Eddie Hearn warns Conor Benn about Dana White after Tom Aspinall injury

Eddie Hearn has issued a stark warning to Conor Benn following his shocking exit from Matchroom to sign with Dana White's Zuffa Boxing. The revelation sent shockwaves through the boxing community, with Benn becoming the latest addition to Zuffa alongside cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia. Benn made his return to action in April 2025 after more than 12 months away, facing Chris Eubank Jnr and experiencing the first defeat of his professional career. The 29-year-old responded emphatically with a commanding performance in their rematch at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in November. Matchroom had backed Benn for a decade, with Hearn and the promotion remaining loyal to the British fighter throughout a two-year doping controversy. Reports suggest that Zuffa Boxing's agreement with Benn covers just one bout, yet it remains an eight-figure contract. Ensure our latest sport headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as Preferred Source in your Google search settings Responding to news of Benn's departure from Matchroom, Hearn confessed he found it "pretty devastating". Speaking on BBC 5 Live's Boxing with Steve Bunce podcast, the 46-year-old declared his readiness to compete with White in the boxing arena. "I've not spoken to him [White] for a couple of weeks; I had a couple of texts with him," he said. "It's going to be a long, hard battle. But I'm also privileged and honoured that it seems to be a battle between me and him. And I'm well up for it. I think it's a blessing to be in those kind of battles." Hearn proceeded to characterise Benn's departure as "painful", but maintained the boxer won't find perfection with his new promoters. "Look at what they did to [UFC heavyweight champion] Tom Aspinall," he continued. "Tom Aspinall literally had his eye gouged out in a fight and Dana White basically called him a cry baby and cast him aside, humiliated him in front of everybody, whilst the guy is having operations to save his eyesight. "Dana White wouldn't do what I did for Conor Benn. But we're different people, and we have a different passion for the sport. You're a pawn in the game if you're Conor Benn, aren't you? We're different organisations. "I've said it before: these guys are very, very powerful, ruthless people. They don't care about the sport of boxing. In my opinion, they don't care about the fighters - it's just a business to them."