Barry Hearn has criticised Conor Benn for the manner of his departure from Matchroom Boxing, describing it as 'classless'. The 29-year-old fighter announced his split from the promotional company on Friday, opting to join Zuffa Boxing, which is backed by Saudi funds and headed by UFC president Dana White.
Benn, who had been with Matchroom for a decade, did not respond to attempts by Eddie Hearn to discuss the situation, instead instructing his lawyers to handle communications. This has angered Barry Hearn, who said: 'I didn’t think he was that type of boy. Maybe we got it wrong with Conor. We took his side, and we believed everything he said, and maybe we were wrong.'
The Hearns had supported Benn through his failed drugs test and subsequent comeback, which included a victory over Chris Eubank Jr. Barry Hearn expressed disappointment that Benn would abandon the team that had stood by him, stating: 'It is deeply upsetting… It is a classless way of doing it when you have an open relationship.'
Benn, the mandatory challenger for the WBC welterweight title, claimed he would have been 'mentally ill' to turn down the lucrative offer from Zuffa. However, Barry Hearn insisted he would have had no issue if Benn had handled the departure differently, adding: 'We have very high standards, but those standards have not been reciprocated.'
