Eddie Hearn offers counter after Chris Eubank Jr accepts £1m bet to ‘trick public’
Eddie Hearn has offered a counter to Chris Eubank Jr, after the boxer accepted the promoter’s £1m bet over April’s fight with Conor Benn.
Ahead of Eubank Jr vs Benn, which is scheduled for 26 April at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Benn’s promoter Hearn bet his counterpart Ben Shalom £1m over the result of the bout.
Shalom dismissed the bet, before his fighter Eubank Jr accepted it this week. “Come on, Eddie,” Eubank Jr said in a video on social media. “£1m, eh? Okay, let’s find out if you’re a man of your word or just a lying hype job.
“I formally accept your £1m bet, and the £1m will be our own personal money – not company money or purse money, just a straight-up bet between me and you. The money will go into escrow, and the winner takes all. And now I look forward to watching you try to weasel your way out of this bet, like the rodent I know you are. Good day.”
Now, however, Hearn has responded, saying he is not allowed to bet on the fight – while offering a charity-related alternative.
“Very clever, I think it’s easy to trick the public,” Hearn told The Ring, referring to Eubank Jr’s video. “I mean, just to kind of make sure the public are aware: following our little laugh and joke with Ben Shalom about the £1m, Ben Shalom stated – I mean, it was a good way to get out of the bet, but it was true – that promoters can’t bet.
“So much so, that the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC) actually recently sent an email, which I’ll show you now. I’ll read it out, because I just want to put Eubank to bed, because he’s one for the views. This is from the BBBofC, regarding regulation 38.”
Hearn proceeded to read the regulation in question, which reportedly forbids licence holders from “directly or indirectly” betting or enabling bets on the “result, progress, conduct or any other outcome” of a fight “in which the member is participating or proposing to participate in any capacity”, or “on which the member has any influence – direct or indirect”.
“That is the reason Eubank’s done a video, to get some views and some noise,” Hearn continued, “because he knows I can’t bet on the fight. And he knows that if I did, I would receive a fine like him, of £100,000.
“So, maybe we could do something for charity. But it was good. Listen, it did what he’s all about: views and clout. He’s clout-chasing. I would love to have a bet with him, but I’d also get better odds [elsewhere]; I think Conor is 6/5, so I wouldn’t take even money from him.”
Eubank Jr, 35, and Benn, 28, are due to clash two-and-a-half years after they were initially due to fight each other. In October 2022, their contest collapsed on short notice, when it was revealed that Benn had failed two drug tests.
Benn was subsequently stripped of his British boxing licence and competed in the US twice, before he was cleared to fight on home soil in late 2024.
His fight with Eubank Jr will be his first in Britain in three years, and it will take place more than 30 years after their fathers last fought. In 1990, Chris Eubank Sr beat Nigel Benn, before the rivals fought to a draw in 1993.
Topics
-
Conor Benn held back by security in Chris Eubank Jr clash on Piers Morgan talk show
Benn and Eubank Jr will fight on 26 April at Tottenham Hotspur StadiumYahoo Sports - 6d -
Piers Morgan’s Guest Chris Eubank Jr Storms Out Of TV Studio After Fiery Encounter
Piers Morgan presided over a stormy encounter on his chat show, before one guest departed abruptly. Morgan was hosting two boxers – Chris Eubank Jr and Connor Benn – on Piers Morgan Uncensored this ...Yahoo Sports - 5d -
'Boxing's not broken' - Hearn responds to White's new league
Eddie Hearn is unsure what Dana White and TKO's new boxing league will look like, but says "boxing is not broken".BBC News - Mar. 11 -
Eddie Hearn reveals Anthony Joshua timeline for comeback after ‘injury setback’
‘AJ’ last fought in September, suffering a knockout loss to IBF champion Daniel DuboisYahoo Sports - 8h -
Eddie DeBartolo, Jr. emerges as potential buyer of the Tampa Bay Rays
Legendary 49ers owner Eddie DeBartolo, Jr. could be back in the sports ownership game.Yahoo Sports - Mar. 13 -
5-star Ohio State commit Chris Henry Jr. visits Oregon
Mater Dei 5-star receiver Chris Henry Jr., an Ohio State recruit and ESPN's No. 1 recruit in the class of 2026, visited Oregon last week.Yahoo Sports - 4d -
Mel Kiper Jr. offers surprising take on potential New York Giants draft target
ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. isn't afraid of some hot takes and he offered one on a potential 2025 NFL draft target of the New York Giants.Yahoo Sports - 14h -
Marvin Harrison Jr. jerseys now on sale!
After nearly a year and a settled lawsuit, Cardinals fans can now buy a Marvin Harrison Jr. jersey. They are on sale and available.Yahoo Sports - 6d -
Nebraska to host offensive tackle next month
Nebraska football will host 2026 offensive lineman Leon Noil Jr. on April 26. Rivals.com Sam Spiegelman reported this on Thursday.Yahoo Sports - 4d
More from Yahoo Sports
-
Kevin Holland says UFC Fight Night 255 bout not permanent move down to welterweight
LONDON – Kevin Holland still plans on bouncing around weight classes after UFC Fight Night 255. Holland (26-13 MMA, 13-10 UFC) takes on the returning Gunnar Nelson (19-5-1 MMA, 10-5 UFC) in a ...Yahoo Sports - 35m -
Westside Gunn's 4th Rope promotion aims to merge cultures and create a new space for longtime fans
Buffalo rapper Westside Gunn has spent the last few years ingratiating himself to professional wrestling promotions and talents alike, while naming projects, songs and dedicating references to ...Yahoo Sports - 36m -
The Lions bring back a key special teams ace and reserve CB
The Lions bring back a key special teams ace and reserve CB, Khalil Dorsey, in free agencyYahoo Sports - 38m -
Sacha Boisvert win NCHC Rookie of the Year
Mar. 20—ST. PAUL, Minn. — When Sacha Boisvert walks into Ralph Engelstad Arena, he takes note of the legendary players on the walls. "You always want to be one of those guys," Boisvert said. "When ...Yahoo Sports - 42m -
Mier Panoam latest UND men's basketball player to enter transfer portal
Mar. 20—GRAND FORKS — UND guard Mier Panoam will enter the NCAA Transfer Portal, according to a report from Rivals on Thursday afternoon. Panoam shared the report on his social media account on X, ...Yahoo Sports - 43m
More in Sports
-
Kevin Holland says UFC Fight Night 255 bout not permanent move down to welterweight
LONDON – Kevin Holland still plans on bouncing around weight classes after UFC Fight Night 255. Holland (26-13 MMA, 13-10 UFC) takes on the returning Gunnar Nelson (19-5-1 MMA, 10-5 UFC) in a ...Yahoo Sports - 35m -
Westside Gunn's 4th Rope promotion aims to merge cultures and create a new space for longtime fans
Buffalo rapper Westside Gunn has spent the last few years ingratiating himself to professional wrestling promotions and talents alike, while naming projects, songs and dedicating references to ...Yahoo Sports - 36m -
The Lions bring back a key special teams ace and reserve CB
The Lions bring back a key special teams ace and reserve CB, Khalil Dorsey, in free agencyYahoo Sports - 38m -
Sacha Boisvert win NCHC Rookie of the Year
Mar. 20—ST. PAUL, Minn. — When Sacha Boisvert walks into Ralph Engelstad Arena, he takes note of the legendary players on the walls. "You always want to be one of those guys," Boisvert said. "When ...Yahoo Sports - 42m -
Brazil vs. Colombia odds, where to watch, live stream: CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying prediction, pick, lineups
Fifth-place Brazil is one point behind fourth-place ColombiaCBS Sports - 43m