Conor Benn’s long-running partnership with Matchroom Boxing has come to a shocking end, with the British welterweight signing with Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing in what sources describe as a one-fight, eight-figure agreement.
Sources told @SInow the deal is “life changing money” for Benn, and notably sets him as much as hit free agency immediately after his next bout. The terms, as relayed by those sources, also include a deadline: Benn is anticipated to compete before May 31, positioning his Zuffa debut as a springboard moment relatively than a slow-build promotional rollout.
As a part of the contract, Benn will fight before May thirty first, sources say. https://t.co/1IefgJznF3
— Chris Mannix (@SIChrisMannix) February 21, 2026
For Benn, the move signals ambition and leverage. A single-fight pact at that price point is rare in modern boxing, especially for a fighter who still wants maximum flexibility. It’s the type of arrangement often reserved for established PPV headliners, or a star with enough market gravity to make promoters compete for the following signature.
Still, the separation lands with real emotional weight at Matchroom, particularly for Eddie Hearn, who has been tied to Benn’s skilled rise from the beginning. Speaking about Benn’s decision, Hearn became visibly emotional and didn’t hide how personally he took the departure.
😬Eddie Hearn became emotional while speaking about Conor Benn signing with Zuffa Boxing, saying he was devastated
“Appears like a wasted few years. I blame myself… I misjudged the character.
For some people, loyalty really matters — for others, perhaps not so.”
(via @IFLTV) pic.twitter.com/dXqXOZ2rON
— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) February 21, 2026
“Appears like a wasted few years. I blame myself… I misjudged the character,” Hearn said, via @IFLTV. “For some people, loyalty really matters — for others, perhaps not so.”
Those words cut deeper than standard promotional disappointment. Hearn has invested time, brand equity, and belief in Benn across a decade that included each major highlight moments and the type of turbulence that may derail careers. His remarks framed the exit not as a business pivot, but as a fracture in trust, a rare public acknowledgment of the human side of boxing’s transactional reality.
Benn, for his part, struck a more diplomatic tone in a message directed at Hearn and the Matchroom team, emphasizing gratitude while making it clear the Zuffa offer was too significant to show down.
Firstly, I need to thank Eddie and the complete team at Matchroom for all the things they’ve done for me over the past decade.
From guiding me once I first turned pro, to headlining stadium shows. They weren’t only with me for those highlight moments but stood shoulder to… pic.twitter.com/u4dD4tsnAe
— Conor Nigel Benn (@ConorNigel) February 20, 2026
“Firstly, I need to thank Eddie and the complete team at Matchroom for all the things they’ve done for me over the past decade,” Benn said. “From guiding me once I first turned pro, to headlining stadium shows. They weren’t only with me for those highlight moments but stood shoulder to shoulder with me throughout the tough times.”
Benn added: “It’s been a journey beyond anything we could have imagined… I’ll all the time be truly grateful, but Zuffa Boxing presented me with a possibility I simply couldn’t refuse. I’d love Eddie to proceed to be a part of my team and for our partnership to evolve on this recent chapter.”
The message then turned toward the long run, and the type of fights Benn believes Zuffa may help deliver.
“I’m stuffed with excitement and hunger for what’s ahead with Zuffa Boxing. I need the legacy fights, the most important nights, the most important stages. I fear no man at any weight, and I’m ready to offer the fans the fights they’ve been calling for. I’m in my prime, and together we’ve daring, ambitious plans.”
Now the main target shifts to 1 query: who will Zuffa put in front of Benn before May 31, and can this high-priced one-night partnership be the beginning of an extended takeover attempt, or just probably the most lucrative detour of Benn’s profession?