Eddie Hearn says Conor Benn lied after Zuffa split

Hearn says communication broke down as Benn moved on for bigger money outside Matchroom

Eddie Hearn has criticized Conor Benn over the way his departure from Matchroom was handled. The promoter says the issue was not money, but a lack of direct communication during the move.

Hearn had promoted Benn throughout his rise and publicly backed him during the most difficult period of his career. That history made the split more personal than a normal business move, and Hearn made clear the issue was not Benn taking a richer offer elsewhere.

“The money’s crazy, and what he should have done was phone me up and gone, ‘Ed, I got a problem here. This is the deal I’ve been offered. Can you match it?’” Hearn said to Fight Hub TV while discussing the situation.

Instead, Hearn says he received a message around the time Benn’s first agreement was being announced.

“He sent me a message. It was either a second before or a second after the announcement,” Hearn said. “Then I watched an interview with him the other day, and he goes, ‘Yeah, we’ve spoke.’ No, we haven’t.”

Hearn said the handling of the move left a bigger mark because of how strongly he had defended Benn in public.

“I went to the absolute hill for that guy. I was battling with the media. I was going on talkSPORT. I would not stand down for Conor Benn,” Hearn said.

Despite the criticism, Hearn also said he understood any fighter choosing a major financial opportunity if it is presented properly. His frustration was with the lack of direct communication rather than the decision itself.

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