- Eddie Hearn wants Conor Benn to fight in Britain again
- Benn won in a return match against Pete Dobson on Saturday evening
- Hearn believes Benn could be one of the biggest names in British boxing when he returns
According to promoter Eddie Hearn, Conor Benn should be allowed to fight again in Great Britain to fill the void left by Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury.
Benn followed in father Nigel’s footsteps by headlining in Las Vegas on Saturday when he defeated Pete Dobson, but the two failed tests that saw him return for a banned drug in October 2022 continue to impact his career.
While Benn, who has always maintained he is innocent of wrongdoing, had a provisional ban lifted last July, UK Anti-Doping and the British Boxing Board of Control have appealed the decision.
Hearn expects this to take place this month and hopes a favorable outcome could see Benn once again licensed to fight in Britain amid a lull in major fights in British boxing over the past 12 months.
“When you talk about the biggest names in British boxing, you have Fury and AJ, but outside of those two, there’s Conor,” Hearn told the PA news agency.
Eddie Hearn believes Conor Been can add to the British boxing appeal of Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury in the future
Conor Benn scored a judges victory over Pete Dobson on Saturday evening
Hearn believes Conor Benn could help fill the void in British boxing of top fighters
‘With many of the big fights and big names moving internationally at the moment, we really need Conor Benn back in Britain. We want this call done and dusted so it can fill arenas across Britain.
“He is young enough to raise that flag in the coming years and we need that, British boxing needs it. The hardest part is not having a plan, vision or schedule as to what will happen.
‘We are now coming to the end of that whole story. I’m sure there are still a few bumps in the road, but it feels like we’re gaining some momentum now.”
Benn tested positive for the female fertility drug clomiphene prior to a fight against Chris Eubank Jr. that was eventually dropped and his career was in limbo for much of the last 18 months.
“I think there’s a tremendous amount of frustration in him,” Hearn said. ‘He still receives accusations and criticism. It is an incredibly large part of someone’s life to have to endure these setbacks.’
Even though Benn can’t fight on home soil yet, Hearn provided that crowd this weekend when the main event against Peter Dobson at the Cosmopolitan started around 10:30 PM in Britain – 2:30 PM local time.
This is Benn’s second fight under US jurisdiction, after making an uneventful return to defeat Rodolfo Orozco last September and extending his undefeated professional record to 22 wins from as many fights.
Conor Benn defeated Peter Dobson in only his second fight since being hit with a drugs ban
Hearn is optimistic about staging a big fight against Eubank Jr, Kell Brook or Liam Smith in late April or early May, but acknowledges Dobson (16-0, 9KOs) could derail those best-laid plans.
“We’ve entered this battle to stay active, but he’s calling all the big names, we want all the big names and we have to deliver,” Hearn said.
‘It’s much easier to fight those battles in Britain because you know you’re going to fill stadiums and arenas. But without the win on Saturday it’s all irrelevant.”
Nigel Benn fought twice in Sin City, winning both by first-round stoppage, with the 1990 victory over Iran Barkley particularly impressive as the American claimed world titles in two weight divisions.
“There are so many similarities between Conor and Nigel, especially in the way they fight – it’s identical,” Hearn added. “I see it so clearly, even when I talk to him, he is his father’s son.
‘The same violence and ruthless character that Nigel brought to the ring, Conor also brings. You’ll see that in bundles on Saturday.’