After a well-documented split from Matchroom, Conor Benn is set to debut with Zuffa Boxing next weekend in a catchweight affair against Regis Prograis. Now, former promoter Eddie Hearn has shared his feelings on the fight.
Benn has fought up at middleweight in his last two outings against Chris Eubank Jr and at super-welterweight in the two prior to that. As a result, it was always going to be difficult to jump straight back in at welterweight, the division in which he wants to win a world title.
Consequently, this next outing is set at 150lbs, against two-time 140lb world champion, Prograis, with Benn confident that he will fight for Ryan Garcia’s WBC crown before the end of the year.
However, in an interview with iFL TV, Hearn said that Prograis is ‘badly injured’ and ‘should not be in the ring.’
“Anyone out there, use your brain. You think that there have been no other conversations or agreements beyond a one-fight deal to fight Regis Prograis over 10 rounds for $15 million? Regis Prograis – who shouldn’t even be in the ring because he is that badly injured.
“Conor is getting 15 mil, for a 10-round fight, with no futures at all? ‘No Conor, you can take this fight, if not, you can go elsewhere!’ – wake the f**k up. That’s all I am going to say, because the truth shall come to light, very soon.
“Everybody knows about Regis Prograis. I’m not gonna discredit Regis Prograis or the fight. Everyone knows the situation. Whatever.”
These comments follow many rumours behind the scenes that Prograis was close to dropping out, though the American shut down that talk and said he was fully firing and coming for the win.
The fight will be the co-main event of the Fury-Makhmudov bill on Saturday, April 11, at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium – with the entirety of that card being broadcast live on Netflix.
