Matchroom boss responds to recent money claims made by Conor Benn.
To see the state of the relationship between Eddie Hearn and Conor Benn today is to witness something that is the polar opposite of what it once was.
When Hearn fought for Benn following the fighter’s failed drug tests in 2022, nobody ever could have imagined that they’d be on the sort of terms they are now.
It came as a shock to everyone when it was revealed that Benn had signed with Zuffa Boxing. It was a move only those directly involved would have seen coming.
And since Benn’s departure from Matchroom Boxing, he has made statements that have seemingly revealed his current attitude towards his former promoter.
A few of these statements specifically regard money, with Benn saying that Matchroom never paid for his father’s business-class flights and that they never lent him a cent.
Along with a recent response from Frank Smith, Hearn has now done an interview with iFL TV, in which he refutes Benn’s claims entirely.
“Right now, I’m watchin’ this stuff, thinkin’, ‘I just actually think you might be a compulsive liar.'”, said Hearn.
Hearn then tells of something that happened in February of 2022 by saying, “So, Conor Benn buys a house very close to the office…he says, ‘I can’t believe I’ve got this house. I can’t believe it.’ I said, ‘You know what, mate?’ I said, ‘I’m so happy for you.’ I said, ‘Let’s get this mortgage paid off. But I bet you, in a few months’ time, as you continue to earn money, you’ll actually move out of here and you’ll want a bigger house.'”
While Benn disagreed, Hearn says that around six months later, Benn came into his office and told him he’d seen another house in Brentwood.
“So, he come to me, and he said, ‘I can’t afford it right now, but it’s a great opportunity to buy.’ He said, ‘Would you lend me the money?’ I was like, ‘What we talkin’?’ He says, ‘Quarter of a million.'”, stated Hearn.
Hearn claims to have lent Benn the money and that Benn paid him back after fighting three or four months later. However, Hearn then says that in July of that year, a similar situation occurred.
“He wanted to buy a Rolls-Royce”, stated Hearn. “I was like, ‘Brilliant. Blindin’.’ He said, ‘Could I borrow some money?'”
Hearn claimed to have accepted, but that him and Benn agreed that it would be an advance on his purse for the Chris Eubank Jr. fight that was originally scheduled for October of 2022.
The amount agreed on was £300,000. However, the Eubank Jr. fight fell through due to Benn’s failed drug tests.
“Conor Benn fails his drug test twice”, says Hearn. “The fight gets cancelled. We lose a million quid in costs, because the fight was pulled–you know–on the week, and Conor Benn owes us 300 grand.”
Hearn claims to have approached Benn six months later about still not being paid back, and Benn stated that he had no money due to the legal issues he was going through. As a result, Hearn agreed to being paid back at a later date when Benn was able to.
“Three years later, when he fought Chris Eubank Jr. and that was all done, we got our 300 grand back”, said Hearn.
Hearn then details a conversation with Benn’s lawyer regarding the claims the fighter made, saying that Benn was referring to not being lent money towards his legal fees.
“I said, ‘So, hang on a minute, you want me to lend you 550 grand and also lend you money for your legal fees that are a result of the two drug tests that you failed? And by the way, the 300 grand that I gave you, you were usin’ for your legal fees anyway’.”, Hearn stated.
How everything unfolds from here remains to be seen, but it is certainly a messy situation between Conor Benn and Eddie Hearn.
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