WBA world welterweight champion Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romero has accused Conor Benn (24-1, 14 KOs) of walking away from advanced negotiations for a title fight after getting “scared,” claiming the Briton would be “exposed” at world level.
Benn is instead set to face former two-time light-welterweight world champion Regis Prograis on April 11 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, serving as co-main event to Tyson Fury’s return against Arslanbek Makhmudov on Netflix. The bout will be Benn’s first under the Zuffa Boxing banner following a high-profile split from Matchroom Boxing in February.
Romero, speaking to Last Stand Boxing, said talks for a May 30 championship bout were well underway before Benn opted for a different path.
“It’s crazy because Conor Benn was over there begging for the fight. We were in complete talks. I didn’t wanna scare him, so I didn’t push him back, I didn’t do anything, and he got scared anyway,” Romero said.
“He just wants to play big tough guy. He’s not serious. He knows he’s not world level. And the thing is, he’d get exposed if he fought any single one of us at the top level.”
Romero also took to social media to criticise Benn’s decision-making, posting on X: “Conner Benn is garbage, I didn’t wanna scare him off, but he ran away anyways.”
Zuffa Deal and the Matchroom Split
The collapse of the Romero negotiations coincided with Benn’s departure from Matchroom Boxing, his promotional home since turning professional in 2016. He signed a one-fight deal with Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing in February, with a reported $15 million purse funded by SELA, the organisation headed by Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority chairman Turki Alalshikh, according to MMA Fighting.
Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn said he was given just three days to match the offer, calling it “completely unreasonable commercially.” He also claimed Benn offered him “a few quid” to stay quiet about the split.
Benn defended the move as a business decision. “Knowing how I am as an individual, would that have been beneficial? Would the call have been great for us? I personally don’t think it would have,” he told Boxing Social when asked why he didn’t speak to Hearn directly during the transition.
Growing Criticism From the Welterweight Division
Romero is far from the only fighter questioning Benn’s competitive direction. Former unified super lightweight champion Devin Haney responded to a post about Benn avoiding IBF welterweight champion Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis by writing on X: “He scared to death of Boots.”
IBF world super-welterweight champion Josh Kelly also mocked the Zuffa move. “Looks like I’ve retired Conor Nigel from the real boxing circle. Off to the circus son, let the real boxers battle it out,” Kelly said.
Benn vs. Prograis: April 11
The Prograis fight will take place at a 150lb catchweight at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, streaming globally on Netflix. Prograis (28-3) enters with two losses in his last four outings, to Jack Catterall and Devin Haney.
“Last time I fought in London, Conor Benn was on my undercard, so this is a full-circle moment for me,” Prograis told the BBC. “But this circle will close with me teaching him a lesson. He’s not fighting some weight-drained super middleweight. I am in shape and will bring home this victory.”
Benn, 29, fought twice in 2025, both times against Chris Eubank Jr. He lost the first meeting by unanimous decision at middleweight in April before winning the rematch at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in November, scoring multiple knockdowns in a wide points victory.
After two failed voluntary VADA drug tests for clomifene in 2022, which resulted in the cancellation of his original Eubank Jr fight and a lengthy legal dispute, Benn was cleared to box in the UK in November 2024 when UKAD and the BBBoC chose not to appeal the National Anti-Doping Panel’s ruling that the charges were not proven.
Benn faces Prograis on April 11, while any path to a Romero title fight now appears off the table. A win over Prograis could reignite 147lb world title talks or see the Zuffa-Netflix platform become the primary destination for Benn’s career.
