By Barry Holbrook: Eddie Hearn says Conor Benn wants to immediately jump into a big mega-fight against Chris Eubank Jr, Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis, Manny Pacquiao, or Kell Brook when he returns to the ring after the investigation is done by the WBC, and the BBB of C.
It’s unknown whether Benn will have any luck getting a fight against Tank Davis because he’s got a busy schedule, and he’s not going to free it up to give him a shot, particularly with his failing drug tests.
Benn will have to face other opponents, be drug tested, and win fights against quality opposition if he wants to face a star like Gervonta Davis in the future. Thus far, Benn has faced old, washed-up guys like Chris Van Heerden and Chris Algieri.
Sadly, those are Benn’s best wins, yet he’s very popular in England due to his famous dad Nigel Benn, who fought quality opposition, unlike what we’ve seen from Conor.
Hearn insists that the welterweight Benn (21-0, 14 KOs) will be cleared of his investigation for twice testing positive for the banned substance clomifene and will be back in action in 2023.
We don’t know yet if Benn will be cleared or receive a lengthy ban for the positive tests, but it’s understandable why Hearn, his promoter, would be taking an optimistic stance on his future.
“Conor [Benn] is ferocious. When you talk about Ryan Garcia, it’s kind of a bit like Conor Benn. You don’t know because he’s not boxed a the levels. He might fall and go through those levels or he might fail at those levels,” said Eddie Hearn to the DAZN Boxing Show.
“Conor has made it clear to me, he wants to go straight back in a big fight. I would prefer him to have a run-out. But he’s made it clear, ‘I want Chris Eubank Jr, I want Gervonta Davis, I want Kell Brook, I want Manny Pacquiao,'” said Eddie Hearn.
Before Benn’s recent positive tests came to light, he was viewed by many as the replacement for Anthony Joshua as Matchroom Boxing’s flagship/money-making fighter. Benn was bringing in a lot of money for his fights.
Having a famous father, Nigel Benn, gave Conor a huge boost, giving him attention in the same way Eubank Jr got notoriety due to his famous father, Chris Eubank, a star in the UK during the 90s.
“If we don’t get a decision soon [from the investigation by the World Boxing Council], we’re going to make a move,” said Hearn about Benn. “Make no mistake, Conor can fight now, but we want a ruling. He’s allowed to fight now, but he doesn’t want to fight until his truth comes out.”
Benn, 26, shouldn’t have any problems getting a fight against Eubank Jr, as he’s still interested in facing him once he gets past his next opponent Liam Smith on January 21st.
Kell Brook is pretty well past it at 36 and isn’t viewed as relevant by boxing fans nowadays. It might be a waste of time for Benn to fight him unless he’s focusing on circus-level novelty fights.
Likewise, the 44-year-old Manny Pacquiao is retired and just doing exhibitions. It would be a bad look on Conor Benn’s part to be trying to fight him.