Boxing’s promoter wars just got louder. Dana White didn’t hold a press conference. He did not need to. One signing, one word (“beast”), and one cigar later, the message was clear. Conor Benn is no longer with Matchroom.

For close to a decade, Benn had been one of Eddie Hearn‘s prized assets, carefully grown under the Matchroom banner since his debut. Now he’s moved on to Zuffa Boxing, a new venture the UFC CEO promised would “fix” a sport he believes has been broken for years. And if the signing wasn’t enough, Dana White took things further to rub salt in his rival’s wounds.

Dana White indirectly mocks Eddie Hearn’s massive loss

To keep the pot stirring and seemingly mock Eddie Hearn even further, Dana White took to his Instagram story and made a statement without words. Well, except one, “@zuffaboxing.” The head of the brand tagged his promotion while sharing an image of him blithely smoking a cigar in what felt no less than a victory lap. But that’s not all. This story followed a clip of him meeting Conor Benn in person and welcoming him to Zuffa. It doesn’t take much to read between the lines. As if that weren’t enough, he even tagged Donald Trump in the story and wrote, “Incredible day.” Subtle? Not exactly.

“Conor Benn is an absolute beast and a superstar,” White said in his official announcement. “He shows up every time and destroys people, and now some of the best fighters in the world are calling him out.

“He’s ready for a world title next, and I can’t wait to see him compete in Zuffa Boxing. He’s going to be a huge addition to a growing stable of very talented boxers.”

Conor Benn surely matched that energy. For a fighter entering his prime, his statement after making the major move sounded less like a contract signing and more like a reset.

“I’m filled with excitement and hunger for what’s ahead with Zuffa Boxing,” he said. “I want the legacy fights, the biggest nights, the biggest stages. I fear no man at any weight.”

But underneath the excitement lies a deeper tension. Dana White and Eddie Hearn have been trading public shots throughout 2026. When Zuffa Boxing debuted, the head honcho scrapped nine of the sport’s 17 weight classes and introduced a new championship belt, making it clear that he wasn’t here to play by boxing’s old rules.

Hearn, unsurprisingly, wasn’t impressed. Now, Conor Benn’s move adds fuel to the fire.

After all, the 29-year-old isn’t White’s first poach. Earlier this year, undefeated cruiserweight Jai Opetaia also signed with Zuffa Boxing, declaring he wanted “unification and undisputed.” The roster is growing. The ambition is obvious.

Similarly, Benn isn’t a prospect but a well-known name and marketable figure in the United Kingdom and beyond. Losing him stings for Matchroom. In fact, a heartbroken Eddie Hearn just broke the silence, and he sounds like a man who is truly hurt by what transpired.

Eddie Hearn breaks silence on Conor Benn’s shocking exit

“I’ve known about this for a few days now, what was unfolding. I actually received an email from Conor Benn’s lawyer to make me aware of it,” he said. “I’m not going to sit here and hang Conor Benn out to dry.

“But, I got to be honest with you, me personally, pretty devastated.”

Eddie Hearn’s reaction felt like a gut punch. Sitting down just hours after the news emerged, the Matchroom boss didn’t sound angry—he sounded hurt. What seemed to sting the most was not the deal with arch-rival Dana White itself, but how it all unfolded. He stated that he never pressured Conor Benn into a long-term contract because he trusted his commitment over the years.

“It’s not often you get shocked, but I blame myself because I forgot it was boxing,” Hearn said dejectedly. “I just felt that the loyalty that we’ve shown would never ever put us in this position. I just felt that I never really needed to push Conor Benn to sign a new contract previously, and I probably could have got him to sign a new contract previously.

“Like I said, I blame myself; I made a mistake because I misjudged the character.”

That was the closest the boxing promoter came to firing back. What hurt the most, however, was not the business decision. It was the silence. Right after getting the update, Eddie Hearn texted Benn and asked for a quick call, something that the boxer simply refused to do.

For a promoter who helped the 29-year-old rise from his debut in 2016 to headliner status, being denied the conversation seemed like the real betrayal, a move that devastated Eddie Hearn and something that made Dana White celebrate it all publicly on social media.