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Conor Benn leaves Eddie Hearn but wants him in his corner

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Image: Conor Benn Lands in Riyadh on a Scouting Mission to Crash the Haney–Norman Jr. Party and Force His Way Into a 2026 Mega-Fight

Benn made it clear he had no strenuous feelings towards Hearn, even after the reaction to his departure. “I love Matchroom and I love Eddie,” Benn told Sport Boxing: “No matter what’s been said, I still want Eddie by my side. I don’t have any feelings for them.”

The move ends a long association with Matchroom, where Hearn has supported Benn at key stages of his career, including while the player worked to clear his name after testing positive for a banned substance. Hearn has since said he was disappointed not to receive a direct call from Benn before making his decision, and pointed to the support he gave, both professionally and financially.

Benn instead opted for a short-term deal, confirming that his April 11 fight is part of a one-fight deal with Zuffa. He described the offer as the best option available for his situation. “Ultimately, this is the best decision for me, my family and my career,” Benn said.

What follows remains unclear. Benn has made no commitments beyond a single fight, leaving open the question of whether he will be able to return to Matchroom or continue with Zuffa if further offers are received. The deal that got him there was largely considered the best and any extension is likely to be on similar terms. It has not been made clear whether a return to Matchroom will be possible, although Hearn has not shown a pattern of holding players to previous decisions.

Business relationships have changed. The personal matter, at least on Benn’s part, is something he says he has not closed.

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Boxing

The former heavyweight champion admits he is not yet ready to fight Moses Itauma

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Former heavyweight champion admits he’s not ready to face Moses Itauma yet

Moses Itauma appears to have a fresh fight date set as he continues his march towards the heavyweight throne, with talk turning to who will walk through the ropes with him.

Itauma has never fought more than six rounds in his 14-fight professional career, but now he finds himself one step away from fighting for the coveted heavyweight crown. which may occur before the end of the year.

It has been reported that the 21-year-old will headline the O2 Arena in London on Saturday, July 25 in a fight that will ideally be another step forward in the competition.

Promoter Frank Warren didn’t have time to catch up with the youthful talent, claiming that many heavyweights had either rejected the fight altogether or overestimated themselves. Itauma’s future depends on strategically selecting players, increasing his exposure and attracting opponents who can bring fresh aspects to his game. There were many suggestions for good candidates, and Andy Ruiz Jr was mentioned as a hard-wearing and experienced operator by the likes of Tony Bellew.

However, when asked if he would be willing to compete in his opponent’s corner, the former unified heavyweight ruler, who shocked the world by defeating Anthony Joshua in 2019, said: Casino.org that he would like at least two fights to get rid of the rust in the ring.

“Of course I’m not backing down from any fight, but I want to be ready to fight. I want to fight at least two fights first. Then, if they put me against him, I’ll be ready and it will be a great fight.

“If you combine the Mexican fighting style, which is about moving forward and not being afraid of getting hit, with his style, I think it will be an intriguing fight. So we’ll see if he succeeds or not.”

“If I’m 100% and in shape, I don’t think there’s anyone who can beat me. But I think me and Itauma could do it. I feel like I could beat those guys (AJ and Itauma).

“Other than that, I was like Patrick Star, I was just resting under a rock while everyone else was getting beat up and taking losses and stuff like that. So I’m going to come in fresh and come in differently than before.”

The search is on for Itauma’s next foe, which will be his first headlining appearance in London.

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Amari Jones headlines May 22 vs. Vincenzo Gualtieri

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Image: Amari Jones Gets Real Test Against Gualtieri

Jones was billed as one of the company’s rising names, and the hometown headline gave him a apparent platform on DAZN. The organizers don’t randomly hand out the main events. It’s a sign that Golden Boy wants to see if Jones can move from prospect talks into rival territory. This part still needs to be proven.

Jones boasts an attractive record and clear physical tools, but his rise has come without a victory to dispel doubts. He showed strength against his chosen opponent, but astute observers were still waiting for a performance that would confirm he was more than just a well-managed, undefeated fighter.

For this reason, Gualtieri is a useful opponent. The German won the vacant IBF middleweight title in 2023 by defeating Esquiva Falcao before losing in a unification fight to Zhanibek Alimkhanuly. He has since bounced back with four straight wins and brings experience, size and composure.

It’s not the most perilous fight in the division, but that’s how Jones should be judged. If he is a solemn middleweight, as Golden Boy claims, then a former champion with a rebounding streak is the type of guy he should beat, and beat it decisively.

A close victory would keep Jones going, but it wouldn’t silence him much. A flat display would raise louder questions than a press release.

The middleweight category needs recent names. Jones now has a chance to show that he belongs.

Golden Boy has taken a sluggish approach throughout Jones’ career, but at some point you have to turn up the heat or fans will lose interest. From a promoter’s point of view, this is a protected pairing that looks like a step forward.

By pairing Jones with a former world champion, Golden Boy can claim to be fighting a world-class talent. In fact, they chose a guy who has already played at the highest level and doesn’t have the one-punch power to keep Amari from taking him to the ground.

If Amari truly is the next huge star to come out of Virgil Hunter’s gym, he should blow Gualtieri out of the water. Anything less will only confirm that it is still protected.

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Floyd Mayweather confirmed who he will fight before his rematch with Manny Pacquiao

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Floyd Mayweather confirms who he will fight before Manny Pacquiao rematch

Floyd Mayweather is officially scheduled to return to the ring this summer, ahead of his clash with Manny Pacquiao later this year.

The shocker was that earlier this year it was announced that Mayweather would end his nearly decade-long retirement and return to competition face former foe Pacquiao on September 19 at The Sphere in Las Vegas.

However, doubts have been raised about the fight in recent weeks, with Mayweather claiming the fight will be an exhibition rather than a professional fight, while Pacquiao insists it will be a fully sanctioned fight.

As the confusion surrounding this fight continues, one thing is certain that Mayweather is expected to compete before his fight with Pacquiao, after he confirmed details about the June exhibition.

Mayweather was scheduled to fight both Mike Tyson and Mike Zambidis this year, and while there is no further information on Tyson’s fight, Mayweather posted on social media officially reveal the details of his fight with Zambidis.

“IT’S OFFICIAL. June 27 – Athens, Greece. History will be made. I’m stepping into the ring with Mike Zambidis. One night. One stage. An all-out fight you can’t miss.”

Zambidis is a Greek kickboxing legend who has won multiple world titles during his career in the sport, but has only competed professionally once, winning in March 2019.

The Zambidis fight gives Mayweather a chance to get busy, but most boxing fans will be keen to resolve the issues surrounding his fight with Pacquiao as the two boxing legends look to resume their rivalry since their first meeting in 2015.

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