Conor Benn announces next fight after splitting from Eddie Hearn
Conor Benn will take on Regis Prograis on the undercard of Tyson Fury's clash with Arslanbek Makhmudov.
Benn stunned the boxing world last week when he announced he was splitting from promoter Eddie Hearn to join UFC chief Dana White's Zuffa Boxing outfit. Benn signed a £10million one-fight deal with White and will make his debut on April 11 as chief support to Fury's comeback fight.
Benn said: “April 11 can’t come soon enough, returning to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium again, where I made history against Eubank Jr means everything to me. My last fight there showed the world exactly who I am and what I’m about. Fighting on the biggest stages, in the biggest shows, I fear no one! I’m fully locked in and ready to deliver another statement performance."
FOLLOW OUR FIGHTING FB PAGE!
• Frank Warren takes brutal dig at Conor Benn after Eddie Hearn split
• Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao set for bank busting rematch at Las Vegas Sphere
Benn had planned to return to welterweight after his two middleweight clashes with Chris Eubank Jr last year. No weight has been disclosed for his meeting with Prograis who is a former super-lightweight world champion.
Prograis said, “Last time I fought in London, Conor Benn was on my undercard, so this is a full-circle moment for me. But this circle will close with me teaching him a lesson on April 11. He’s not fighting some weight-drained super middleweight. I am in shape and will bring home this victory.”
Benn's split from Hearn has led to an outpouring of anger from the promoter and his dad Barry. Hearn Sr slammed Benn as “classless” for the manner of his departure from Matchroom Sport.
As founder and president of the boxing promotor, which has represented Benn since he turned professional, Hearn feels slighted by his decision to join Dana White’s Saudi-backed Zuffa company.
Speaking to talkSPORT, he said: “This wasn’t the average relationship with a contracted boxer, this was special. Conor was as close as he could have been to being part of the family.
“When Eddie suggested to him by text that they meet to discuss it, Conor suggested it’s best to go through lawyers and after 10 years of what we’ve gone through with him, I think in my 50-odd years of promoting sport, this is the most horrible, outrageous… I can’t describe the feeling of when you’ve been let down.
“I suppose it’s a bit like you’ve been married for 10 years and your wife walks out and you think, why? I didn’t think he was that type of boy. It’s a classless way of doing it when you’ve got an open relationship.
“With the last Eubank fight, we couldn’t have been in a better position. It’s sad to think that Conor went off to America just to solicit offers and got a huge one. But you don’t disband a team and even if you do, you don’t do it by text or by lawyers."