Promoter Eddie Hearn has admitted that everyone is reaching out to him to face welterweight contender Conor Benn, after Benn toiled to his second consecutive decision win in the USA last weekend.
“Is there anyone between 140 and 160lb who doesn’t want to fight Conor Benn,” Hearn wrote on X. “Whole world calling his name…. big fight next.”
The British fighter will discover his fate within the next couple of weeks with both the British Boxing Board of Control and UKAD appealing the decision of the National Anti-Doping Panel to allow Benn to fight after two positive VADA tests.
Here are 10 possible foes for Benn – yes, 10 – including many of those who have been mentioned in the aftermath of Benn defeating Peter Dobson in Las Vegas last weekend.
Devin Haney – Haney took to social media to express his curiosity about where Benn’s power had gone, following two points win and without being able to put a dent in either Rodolfo Orozco or Peter Dobson. “Come and feel my power then! Pussy,” Benn clapped back.
Likelihood – 7/10
Tank Davis – Seems to think he is in with a shout of fighting Benn and has slammed the UK fighter on social media and engaged in a spat with Benn since Saturday – revisiting one from a few months ago. Davis has spoken of his desire to fight in the UK, and Benn messaged Davis on X yesterday to say there was an offer on the way. “Relax, let me and your boss work. We got it,” replied Davis.
Likelihood – 8/10
Mario Barrios – Benn has long-mentioned Barrios as the step towards the biggest name, and in the immediate aftermath of defeating Dobson Benn said: “If we could make that fight with Mario Barrios next, I’d be over the moon.”
Likelihood – 7/10
Chris Eubank – Hearn has expressed dismay at Eubank not accepting ‘millions’ to face Benn at 160lbs, but Eubank – another to take to social media – posted the famous clip of Tom Cruise in Jerry Maguire of Cruise and client Cuba Gooding Jr screaming ‘show me the money’ at one another.
Likelihood – 9/10
Kell Brook – Brook is retired. No, he’s not. Yes, he is. You get the feeling that he will come back for the right fight at the right money. He and Benn had some kind of shoving match ringside a few months ago, and while Brook seems to be around Boxxer shows that Matchroom bills, the right offer could tempt him back into the ring – even if many would like to see him ‘retired’ after his dream farewell win over Amir Khan.
Likelihood – 6/10
Josh Kelly – This seemed the fight to make a few years ago, and it might have been inevitable. Kelly would have been a big favourite, then, but Benn would like start favourite against ‘PBK’. Still, Kelly was another who took to X and wrote: “I would cook Conor Benn.”
The working relationship between Hearn and Wasserman do make this possible, and Kelly is also on DAZN.
Likelihood – 6/10
David Avanesyan – Lewis Crocker’s coach Billy Nelson but his fighter forward to face Benn, but Neil Marsh – Avanesyan’s manager – interrupted him on X. “Billy, we’ve been in the queue longer than you, so do one.” It is likely that Avanesyan is too great a risk for too little reward.
Likelihood – 5/10
Errol Spence – “Fight me next and I’ll close that other eye,” wrote Benn on X, after Spence used an emoji of an egg to type ‘eggs-actly’ trying to explain Benn’s power outage. Spence was referring to the initial speculation that eggs had been linked to Benn’s defence for the two failed tests. Despite the social media crossfire, this would be highly unlikely.
Likelihood – 3/10
Terence Crawford – During fight week, Benn said he wanted to fight Crawford. But Crawford seems to have his heart set on a Canelo fight and very little desire to fight Benn. Like Spence, Crawford is with PBC and that makes a fight with the Matchroom man unlikely.
Likelihood – 2/10
Jarron Ennis – Boots and Benn have long been mentioned as possible opponents on a collision course, but Boots seems to be running his own race and he is one of the few not rushing to social media to call out Benn.
Likelihood – 4/10
