Eddie Hearn, the Matchroom chairman, says he plans to confront Conor Benn at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on April 11 after Benn’s shock move to Zuffa Boxing, telling the former Matchroom fighter “you are a dog, mate” when they meet.
Benn will face former two-time world champion Regis Prograis (30-3, 24 KOs) at a 150lb catchweight on the undercard of Tyson Fury vs Arslanbek Makhmudov, which streams live on Netflix. It is Benn’s first fight since leaving Matchroom for what TalkSport reported is a one-fight Zuffa deal worth $15m.
Hearn promoted Benn for the entirety of the Briton’s 10-year professional career. That relationship included the three-year period after Benn failed two drug tests and could not box on home soil, during which Hearn said he lent Benn “hundreds of thousands of pounds,” according to The Independent. Benn then left for a rival operation linked to UFC president Dana White.
Because of their history, the split is personal rather than routine free agency. Hearn said he remains furious about Benn’s departure and intends to make that clear face to face at the April 11 event.
“You are a dog, mate.”
That is the message Hearn says he will deliver when the two cross paths at Tottenham, per Boxing News. The promoter’s anger is not just about losing a fighter. It is about the circumstances: Benn walked to a direct competitor after a decade of Matchroom investment, and he did so days after White had delivered a scathing public tirade aimed at Hearn.
Benn’s Zuffa Debut and the Bigger Power Shift
Benn is no longer just switching promoters. He is surfacing as a recognisable British name for Zuffa Boxing at the exact moment Dana White’s project is trying to establish itself as a disruptive force in the sport. Zuffa, co-owned by Sela and TKO, has signalled it intends to move away from the traditional belt system and introduce its own titles, according to The Independent.
The confrontation serves as a public collision between established UK promotion and the new TKO-backed boxing push, taking place at a major stadium show broadcast to a global Netflix audience.
Benn has said repeatedly that he wants to return to welterweight and land a WBC world title shot. Whether Zuffa’s model, which appears to be distancing itself from sanctioning bodies, can deliver that pathway remains an open question.
Prograis Has ‘No Sympathy’ for Hearn
Prograis, 37, is not offering Hearn any comfort. The American former world champion at 140lb said he has “no sympathy” for the Matchroom boss, according to BoxingScene, pointing out that boxers are loyal to money rather than belts and that promoters can keep working long after fighters retire.
Prograis also had his own message for Benn: “Last time I fought in London, Conor Benn was on my undercard, so this is a full-circle moment for me. But this circle will close with me teaching him a lesson on 11 April. He’s not fighting some weight-drained super-middleweight. I am in shape and will bring home this victory.”
The bout is set at 150lb after Benn’s two middleweight grudge fights with Chris Eubank Jr in 2025. According to TalkSport, Prograis had pushed for the weight to come down further, asking whether the fight could be made at 147lb or 149lb before accepting 150lb. He did not receive a rehydration clause.
What Happens on April 11
Benn-Prograis sits on a stacked card at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The main event is Fury’s comeback fight against Makhmudov, with Frazer Clarke vs Justis Huni and Jeamie TKV vs Richard Riakporhe also on the bill. The entire show streams live on Netflix, giving Benn’s Zuffa debut a broader platform than the promoter’s usual Paramount+ home.
Hearn now says he will be there, and he will not be keeping quiet. The confrontation, if it happens, will take place in front of a stadium crowd and a global streaming audience.
