Conor Benn’s Next Foe Being Finalized, Hooker Injured in Camp

Conor Benn will have to wait for his chance to headline at the O2 Arena in London as his next fight looks set to be switched to Manchester to avoid a clash with Tyson Fury against Dillian Whyte. 

The unbeaten welterweight was due to top the bill at the O2 Arena, where he made his professional debut, on April 23 but with Fury-Whyte set to be confirmed for the same date at Wembley Stadium, the date needed to be changed, with the venue unavailable for the new one. 

Benn still does not know who he will be facing, after Maurice Hooker, the former WBO super lightweight champion, having accepted the fight, but then suffered an injury. 

“Hooker may not be ready for that fight,” promoter Eddie Hearn said. “We made him an offer and he accepted but then picked up a little niggle on the second day of his training camp.  

“We are speaking to his team right now. We have got that offer out to about four different fighters rights now. Hooker accepted, but now might not be ready.” 

The alternatives include original choice Adrien Broner and Chis Van Heerden 

“Van Heerden, Broner and one of two others from leftfield,” Hearn said. “We’ll be announcing it next week.” 

Benn, who is unbeaten in 20 fights, has been on a brilliant run over the last 15 months, beating Sebastian Formella, Samuel Vargas, Adrian Granados and, in December, Chris Algieri. 

Ron Lewis is a senior writer for BoxingScene. He was Boxing Correspondent for The Times, where he worked from 2001-2019 – covering four Olympic Games and numerous world title fights across the globe. He has written about boxing for a wide variety of publications worldwide since the 1980s.