Eddie Hearn says Conor Benn’s reported $15 million one-fight agreement has not altered Matchroom’s position with DAZN. What it has done, in his view, is spark a wider debate about how long eight-figure guarantees for single outings can realistically hold.
Speaking to Boxing King Media, Hearn revealed Matchroom was formally asked to match the offer.
“Obviously, you know, the extension negotiations went on for a very long time, months ago. And when we found out about this, which was… 11th, 12th of Feb, whenever that was. The first thing that we did was speak to DAZN because we received a letter saying match this 15 million you know. They were fully aware of the situation. We actually signed the deal after that. It had no bearing on our deal at all.”
Hearn rejected suggestions that Benn’s exit unsettled Matchroom’s broadcast agreement. According to him, the DAZN arrangement was already in place. Benn leaving did not disrupt it.
The disappointment, he said, was personal rather than financial.
“It’s blown up that big to a level where even I feel like someone’s passed away. People are coming up to me going, ‘Are you okay?’ It’s like, of course I’m disappointed, but we’ll also get over it.”
“I just felt like we deserved a conversation, a man-to-man conversation. And that was it really.”
Sustainability Question
Beyond communication, Hearn circled back to the money.
“You can’t just start overpaying fighters and going crazy and changing the foundation of your business when you’re in a fight like this. You have to roll your sleeves up and dig in.”
“If people really want to come in and spend that much money on a 10-round fight with Regis Prograis, then that’s okay. But long-term, is that model going to be sustainable?”
He also offered a competitive assessment of the matchup itself.
“I like Regis. You saw in the Jojo Diaz fight he’s not the fighter that he once was. He’s still a decent fighter, but Conor should be much too fresh.”
For Hearn, the dividing line is clear. One market can lift purses well beyond traditional levels. The broader sport still depends on broadcast contracts, live gates, and fighters staying active throughout the year.
Saudi Backing And Long-Term Planning
Asked about Turki Alalshikh and Riyadh Season, Hearn kept his tone measured. Matchroom staged a Riyadh card in December and a Ring Magazine show in January, with another event agreed.
“I’m pretty chilled about Turki really. We got 30 shows a year for 5 years, you know, we’re golden. We’re in a great position.”
The emphasis was on schedule depth. Regular dates. A roster that fights often. A platform that runs year-round rather than event by event.
On recent social media exchanges involving Ring Magazine, he said, “What Turki does is he’s very reactive, the longer you let things simmer, probably the better the response and reaction will be.”
UFC Comparison
Hearn widened the discussion by comparing boxing purses to UFC pay structures.
“There’s more revenue in the pot for a UFC fight than there is for a Conor Benn fight. So if you’re Sean O’Malley, if you’re Michael Bisping, if you’re Tom Aspinall, how can you be getting 10 times less when there’s more revenue in the pot? It doesn’t really make sense.”
In Hearn’s words, Benn’s departure did not unravel Matchroom’s agreement with DAZN. It did underscore how far Saudi-backed investment can stretch individual fight purses.
His argument is simple: a steady calendar, a consistent broadcast home, and fighters who box multiple times a year provide a more reliable base than a single oversized payday. Whether that model withstands a market where the biggest nights are increasingly financed elsewhere will be measured both in the ring and on the balance sheet.
Benn returns to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on April 11 against former two-time super lightweight champion Regis Prograis in a 150-pound catchweight bout on the Tyson Fury vs. Arslanbek Makhmudov undercard, streamed on Netflix. The fight is reported to be a one-fight deal worth $15 million.