With the big domestic rivalry fight with Chris Eubank Junior looking less likely to happen as was, prematurely, announced for February 3 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Conor Benn is looking for a big-fight alternative. Eddie Hearn has said Benn will fight on February 3 no matter what, and now the British welterweight has aimed as high as can be in calling out Devin Haney.
“Eubank’s lost his pen again so if you fancy Feb 3 at Spurs @Realdevinhaney I’ll welcome you to the 147 division,” Benn wrote on social media yesterday.
It seems there is next to no chance of this fight taking place, however. Haney as we know has just moved up to the 140 pound weight division, this with his brilliant win over Regis Prograis, Haney taking the WBC title. Haney has some big fish to fry at 140, including Teofimo Lopez, Ryan Garcia and Tank Davis. All three of these would pretty much be super fight stuff, so why on earth would Haney jump up another weight division to face Benn?
You can’t blame Benn for trying, and since his suspension, he has called out everyone from Terence Crawford to Boots Ennis, to Haney. But there seems to be no way Benn and Haney will ever cross paths. You can never say never in boxing, and maybe there is a slim chance Haney will look at a big fight in the UK as something he’d like on his CV. But no, a Haney-Benn fight doesn’t look at all likely.
We fans want to see Haney get it on with Lopez, Garcia and Tank. Then, if he’s able to clean up at 140, “The Dream” will make his move to 140. As for when Haney will fight next, February seems far too soon. April or May seem far more likely. And when he does fight again, Haney’s fight will pull in quite a crowd and set of viewing figures. That’s what happens when a fighter puts on the kind of special performance Haney gave us this past Saturday against Prograis.
Benn will have to get more realistic as far as trying to find a dance partner for February 3rd. Meanwhile, Benn’s fight with the British Boxing Board of Control is far from over. Will Benn even be permitted to box in the UK next February?
