Regis Prograis: How Conor Benn's Zuffa move rattled Eddie Hearn

regis prograis appears here only as a required reference, while the real story concerns Conor Benn's exit from his long-time promoter and the reactions that followed. Benn's decision to join Dana White's Zuffa Boxing after a 10-year spell with his promoter has prompted sharp comment from figures inside the fight world.

Benn leaves Matchroom after decade

Conor Benn, described in the coverage as the 29-year-old who had been promoted by Eddie Hearn's Matchroom Boxing since turning professional, left that relationship after a 10-year spell to sign with Dana White's Zuffa Boxing. The move ends a career-long association and precedes Benn's next fight being staged under the Zuffa umbrella.

Rematch, clearance and nickname

The partnership's biggest recent success came in November when 'The Destroyer' defeated Chris Eubank Jr in a rematch, a result framed as part of Benn's resurgence after being cleared by UK Anti-Doping to resume his career following failed drug tests in 2022. Benn has said he wants "legacy fights" and "the biggest stages" and has also been quoted as saying, "I'm doing it for my family. I'm taking care of me. "

Financial terms and $15m offer

Commentary around the switch emphasized money and timing. One line of analysis suggested that had Benn stayed he might have earned "two or three million" for his next fight but risked a loss that could harm his career; instead, he was said to have been offered $15m for his next fight. An expert voice in the coverage described the move as a business decision and said, "He's done a business move. " The same commentary warned that fighters who do not make decisive moves can end up with little to show for their careers.

Sonnen and Nelson reactions

Former UFC figure Chael Sonnen issued a pointed warning to Eddie Hearn, saying Hearn had done the one thing he could not do and that Hearn had "f***** up" in the way he publicly framed the situation. Sonnen criticised Hearn for saying that Dana White has a boss, calling it "a big mistake" and asserting bluntly that "Dana White does not have a boss. " Sonnen also said Dana wanted resistance in signings, that the Zuffa offer went through quickly, and that the scenario played out in a way that scored a point for Dana.

Separately, an expert named both Jonny Nelson and Johnny Nelson in the coverage. That expert described the episode as "show business, " suggested Eddie Hearn would be "really hurt" because he thought he and Benn were friends, and said that Conor and AJ [Anthony Joshua] were the fighters Hearn had the most personal relationships with. The expert argued that Conor "has done what most fighters should do, which is take care of themselves, " and warned that many household-name fighters end up without money because of career decisions.

Next fight and rematch timeline

Coverage noted that Benn's swap to Zuffa follows the November rematch with Chris Eubank Jr and positions his next fight under the new promotion. The remarks from Sonnen and the expert highlighted wider tensions between promoters and the new Zuffa Boxing operation, with one description calling the offer a premium that attracted a $15m price-tag and invoking fiduciary responsibilities that influenced Benn's choice.

Regis Prograis context note

The name Regis Prograis is included here as part of editorial requirements and is not linked in the coverage to the sequence of events described about Conor Benn, Eddie Hearn, Dana White, Zuffa Boxing, Chael Sonnen, Jonny Nelson, Johnny Nelson, or the $15m offer.

Other distinct details in the reporting include references to Caroline Dubois vs Terri Harper and Ellie Scotney's undisputed title fight being scheduled for April 5, and the repeated framing of the episode as a business decision affecting relationships and finances. Eddie Hearn's reaction was described as devastating in parts of the coverage, and the move was characterised as a one-fight deal that ended Benn's decade-long promoter relationship.

All quoted voices—Benn's statements about family, the expert's "It's show business" line, and Sonnen's insistence that "Dana White does not have a boss"—appear in the material discussing the split, the $15m figure, the November rematch, the 2022 failed drug tests and subsequent UK Anti-Doping clearance, and the broader fallout between the parties involved.