Eddie Hearn reacts to Conor Benn facing Regis Prograis in first fight after split
Conor Benn’s announced move to sign a one‑fight, mega‑money deal with Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing and his booking opposite Regis Prograis has drawn strong reactions from Eddie Hearn and other figures in boxing. The bout, and Benn’s decision to leave Matchroom after a 10‑year spell, has sparked debate amid talk of a reported $15M purse and an agreed 150lbs catchweight.
Regis Prograis fight details
The fight will place Conor Benn in the co‑main slot on the Tyson Fury versus Arslanbek Makhmudov card at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on April 11, with the show to be streamed live. Opposite Benn will be two‑time super‑lightweight world champion Regis Prograis, who comes off a points win against Jojo Diaz last August. Prograis is a 37‑year‑old former two‑time world champion from New Orleans who operates naturally at 140lbs and has lost to Josh Taylor, Devin Haney and Jack Catterall.
Hearn on weight and purse
Former promoter Eddie Hearn, who had been closely linked to the 29‑year‑old Benn and had staunchly defended him after two failed doping tests left his reputation in tatters, questioned what weight the contest would be staged at given Benn fought Chris Eubank Jr twice at 160 and has said he will now drop back down to 147. Hearn said the agreed 150lbs catchweight “suits his ex charge. ” “150? It’s good for Conor to try and bring himself down [from 160], ” he said.
Hearn added he is happy for Benn to receive “life‑changing” money for a fight at this level and that, in his view, there is nothing but a Benn win. “I like Regis. You saw in the Jojo Diaz fight he’s not the fighter that he once was. He’s still a decent fighter, but Conor should be much too fresh, ” Hearn said. He described the pairing as not the fight he had been trying to secure because he was attempting to deliver Benn a world championship fight, calling it, in his words, “a treading water fight. ” He conceded it will feel odd to see Benn on an undercard but said he did not think Benn “will be that bothered when he gets paid. ” On the purse and its implications, Hearn said: “Let’s just see what the UFC fighters have got to say … It’s an interesting one. It’s a problem for them. ”
Benn's switch and reaction
Benn announced last week he had moved away from Hearn’s Matchroom to sign a one‑fight deal with Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing. The 29‑year‑old had been promoted by Matchroom since turning professional in a 10‑year spell and had been regarded as a lifelong Matchroom fighter due to his close relationship with Hearn. Benn’s November rematch win over Chris Eubank Jr — under the nickname ‘The Destroyer’ — continued his resurgence after being cleared by UK Anti‑Doping to resume his career following failed drug tests in 2022. Benn is currently WBC number one challenger at welterweight and has made it clear he will target a fight against new champion Ryan Garcia later in the year; whether that happens and under which promotional banner remains unclear in the provided context.
Jonny Nelson reaction
Commentator Jonny Nelson — rendered in the text elsewhere as Johnny Nelson — described Benn’s decision as a business move that will “really hurt” Eddie Hearn. “It’s show business, ” Nelson said, adding that he thought Benn had done what most fighters should do, which is “take care of themselves. ” Nelson relayed an exchange in which Hearn said he sent Benn a message asking to talk and Benn refused: “I saw an interview and Eddie said: ‘I sent him a message saying, I think we should talk. ' And Conor said no. I can understand why Conor didn't speak to him, because it would have been very hard to actually stick to his decision. Conor has said, 'I'm doing it for my family. I'm taking care of me. '” Nelson noted the reported $15M on offer and argued that Benn had taken a level of pay he might never otherwise have reached: “He's got paid handsomely at a level that he probably would never have got to - and he's alright, he's sorted. ”
Frank Warren's verdict
Frank Warren declined to comment when asked about the collapse of his relationship with Saudi backers, saying simply “Can't comment” when the subject of suing Their Excellencies was raised. Warren nevertheless stressed he will continue to promote “the biggest shows in boxing, ” including an unretired Tyson Fury back in the ring in April and a world heavyweight title fight between shock WBO champion Fabio Wardley and former champion Daniel Dubois the month after. Warren said he sent Eddie Hearn “a little note the morning after” Benn’s move but would not disclose its contents, then cited former American President Harry S. Truman: “If you want loyalty, get a dog. ”
Warren was speaking at the London media launch for Wardley versus Dubois in Manchester on April 11. He praised Fabio Wardley’s rise from white‑collar events to world champion and noted Wardley’s WBO belt arrived in the post two weeks ago with an inscription that included Dave Allen's nickname “The White Rhino. ” Wardley said: “They sent a replacement without a nickname because I don't have a nickname and don't want one. Fabio Wardley is good enough for me when I'm knocking people out. ” Warren said Wardley hand‑picked Daniel Dubois as his first challenger “because I love wars with big hitters which are exciting for the public and for me. ” Dubois reflected on losing his belt to Oleksandr Usyk: “Losing my belt to Oleksandr Usyk was like losing a girlfriend, even though it was to the greatest fighter of his generation. Now I'm going to renew that relationship. ” Both men expect a stoppage and agreed the fight “will not go anywhere near the 12 round distance. ” Warren’s promotional title for that fight is “Don't Blink. ”
The debate around Benn’s switch from Matchroom to Zuffa Boxing, the reported $15M purse, the 150lbs catchweight and the April 11 billing opposite Regis Prograis has drawn strong views from Hearn, Jonny/Johnny Nelson and Frank Warren, and has left the match-up and its wider consequences a matter of intense attention across the sport.
By JEFF POWELL, SPORTS WRITER AND BOXING COLUMNIST. 19: 00 GMT 25 Feb 2026, updated 08: 27 GMT 26 Feb 2026.
