."
His forecast was that Benn will retire, have a big argument with Zuffa, or fight Chris Eubank Jr again. Hearn said Eubank Jr "actually holds all the keys" to a Benn trilogy and would hold Benn to his terms if Benn wants the fight. The two last met at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in November 2025.
These are the views of a promoter with no stake in Benn's Zuffa contract, and the report carries no response from Benn, Eubank Jr or Zuffa. Benn is 30 and fights at welterweight, so a move up to middleweight for Adames would be a significant jump.
Watch for any word from Zuffa on what it plans for Benn's comeback, and whether Eubank Jr's camp responds to Hearn's description of the trilogy.
- Summary
- Eddie Hearn says Conor Benn will retire, fall out with Zuffa Boxing or fight Chris Eubank Jr a third time; Benn and Zuffa have not responded in the report.
- Key points (one per line)
- Eddie Hearn says Benn is 'at the bottom of the pile' at Zuffa Boxing after his loss to Ryan Garcia.
Hearn expects Benn to retire, fall out with Zuffa or fight Chris Eubank Jr for a third time.
Hearn spoke at the post-fight press conference after Dalton Smith beat Alberto Puello in Sheffield.
- Also reported by (Name | URL per line)
- Combat Sports UK | https://combatsportsuk.com/news/59d8e56f-7d91-4745-8ccb-4b300a41385e/eddie-hearn-conor-benn-bottom-of-the-pile-zuffa-retire-or-fight-chris-eubank-jr
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