Matchroom Boxing CEO Frank Smith has reacted to Conor Benn’s decision to sign a one-fight deal with Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing, describing the split as personal and claiming the welterweight contender “only cares about himself.”
Benn’s departure, confirmed Friday, ends a promotional relationship with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom that began when he turned professional in 2016. Over the course of that partnership, Benn built a 24-1 record and emerged as one of Britain’s most recognizable boxing figures, despite navigating significant controversy along the way.
Most notably, Benn tested positive for clomifene twice in 2022, which led to the cancellation of his initial clash with Chris Eubank Jr. Matchroom stood by him during the fallout, helping facilitate bouts in America before he eventually faced Eubank twice in 2025. Benn lost their first meeting by unanimous decision in April but avenged the defeat in November.
Speaking to IFL TV, Smith admitted the split “cuts a bit different” given the history. “I’ve always had an up and down relationship with Conor,” he said. “And Conor cares about one person: himself. He doesn’t care about what people have done for him. That’s my opinion. For me, it’s more personal than business, because of everything I went through over those years, with the Eubank fight.”
Benn currently sits as the WBC’s No. 1-ranked welterweight contender at 147 pounds. However, with Zuffa positioning itself as an alternative structure to traditional sanctioning bodies, it remains unclear how that ranking will factor into his immediate future under his new promotional banner.
Image Credit: Matchroom Boxing