Conor Benn ended days of speculation by changing his contract with Zuffa Boxing from a single-fight deal to a novel multi-fight deal, ending his miniature stint as a free agent.
The British fighter traveled to Las Vegas this week to meet Dana White, Nick Khan and the Zuffa team, and was seen shaking hands with them after the deal was finalized.
What seemed like a one-time thing quickly became a long-term plan, and Benn is now committed to Zuffa for the next phase of his career.
Conor Benn Zuffa contract update
World Boxing News understands that the novel deal replaces Benn’s original single-fight deal with a multi-fight deal, securing his immediate future under the Zuffa banner.
The immediate goal remains the fight with Ryan Garcia for the WBC welterweight title, and this fight is to end on a huge stage, not at the Meta Apex.
Instead, it is more likely that Benn will feature on Ring magazine’s more high-profile cards, in the UK and US squads, if an agreement can be reached with Golden Boy.
It’s not effortless, given Oscar De La Hoya’s repeated criticism of White and Benn, which regularly aired on his Thursday episode of Clapback, but Garcia still stands out as the clearest next challenge.
It was always likely that Benn would stay with Zuffa as its Matchroom split narrowed the battlefield. His departure from Eddie Hearn has strained relations within the sport so much that a stronger bid from a rival always seemed unlikely.
It was widely reported that the original deal for the Regis Prograis fight was around $15 million per outing, which raised eyebrows given Benn’s place on the card and the state of the fight itself.
Chris Dean | BOXXER
The novel deal expands that deal to a multi-fight commitment, although financial terms of the extension were not disclosed.
What started as a controversial one-fight bet has now become a long-term venture against Conor Benn.
This cuts through the noise around money. The bigger story now is that Zuffa didn’t quit after one fight – he doubled down.
Benn vs. Prograis
Benn defeated a clearly compromised Regis Prograis by unanimous decision at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with all three judges scoring the fight 98-92.
Prograis had been struggling with leg problems early in the round but kept fighting while Benn pressed on, landed cleaner shots and fought through cuts from two head clashes.
The result keeps Benn at welterweight, but the bigger progress is now happening outside the ring: Zuffa has moved him from a one-day experiment to a long-term plan under Zuffa.
About the Author
Phil Jay is the editor-in-chief of World Boxing News (WBN) and a boxing veteran with over 15 years of experience. Read the full biography.
Fabio Wardley and Daniel Dubois headline Manchester’s Co-op Live in a film that has all the makings of a heavyweight thriller.
WBO champion Wardley was elevated to champion following his victory over Joseph Parker and makes his first defense against Dubois, who returns to the ring for the first time since his July 2025 defeat to heavyweight king Oleksandr Usyk.
Both men have incredible power and step into the ring with something to prove. For the undefeated Wardley, this is a chance to cement his status as champion and show that he can defeat a truly world-class boxer. Dubois wants to regain the belt by silencing those who say he lacks the mental fortitude required at the highest level.
Morrell admitted he wasn’t very familiar with Chelli before the fight was finalized, but the Cuban challenger says his team quickly began studying footage and highlights once the fight became official.
Morrell studying Chella
“We were introduced to him when his name came up as a potential opponent,” Morrell said The boxing scene.
“We’ve seen a few videos here and there and a few highlights, but by the time the fight comes I’ll know his every move,” Morrell said.
The former interim champion enters the fight with a record of 12-1 and nine knockouts. Morrell remains one of the more experienced contenders in the lithe heavyweight division despite having only had 13 professional fights.
His only loss came last year to David Benavidez, but Morrell believes that tough fights early in his career accelerated his development.
“I Wasn’t Taken Out of the Fire”
“I am one hundred percent elated with the direction my career has taken.
“In my third fight I was fighting for the WBA title and in my 11th fight I was fighting Benavidez. I wasn’t pulled out of the fire,” Morrell said.
Morrell also pointed to the lessons he learned from his lithe heavyweight fight against an experienced opponent.
Lessons in 175
“The first thing was adjusting to 175.
“Later, coming out of those fights, I learned how essential it is to stay focused to fight at that level. Focus during a fight is essential to stay placid, stick to the game plan and not get emotional,” Morrell said.
Tonight’s fight gives Morrell another chance to gain some momentum in the division while continuing his first extended fight in the UK. Tonight’s victory will quickly get Morrell one step closer to another significant fight in the lithe heavyweight division.
Robert Segal is a boxing reporter at Boxing News 24 with over a decade of experience covering fight news, previews and analysis. Known for his first-hand reporting and in-ring perspective, he delivers authoritative coverage of champions, challengers and emerging talent from around the world.
Timothy Bradley rated the boxing IQ of David Benavidez and Dmitry Bivol, taking into account who has the higher ring intelligence ahead of their potential showdown.
Both sides have held preliminary talks about a possible meeting later this year in which they will fight for the undisputed lithe heavyweight crown.
Additionally, Benavidez proposed that they meet at the 190-pound catchweight, which would allow him to defend his WBO and WBA cruiserweight titles.
Bivol also boasts a victory over Ramirez, which came after an equally dominant points victory over Canelo Alvarez later that year in 2022.
The Russian has since won all four major 175-pound belts, defeating Artur Beterbiev by majority decision in February 2025 before opting to undergo back surgery and seizing the WBC title, allowing Benavidez to move from “interim” to full champion.
After recovering from surgery, the 35-year-old will defend his title against Michael Eifert on May 30.
But regardless of his next appearance, Hall of Famer Bradley went on to say his YouTube channel that he expects Bivol to cause earnest problems for Benavidez.
“Bivol has the perfect style to beat him. I like David Benavidez – I can’t wait for him to fight again – but [fighting] Bivol is a recipe for disaster.
“[Benavidez has] he also has a high boxing IQ. But he is stubborn. Bivol is not stubborn. Bivol is one of those guys who will do the complete opposite [to] what do you think he will do.
“He’ll have a plan A and a plan B. When he fought Ramirez, he came at Ramirez. We thought he was going to box because Ramirez was so damn substantial.
“You probably won’t think Bivol will go to Benavidez – you’ll be surprised.”
Bradley, like Bivol’s boxing mind, emphasizes that his foot speed is a significant factor in a potential clash with Benavidez, who is more known for his hand speed.
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