Dana White has launched yet one more crude rant at Eddie Hearn after signing up certainly one of his rival’s biggest stars.
Hearn brought Conor Benn from his skilled debut to 2 stadium headliners against Chris Eubank Jr last 12 months. So it rocked the boxing world when it was announced that the Brit signed with White’s Zuffa Boxing on Friday night in a deal price a reported eight figures.
White and Hearn was close friends, but their relationship has been on the rocks in recent weeks amid a bitter feud that has played out within the media. And last night’s announcement was the strongest shot across the bows yet.
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Dana White tears into Eddie Hearn after Conor Benn signing
During last week’s Zuffa Boxing press conference, Dana White noted that taking on boxing was akin to ‘beating up babies’. And he believes the benefit with which he signed Conor Benn and left the game’s biggest promoter visibly emotional proves his point.
“I believe you saw this week that I’m really beating up babies,” White joked through the post-fight press conference at UFC Houston. “Is there a much bigger p—- than Eddie Hearn?
“Is there a much bigger p—- than Eddie Hearn? This guy’s imagined to be your friend and also you’re f—ing crying? He made extra money, he’s going to earn more money and he had the correct to match it. He couldn’t match it.”
When it was mentioned that Benn wouldn’t speak to Hearn in a one-to-one phone call, White dismissed the claim entirely, branding it a “crock of s—” and repeating his line that Zuffa Boxing are “literally beating up babies”.
Eddie Hearn admits he was devastated over Conor Benn move
It’s undeniable that Eddie Hearn went above and beyond with Conor Benn during their time together. The clearest example was within the aftermath of his failed drug test that led to the unique Chris Eubank Jr fight in 2022 being cancelled.
Hearn claims to have loaned Benn money, all while publicly fighting his man’s corner within the media. So speaking with IFL TV on Friday night, he was noticeably shaken by the betrayal of the fighter joining his best promotional rival.
“I felt that all the pieces that we gave him, the loyalty that we gave him, the support we gave him, can be enough to speak it through,” Hearn said. “Or simply get near a number. But it surely wasn’t really the interest so very surprising, very painful.”