Connect with us

Boxing

Eddie Hearn criticizes Benn Vs. Prograis, laughs Ben Shalom

Published

on

Image: Eddie Hearn Criticizes Benn vs. Prograis, Ben Shalom Laughs

Benn (24-1, 14 KO) will face former two-time junior welterweight champion Regis Prograis (30-3, 24 KO) at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the Tyson Fury vs. Arslanbek Makhmudov event streaming live on Netflix. The fight is included in a $15 million per-fight deal tied to Zuffa’s expansion into boxing.

In an interview with Boxing King Media, Hearn focused on weight and partner selection.

“150? It’s good that Conor will try to get down to 160,” Hearn said of the agreed catchweight.

He then assessed Prograis’ current situation.

“I like Regis. You saw in the Jojo Diaz fight that he’s not the fighter he used to be. He’s still a decent fighter, but Conor should be too fresh.

“It was never a fight we were looking at because I wanted to give him a world title shot. But as a water fight, if you will… It will be weird seeing him on the undercard, but I don’t think it will bother him that much when he gets paid.”

Hearn also touched on the reported purse.

“Let’s see what the UFC fighters have to say. It’s fascinating. It’s a problem for them.”

Shalom reacted sharply to Hearn’s public stance.

“I just couldn’t believe the reaction. I thought it was a travesty, I thought Eddie Hearn was faking outrage,” Shalom told Boxing King Media.

“I found it pathetic in the circumstances, that’s what they are and that’s what they do.

“They’re all bastards.”

Shalom compared the situation to Ben Whittaker’s departure from BOXXER.

“It hurt me,” he said. “I put everything into it, so I know why it hurts.

“Did I get a thank you? No. Did I get a call? No. So that hurt me.”

“I’m not saying what Conor Benn did was right, I just found the reaction comical.”

Inside the ropes, Benn faces an experienced southpaw who won his 140-pound title using hefty left hands and constant pressure.

It now organizes parallel competitions on April 11. Benn vs. Prograis and Fury vs. Makhmudov in the ring. Promoters behind microphones outside him.

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Boxing

Eddie Hearn questions Dana White’s boxing future

Published

on

Image: Eddie Hearn Questions Whether Dana White Can Handle Boxing

“I just don’t think they’re going to face the fire,” Hearn told iFL TV about Dana White and his company at Zuffa.

“You have years of catching, putting out fires and being bombarded with pellets and grenades to overcome this.

“I just don’t think they’ll be ready for the fire. You must be a little unwell.” [__] to do this. That’s what I do.”

Hearn also ridiculed White’s recent comments about boxing promotion and said the UFC president faces criticism now that he is in the boxing industry.

“He stank,” Hearn said.

“He’s not used to this. Don’t forget what we do, which is meeting people, giving interviews. But he had a narrative.

“He didn’t have anyone like that. That’s why he can’t do it and instead just says weird lyrics.”

Hearn later joked that White’s repeated comments about him actually helped escalate his visibility in the United States.

“I have to thank Dana White,” Hearn said.

“Every press conference he holds, he talks about me.

“I think there are people asking, ‘Who is this Eddie Hearn?’ Little Google, boss, Eddie Hearn.

Promoter Matchroom also rejected White’s recent claim that no promoter has staged more boxing events this year than Zuffa Boxing.

“The entire media audience responded, ‘Okay,’ and moved on to the next question,” Hearn said.

“Imagine if I said that. I would be fried by it in an instant.”

Hearn’s latest comments come as Zuffa Boxing continues to try to establish itself in the sport following months of public photos between White and several longtime boxing promoters.

Youtube video

Continue Reading

Boxing

Roy Jones Jr Says There’s ‘Only One Fight Ahead’ for David Benavidez: ‘You’ll Beat Everyone’

Published

on

Roy Jones Jr says there is ‘only one fight’ for David Benavidez next: “You beat everyone else”

Roy Jones Jr urged David Benavidez to follow in his footsteps rather than fight Dmitry Bivol in an undisputed lithe heavyweight clash.

The “Mexican Monster” appears the sixth round ended with a victory over Gilberto Ramirezwhom he dethroned earlier this month to become three-division world champion.

However, despite winning the WBO and WBA cruiserweight titles, Benavidez expressed interest in returning to 175 pounds, where he still holds the WBC belt.

That would mean chasing unified champion Bivol, who must first defeat IBF mandatory challenger Michael Eifert on May 30.

The Russian hasn’t fought since he overtook Artur Beterbiev in February 2025, when he exacted revenge by majority decision and became the undisputed king.

Bivol then vacated the WBC title after deciding to undergo back surgery, which allowed Benavidez to be promoted from “interim” to full champion.

But rather than return to lithe heavyweight, Jones would prefer to see Benavidez test his skills at heavyweight, as he did against John Ruiz in 2003.

In a conversation with professional boxing fans, the pound-for-pound legend said that a fight with Oleksandr Usyk, who still holds the WBC, IBF and WBA titles, is the only fight that makes sense for him.

“This is the only fight for him right now and the only fight I want to see him in.

“You beat everyone in every other category, [so] go upstairs and fight Usyk. This is the best fight for him.”

While Benavidez has expressed a desire to challenge Usyk at heavyweight, he has said he won’t be ramping up his weight gain anytime soon and is therefore much more likely to receive his next assignment against Bivol.

It then remains to be seen whether Usyk will stay in the sport long enough to face the 29-year-old, which could end up fighting another heavyweight champion.

Continue Reading

Boxing

Keyshawn Davis missed weight again for the rematch

Published

on

Image: Keyshawn Davis Misses Weight Again Ahead Of Nahir Albright Rematch

The weigh-ins quickly turned tense when Albright apparently sent a message directly to Davis during their bout.

“Be a professional,” Albright said in a recording later released by DAZN Boxing.

The lack of weight immediately sparked a backlash online, as Davis has dealt with weight issues before. Last year, Davis lost his WBO lightweight title after losing more than four pounds ahead of his scheduled defense against Edwin De Los Santos.

Friday also marked the second time Davis has failed to make weight in his last three fights.

Top Rank promoter Bob Arum admitted that Davis was having difficulty gaining 140 pounds and suggested that the problem may still exist.

“Well, obviously he has issues at 140,” Arum told Fighthype. “The problem is the next category is seven pounds. That’s a gigantic difference.”

Arum also compared Friday’s setback to the loss of Davis, who was previously more than four pounds compact before his canceled fight with De Los Santos last year.

“It was inexcusable because he was five pounds overweight,” Arum said.

“He is now 0.1 weight off which he will improve and get down to 140 or less.”

Keyshawn was later asked by DAZN what he told Albright during Friday’s matchup.

“I didn’t say anything,” Davis said. “That’s what I do. I knock people out.”

When asked what kind of performance he expected in the rematch, Keyshawn gave a compact answer.

“An unexpected spectacle.”

There was already bad blood in the rematch after their first fight in October 2023 was later changed to a no-contest after Keyshawn tested positive for marijuana. Their original meeting initially resulted in Keyshawn winning by a majority vote.

Youtube video

Continue Reading
Advertisement

OUR NEWSLETTER

Subscribe Us To Receive Our Latest News Directly In Your Inbox!

We don’t spam! Read our privacy policy for more info.

Trending