By Brian Webber: Matchroom boss Eddie Hearn is excited about the possibility of making a fight between welterweight star Conor Benn and Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis in 2023.
A fight between the popular Benn and the superstar Gervonta (27-0, 25 KOs) would be huge in the UK and the U.S. As long as weight can be agreed to for the contest, it’s a possible match that can be made. A catchweight in the low 140s could be a possibility.
Tank has already fought at 140 against Mario Barrios, so it shouldn’t be a problem for him to come in a little heavier than that at 143 for a Benn fight.
Hearn says the undefeated Benn (21-0, 14 KOs) will be fighting in early to mid-2023, and he can fight anywhere in the world by getting a boxing license with one of the commissions.
Presently, Benn, 26, is waiting for VADA and the WBC to render their decisions on his positive test for the banned substance clomifene, which Hearn says he will be cleared from.
Recently, Tank Davis and Benn have gone back & forth, trading insults on Twitter, and taking jabs at each other over their problems outside the ring.
Fighting Conor Benn would be another mega-fight for Tank Davis to go along with his April match against Ryan Garcia.
If Tank wants to become the #1 star in boxing, fighting Ryan, Benn, Shakur Stevenson, Frank Martin, and Devin Haney is the perfect route to take to achieve that.
“No, because Conor Benn hasn’t yet performed at that elite level yet, but I believe he’s an elite-level welterweight. I love the fight between Conor Benn and Gervonta Davis. Why not?” said Eddie Hearn to the DAZN Boxing Show when asked about his thoughts on a possible fight between Gervonta Davis and Conor Benn.
“Gervonta Davis has fought at light welterweight. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind fighting at 147 or close to [that]. Look, Conor Benn is going to return either in early 2023 or mid-2023. That’s the facts.
“Conor is very frustrated right now, and people will say, ‘Tough luck.’ He’s submitted all the evidence to clear his name. Now, we’re waiting for VADA and the WBC to make their decision.
“We want that decision as soon as possible, but the fact is, Conor Benn can fight not anywhere in the world but most places. He’s not banned by anyone. He can apply for a license. We don’t want that. We want the hearing. That’s why we want to go through this process so people can see the facts and a decision can be made.
“He can clear his name, he can receive a ban, which I do not feel will be the case, and progress with his career, but he can progress with his career now. We want his career to be heard because otherwise, people won’t accept that.
“So that’s why you see the social media activity from Conor Benn, saying, ‘Come on, guys. Make your decision. We’ve submitted all the evidence that you need to. When do I find out?’
“The fact remains, Conor Benn will resume his career in 2023. I believe the Chris Eubank Jr fight is one of the biggest fights in boxing, but the Gervonta Davis fight is another big fight. I never even thought about that fight.
“You see the backwards and forwards and think, ‘Those two together would be fireworks.’ Like I said, he can go to so many commissions right now and box, but he feels, I feel, probably DAZN feels, that publically, this case has to be heard because otherwise, you’re always going to get criticism.
“People are always going to criticize him no matter what happens, even if he’s vindicated, but let’s go through that process, which we’ve done. We’ve supplied all the evidence, and we want an answer,” said Hearn about Conor Benn.