Boxing

Conor Benn’s Zuffa contract explained, the Matchroom conflict, the catchweight rule and what’s next

Published

7 months ago

April 10, 2026

Conor Benn’s signing with Zuffa Boxing in February shocked the boxing world.

His departure from Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom was one thing, but signing a multi-million-pound move with Zuffa and Dana White, who have become arguably their biggest rivals, sparked a public war of words.

And Benn, who will face Regis Prograis on Saturday as part of his one-fight contract with Zuffa [Netflix, 7 p.m. in U.K., 2 p.m. in U.S.]he said he did not regret the decision, which divided opinions among fans and the wider boxing community.

So what does this deal mean and what will Benn do after Saturday night?

Why did Conor Benn leave Matchroom?

The low answer is money. While the figure is widely reported to be $15 million, nothing has been publicly disclosed. Benn said what he receives will secure his family’s future for generations, and it’s an opportunity he won’t pass up.

“I can say that my children are prepared for life. I can say that this is life-changing for my children,” Benn told reporters this week.

“I can say this is an opportunity I couldn’t turn down, no matter all the noise, no matter what.”

No one can complain that a player earns as much as he can. Careers are low, unpredictable and full of risk. However, the way Benn left Hearn was divisive. Matchroom’s boss said he learned of the news through a lawyer’s email.

When he tried to contact Benn for a phone call, Hearn claims the player turned him down.

Benn said this week: “I don’t feel anything for Eddie. You know, I love Eddie. I don’t mind the noise at all or anything that was said. It’s one of those things.”

What was the reaction?

The initial reaction of most was shock and surprise. Apart from Anthony Joshua and Katie Taylor, Benn was not only Matchroom’s biggest star, but also someone who many thought would remain with the company for the rest of his career.

“I don’t know what to say. I felt like everything we gave him, the loyalty and support, was enough to talk about it,” Hearn told iFL TV in February.

“But there was really no interest. Very surprising. Very painful, but just another moment in life that you live from and learn from.”

Why did UFC fighters get involved in this fight?

UFC fighters were also a bit nervous and surprised, considering Zuffa and UFC are owned by the same parent company, TKO.

UFC fighter salaries have also been a contentious issue for several years.

Heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall, who signed with Hearn’s Matchroom Talent Agency in March, said: “I think it bothers everyone. If one guy is making $15 million and the other is making $15,000, that’s a massive difference and that’s one of the reasons I want to consider other options.”

Former UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley said: “It doesn’t mean it’s true, I don’t know, it could be true. I can’t imagine it being true… I don’t even know who Conor Benn is.

“He’s supposedly a pretty massive name in boxing, but I’ve never heard of him. If they actually pay him $15 million… It’s crazy how much work you’ve put into the UFC, you’ve built this name, you’ve created this character, you’re this star… It’s like I wouldn’t fight for a damn $15 million.”

“But it’s also a business, and if they think it’s a good business move and this guy makes money, I understand. Don’t take anything personal in business.”

Why is Benn fighting Regis Prograis?

Benn says Prograis was one of the first ones he was offered, he agreed and a deal was quickly signed.

The 37-year-old has several qualities that make him an attractive opponent for Benn at this stage of his career. It’s a massive name, especially in the US

Prograis, a former two-time junior welterweight champion, has been at the top but is on the way down. He was comprehensively defeated by Devin Haney in 2023 and on his second visit to the UK he lost to Jack Catterall in 2024 when he fell twice.

While this isn’t a give-me fight and Prograis is a skilled operator, Benn is the favorite and is expected to get the job done.

Why does Benn fight at catchweight? Is there a rehydration clause?

Benn and Prograis will meet in the 150-pound catchweight.

Prograis, who has been fighting in the junior welterweight division for many years, believes the agreement is in his favor. Benn’s last two fights, both against Chris Eubank Jr., were at 160 pounds as a middleweight, but before that he was a welterweight (147 pounds).

“After winning Eubank Jr., I ran 10 kilometers almost every day to lose weight,” Benn said.

In the Benn vs. Prograis has no hydration clause, which means there are no limits on how much weight either fighter can gain after Friday’s weigh-in.

Controversially, the Benn and Eubank Jr rematch included a rehydration clause. They were prohibited from gaining more than 10 pounds after the weigh-in.

Will Zuffa promote Benn after Saturday night?

Benn will not sign with any promotional company following the conclusion of the Prograis fight, but he said this week: “I will be a completely free agent. Zuffa is obviously at the helm because they have looked after me so well.

“I am extremely blessed with this opportunity [money]It’s obviously something pretty, but also an opportunity and being able to fight so quickly.”

What does Benn want to do if he defeats Prograis?

Benn’s WBC welterweight title has long been in his sights. This is the belt that was held by his legendary father, Nigel, at super middleweight in the 1990s.

If he can get past Prograis, the door will open for a massive fight with welterweight champion Ryan Garcia.

Benn has made no secret of his desire to fight Garcia, and the fight would be fierce on both sides of the Atlantic. It would also be a great opportunity for Benn to strengthen its position in the US

Boxing

WBO Denies Denzel Bentleys Appeal; Must Face Yoenli Hernandez or Vacate Title

Published

16 hours ago

October 22, 2026

The Punch Junkie™ News

"WBO Denies Denzel Bentley’s Appeal; Must Face Yoenli Hernandez or Vacate Title"

Another day, another Zuffa signee losing his belt for shirking his responsibilities. WBO president Gustavo Olivieri announced that the sanctioning body has denied middleweight champion Denzel Bentley’s appeal for a voluntary defense, giving him 24 hours to commit to facing mandatory challenger Yoenli Hernandez.

Bentley (22-3-1, 18 KO) was the beneficiary of Janibek Alimkhanuly’s failed drug test and subsequent emigration to the super middleweight division, as the move elevated the interim belt he’d claimed against Endry Saavendra in April to the real deal. That came with conditions, namely a mandated showdown with Hernandez (11-0, 9 KO) that failed to produce a a contract.

As for who’ll fight Hernandez for it, Vito Mielnicki Jr sits behind him at no. 2, followed by an otherwise-occupied Tim TszyuMichael Zerafa (lmao), and Fiodor Czerkaszyn. We’ll let you know as soon as an enterprising bachelor steps up.

Boxing

WBO Denies Denzel Bentleys Appeal; Orders Showdown with Yoenli Hernandez or Vacate Title

Published

16 hours ago

October 22, 2026

The Punch Junkie™ News

"WBO Denies Denzel Bentley's Appeal; Orders Showdown with Yoenli Hernandez or Vacate Title"

Boxing

Bob Arum Comments on Zuffa Boxings Position as Saudis Scale Back Involvement

Published

17 hours ago

October 22, 2026

The Punch Junkie™ News

Bob Arum Comments on Zuffa Boxing's Position as Saudis Scale Back Involvement

Top Rank promoter Bob Arum is back on the scene with a new knee! And now that he’s getting around again, he was able to catch up with Fight Hub TV to give his perspective on what’s been going on in the boxing business as of late, particularly as it pertains to Zuffa Boxing who appear to be in a state of flux. Check out what he had to say below!

Arum on Zuffa’s place in boxing landscape

“When you look at Zuffa, they are hoping to do what they’re doing with Saudi money and the Saudis have poured a lot of money into the sport and for a while were backing Zuffa, so Zuffa felt emboldened to offer big [money] to good fighters like Shakur Stevenson. Now, apparently the Saudis, Turki and Sela have gotten the word from up high in Saudi Arabia, ‘hey, this money is not going to be unlimited, you’ve got to cut down,’ or there’s no money — I don’t know what they’ve told them.

“So the Saudis are clearly pulling back and who knows if they’re going to be involved in boxing after this year. They’ve already, apparently, sold Ring Magazine to DAZN. So, if the Saudi money isn’t there, Zuffa is not going to spend its own money to promote fights because they have announced to their shareholders that they would not do that. And if they start doing it, then they leave themselves open to a major shareholder suit.

“So, again, we have to see what’s going to happen. There’s no animosity, people are doing what they feel is best for them and that’s business. How this all turns out, we’re going to have to see next year and the years after that.”

On whether he thinks Zuffa has done a good job thus far

“What does it mean to have done a good job? If somebody gave me a barrel of money to put on fights, would I be doing a good job? Sure. But anybody would be doing a good job. I mean, give Oscar this kind of money, give Eddie this kind of money.

“So it’s not a question of a good job, the question is can they make matches having a limited budget that is limited by the financial viability of the fight, not what somebody from the outside is pouring into it. That’s doing a big, good job — making it work for them, for the public, for the fighters without the fighters outside help putting in all this money without any way to get it back.”

On Shakur splitting with Zuffa before one fight together

“Once they realized there was no money coming from the Saudis to fund a $15M fight deal, then what do you do? If you can get out of that contract, you get out of it. Did they get out, did it cost them any money to get out? I don’t know. But, again, to pay Shakur $15M…financially it’s not viable. So, it is what it is. And once the Saudis really left the message that they got the word from The Boss that this unlimited tap is going to stop, it was bound to happen.”

On the Shakur vs Devin fight falling apart

“The fight fell apart, but essentially it fell apart is because DAZN had promised [Devin] Haney a certain amount of money, Zuffa had promised Shakur a certain amount of money, and it wasn’t a match because that money didn’t exist in the fight that they would have…Would the fight have justified the money being put up? Because otherwise nobody wants to break their ass doing a fight, promoting a fight, and ending up facing an absolute possibility that you’re going to lose money.”

On his prediction for the business once the Saudi money evaporates

“Looking at the past when this happened, and in boxing it happens all the time, the market then settles and fighters fight for what’s available and we get some very good fights that still go on and life continues. But how it’s going to come out after this, where we had so much money being put into the sport not existing, how is the sport going to continue? It’s going to continue, but how is it going to continue, I don’t know.

“Remember, [Al] Haymon came in when he had that deal with the mutual fund with hundreds of millions of dollars, and all he accomplished was pissing it away. So, again, I have the experience and I’ve been around enough not to say definitively what’s going to happen because I don’t know like nobody else does. I have an idea but again, it’s just an idea and not worth talking about. All I know is that the sport will continue, there will be great fights being made. How everybody will be compensated remains to be seen but that’s in the future.“

On Ryan Garcia saying he’s going to fight Floyd Mayweather for the WBC title

“Will people be interested in it? I don’t know. I know Floyd [Mayweather] needs the money ‘cause he’s pissed away tons of the money that he made. I mean, he blames Haymon for that, he blames this for that, but ultimately I blame him for pissing it away. Will Garcia vs Mayweather generate money? Will it generate enough money to satisfy these guys? I don’t know. I think there will be limited interest in a fight where you have a young guy at the peak of his boxing prowess fighting an old man, which Mayweather has now become.”

On the Eddie Hearn vs Dana White beef over promoting Fury vs AJ, and Hearn insisting White can’t be involved

“Well, that’s right. Eddie [Hearn] is correct. Frank [Warren] and I have a contract with [Tyson] FuryEddie has a contract with [Anthony] Joshua. Dana has a contract with nobody. But if Dana wanted to be involved with the fight, be my guest. I mean, the money is the money. The Saudis are putting up the bulk of the money in that fight. They’ll do a good gate, get back some of it. But again, what do I care? What should anybody care?”