Conor Benn Rejected Three World Title Fights, Hearn Says
Conor Benn passed on three world title opportunities before moving to Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing, Eddie Hearn said during a media huddle. The claims cut straight at Benn’s route back to a belt at 147lbs, with Hearn saying the boxer turned away from Lewis Crocker, Rolando Romero and Josh Kelly.
Hearn’s Three Fight Claims
Hearn said he wanted Crocker to face Benn for a world title at the O2 Arena, but Benn did not want the fight. On the Romero option, Hearn said the deal had been done with Luis DeCubas before Benn dismissed it as not a very big fight.
He also said he proposed Josh Kelly at Sunderland’s Stadium of Light. Benn’s response, Hearn said, was: “I ain’t fighting f***ing Josh Kelly.” Hearn added of Benn: “He knows his limitations.”
Benn’s Route Since February
Benn signed a one-fight agreement with Zuffa Boxing in February and ended his working relationship with Matchroom Boxing at the same time. His first outing after that switch came against Regis Prograis at a catchweight of 150lbs, where he won a dominant 10-round points victory on the undercard of Tyson Fury vs Arslanbek Makhmudov last month.
That fight came after a busy stretch against Chris Eubank Jr. Benn lost their first meeting by unanimous decision earlier last year, then beat Eubank Jr in a rematch in November. Both fights were at middleweight with a 10lb rehydration clause.
Ryan Garcia Pressure
The next target under the Zuffa deal is Ryan Garcia, the WBC welterweight champion, later this year. Benn remains the WBC’s leading contender at 147lbs, even though he has not fought there since his second-round finish over Chris van Heerden in 2022.
That is the friction in Benn’s move. He is still being lined up for a welterweight title path, but Hearn’s account says he walked away from three different chances before the new deal took shape. The result is a thinner margin for error now: the fights that were available once are gone, and the next one has to match the level Benn says he wants.
