EDDIE HEARN has given his prediction for Conor Benn’s first fight since leaving Matchroom.
Benn, 29, left his promoters of TEN YEARS late last month to ink a shock deal with Zuffa Boxing.
The Destroyer is set to take home over £11MILLION ($15million) for his sole fight with Dana White‘s Saudi-backed promotion.
It was announced that his first non-Matchroom outing will be a 150lbs clash with former super-lightweight champion Regis Prograis on the undercard of Tyson Fury‘s comeback clash against Arslanbek Makhmudov on April 11.
The booking of the fight stunned Hearn, who reckons Benn will be too much for the ageing American to handle.
Hearn, 46, told Boxing King Media: “I like Regis [but] you saw in the Jojo Diaz fight he’s not the fighter that he once was.
“He’s still a decent fighter, but Conor should be much too fresh.”
Prograis wasn’t a name on Hearn’s radar for Benn after his one-sided beatdown of Chris Eubank Jr last November.
He continued: “It was never a fight that we were looking at because I was trying to deliver him a world championship fight.
“But, as a treading water fight, if you like.
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There’s a massive year of boxing ahead!
It’s shaping up to be a blockbuster year of action inside the boxing ring.
Tyson Fury will make his return in April against Arslanbek Makhmudov while Oleksandr Usyk takes on the king of kickboxing Rico Verhoeven.
Conor Benn features for the first time since making the switch to Zuffa Boxing and Fabio Wardley will defend his newly won heavyweight crown.
Canelo Alvarez will be hoping to return after his defeat to Terence Crawford and heavyweight king Oleksandr Usyk will also need to defend his straps.
Derek Chisora will fight for the 50th and (perhaps) final time against Deontay Wilder while Daniel Dubois is also on the comeback trail.
A whole bunch of British stars could also take a leap into superstardom, with the likes of Moses Itauma, Hamzah Sheeraz and Adam Azim ready to join the very top of the sport.
Here’s all the big fights coming up…
February
- Sat 28 – Emanuel Navarrete vs Eduardo Nunez – super-featherweight unification – DAZN
March
- Sat 14 – Jazza Dickens vs Anthony Cacace – WBA super-featherweight title – DAZN
- Sat 21 – George Liddard vs Tyler Denny – British & Commonwealth Middleweight title – DAZN
- Sat 28 – Moses Itauma vs Jermaine Franklin – DAZN
- Sat 28 – Sebastian Fundora vs Keith Thurman – Amazon Prime PPV
April
- Sat 4 – Deontay Wilder vs Derek Chisora – DAZN PPV
- Sat 11 – Tyson Fury vs Arslanbek Makhmudov – Netflix
- Sat 11 – Conor Benn vs Regis Prograis – Netflix
- Sat 18 – Callum Smith vs David Morrell – DAZN
- Sat 18 – Manny Pacquiao vs Ruslan Provodnikov
- Sat 25 – Mike Tyson vs Floyd Mayweather
- Sat 25 – Lawrence Okolie vs Tony Yoka – DAZN
May
- Sat 9 – Fabio Wardley vs Daniel Dubois – WBO title – DAZN
- Sat 9 – Zurdo Ramirez vs David Benavidez – WBA & WBO Cruiserweight titles – Prime Video
- Sat 23 – Oleksandr Usyk vs Rico Verhoeven – WBC title – DAZN
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“It’s going to be weird to see him on an undercard, but I don’t think he’ll be that bothered when he gets paid.”
Benn has copped plenty of flak from boxing fans and fighters alike for his acrimonious Matchroom exit.
But the mandatory WBC welterweight title challenger has defended his actions, telling Boxing King Media: “It was the best decision for me and my family.
“And ultimately an offer I couldn’t turn down. I’m doing this for my family.
“It’s an offer that you’d be mentally ill to turn down.
“I’m blessed to be in the position I’m in. I’m happy to be in the position I’m in.
“My career’s again taken another turn; a direction I didn’t think it would.
“But I want to maintain my relationship with Matchroom, specifically Eddie Hearn; Frank Smith.
“Whether it’s easy or not, it’s a decision I had to make for me and my family.
“In 10, 15 years time, when I’m done and retired, will anybody care about me then? No. Nobody will.”
