Dana White wasted no time responding to Conor Benn’s shock move from Matchroom Boxing to Zuffa Boxing, launching a scathing attack on Eddie Hearn during a profanity-laced post-fight press conference at UFC Houston.
Just a day after Benn’s departure became public, White mocked Hearn’s reaction. “Is there a bigger p&%@& than Eddie Hearn?” White said. “This guy is supposed to be your friend. You’re f*ing crying? He made more money [with Zuffa]. He’s going to make more money - and [Hearn] had the right to match it. He could’ve matched it.”
Benn’s decision to sign what has been reported as a one-fight, $15 million deal with Zuffa marks a major moment in the escalating rivalry between White’s new boxing venture and the sport’s established promotional powers. Zuffa Boxing, led by White, Nick Khan and Turki Alalshikh, has already staged three events and aggressively positioned itself as a disruptor within boxing’s traditional structure.
Hearn, who promoted Benn for nearly a decade and helped guide him to prominence in the UK, admitted he was “pretty devastated” upon learning of the split via an email from Benn’s lawyer. Speaking to iFL TV, Hearn said he requested a phone call with Benn but was denied. “I made a mistake, because I misjudged his character,” Hearn said. “For everything I’ve done for you, I think I deserve a call.”
White dismissed Hearn’s frustration when asked about those comments. “What a crock of s**,”* he said. “Judge us at the end of the year for the work that we do this year. At the end of the year, you judge what you think we’ve accomplished in one year in the sport of boxing.”
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