Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn and investor Turki Alalshikh (representing Riyadh Season / The Ring) had previously established a working relationship regarding boxer Conor Benn (24-1, 14 KOs). Benn participated in two of Alalshikh’s events, where he reportedly faced Chris Eubank twice. Alalshikh held an option for an additional bout and subsequently offered Conor a spot in Dana White’s Zuffa project. Benn accepted, drawn by a lucrative, record-breaking purse of $15 million USD.
Hearn: “Mate, You Dog…”
Hearn expressed his disappointment with this decision. Given his financial ties to Alalshikh, he directed his blame towards Benn, accusing him of disloyalty. The Matchroom boss declared that he has yet to forgive Conor: “To be honest, I’m still angry. I’ve calmed down a bit compared to when I first heard about it. Initially, it was disappointment, and then it morphed into anger.”
Hearn acknowledged the possibility of encountering Benn face-to-face at any time: “I’ve thought about it. I need to choose my words carefully. Honestly, I thought I’d say something like, ‘you dog.’ I believe if I see him, I should let him know exactly how I feel about his actions, without trying to instigate a confrontation. But I do want to get it off my chest. I suppose I’ll probably say something like: ‘Mate, you dog…'”