Conor Benn has narrowed down his next opponent for April 16th to Chris Van Heerden or Maurice Hooker. The highly ranked unbeaten welterweight contender Benn (20-0, 13 KOs) many other fighters turned down the offer to fight him, so what’s left is the 34-year-old South African Van Heerden and Hooker.
Van Heerden (28-2-1, 12 KOs) hasn’t fought since 2020 in a fight against Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis. The fight was halted in the first round due to a cut that VanHeerden suffered.
Unfortunately, Van Heerdenhas only fought two upper-tier fighters in Ennis and Errol Spence Jr during his long sixteen-year professional career.
Benn said the 32-year-old former WBO light welterweight champion Hooker (27-2-3,18 KOs) has turned down the fight three times.
However, he’s the Plan-B option that Benn’s promoter Eddie Hearn has targeted after his Plan-A opponent Adrien Broner rejected the fight.
Hearn said in a recent interview that Benn isn’t ready to be matched against Boots Ennis or Vergil Ortiz Jr, but he believes he will soon within three fights.
Benn’s next opponent: Van Heerden or Hooker for April 16th
“The day is already pretty much been confirmed. We got mid-April. The opponent should be pretty much confirmed. I’m hearing Van Heerden, I’m hearing Maurice Hooker,” said Conor Benn to iFL TV.
“Maurice Hooker turned down the fight three times. It’s funny he gets his level, and then they don’t want these risky fights, these former world champions. Those are the names that do want. April 16th, I’m hearing. I’ll just make sure I’m ready,” said Benn.
In Benn’s last three fights, he’s beaten Chris Algieri, Adrian Granados, and Samuel Vargas. Those are fighters that have a lot of experience against world opposition.
Algieri is a former WBO 140-lb champion, but he quickly folded in four rounds against Benn after backing up against the ropes.
Had Algieri done his homework by watching Benn’s recent fight against Vargas, the last thing you want to do when fighting him is to fight with your back against the ropes.
Boxing Fans want to see Benn fight David Avanesyan, but he’s not interested.
Conor wants Eubank Jr. fight
“I’ve watched the last few fights of Eubank and just fancy my chances,” said Benn. “154 is realistic. It’s not just watching his performances, but it’s how I’ve come on as well.
“I’ve come on leaps and bounces in his last three fights. I fancy my chances in a fight that can definitely materialize. I’m walking around at super middleweight now. I can make 154 no problem.
“For legacy, generational wealth, I’m positive,” said Benn when asked if Eubank Jr.can get down to 154 to fight him. I don’t know if I can knock him out. He’s been in with some heavy hitters, super middles. So, I think also work rate.
“Then again, I’m strong at 154.I sparred JohnRyder and Felix Cash. I sparred cruiserweight before. I flew in a super middleweight for my last training camp from France.
“Every fight is a risk at that level, but I believe I get a victory. It’s definitely possible from our end. Is it Kalle? They want the fight. We want the fight. If it makes sense for my team to take the fight, then I’ll take the fight.
“It’s not like smoke& mirrors. It’s legit. I never thought he would go,’ I’ll do a catchweight.’ I can do a catchweight, that’s no problem.
“I never thought a catchweight is something he’d be interested in. When he said, ‘Yeah, I’ll do a catchweight,’ I gone sweet to me. We make it happen.
“Money talks, doesn’t it? You got AmirKhanfighting Billy Dib for $6 million in Abu Dhabi. What is Billy Dib? Super feather? 154,156, no problem to me.
“As I said, I’m walking around at super middle now, sparring super middleweights, sparring middles, sparring light middles. I don’t very rarely spar welterweights.
“Three fights, provided I have no injuries,” said Benn when asked how many times he plans infighting in 2022.
Hearn has already come out to say that there’s no chance that Benn will be fighting middleweight Chris Eubank Jr, so it’s unclear why he’s still talking about that fight.
