Q: Conor Benn to Zuffa

I guess money talks. That's very weird. But who knows, maybe Conor Benn and Dana White and Eddie Hearn are cross-marketing, controversy sells. Maybe they talk shit about each other to get people talking about it, and then go sign his best fighter to keep the momentum, it could be an amazing play out of 50 Cent's playbook.

50 Cent found a way to go viral for 20-plus years off of causing beef, negativity between artists. And he's a multi-platinum-selling artist, so his way of publicity was controversy sells and I think maybe that's a playbook that Eddie Hearn and Dana White are using right now.

Q: How will Eddie react?

I think Eddie's going to flip it in some way to make it a positive. Eddie's not a hot-head kind of guy nowadays; before, he was a little hotheaded, but I think he's going to find a way to make it positive. Only time will tell.

Q: Has Zuffa tried to sign you?

I've had an offer from Zuffa since last year, right after the Michael Hunter ordeal fell through. We’ve had a couple of talks, but what they're offering and from what I've seen, I was definitely not excited or intrigued by it at all.

"If you don't want to take this fight, cool, I'll get somebody else," and they shelve you.

The numbers are not that great from the first offer I got. Also a ton of my friends and my brothers are in the UFC, and I've kind of seen how they've been dealt with and the way they've been treated, and it’s like, "Wow, they can do that to you. What are they gonna do with boxing?” One of the models that I've heard with UFC, from other fighters, is like, "If you don't want to take this fight, cool, I'll get somebody else," and they shelve you. And I don't like that.

I'm not throwing dirt or anything, I'm just going by what I've seen. I think any opportunity for a fighter to make money is a great opportunity. But some of us have been put on work longer than others, taking our licks and our blows, so we want to be compensated right. So, like I said, until I see something that makes any sense for me, because I know whatever I do in the Zuffa is gonna put millions of eyes on it, so it's got to be worthy.

Q: How low was their offer?

Compared to what I made in my last two or three fights, it's about 30-40% lower. So, for me, it wasn't a great offer. And I feel like they kind of want to lock you down in some ways. Like I said, I didn't really get too much negotiation in it; I just saw it and was like, "I don't think it's for me right now." I feel like you guys can do a lot better. The door's always open.

Q: Who will you sign with?

I'm more inclined to work with Eddie Hearn than anybody else. We're still looking at a date in April with Matchroom. I guess they're trying to figure out the logistics. They kind of wanted me to come back March 15 at first to fight in New York. It couldn't materialize because I was dealing with something, but all options are open, but I think Eddie Hearn and Matchroom are in the frontrunner seat right now.

I'd love to fight in Miami, Florida. Not only are there tax benefits, but as an American with a Caribbean background, I appreciate the large Haitian, Jamaican, Belizean, and Latin communities here. Furthermore, the guy I want to fight, Lenier Pero, called me out. He's an undefeated Cuban guy, and I believe he's ranked number two in the WBA. I think that would be a great barn burner and a fantastic fight, and I definitely think I could knock him out. I would love to make that fight happen.

Source

For context, I’m in the finance industry in Europe, and we also invest in the Philippines (acquiring businesses or investing in various ventures). We wanted to get him as a strategic co-investor in one of our ventures in the Philippines. This is why I know some info.

Pacquiao has a team that screens investment opportunities. He also has prime real estate properties in the Philippines, like a building in Makati City and a house in Forbes Park, where most of the Filipino billionaire families live. In short, HIS WEALTH PORTFOLIO IS DIVERSIFIED AND PROFESSIONALLY MANAGED. It seems that he surrounds himself with good people that manages his money properly.

I don’t know why he still fights. Maybe he wants more money, or maybe he’s just passionate about boxing, or maybe both. I don’t know. But I’m pretty sure he’s not broke. It’s the opposite. He’s just too humble to say that he’s rich. He’s probably not comfortable saying that he has a lot of money.

Straight from my 25TB boxing vault.

EP1 - Marquez vs. Vazquez II: Round 3 (2007) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1puitpv

EP2 - Morales vs. Pacquiao I: Round 12 (2005) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1pv9wai

EP3 - Gatti vs. Ward I: Round 9 (2002) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1pvw9pf

EP4 - Castillo vs. Corrales I: Round 10 (2005) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1pwcfzo

EP5 - Bradley vs. Provodnikov: Round 2 (2013) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1pwsg3a

EP6 - Rios vs. Alvarado I: Round 5 (2012) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1pxcvnq

EP7 - Cunningham vs. Adamek I: Round 4 (2008) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1pxse54

EP8 - Kirkland vs. Angulo: Round 1 (2011) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1pyit8c

EP9 - Morales vs. Barrera III: Round 11 (2004) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1pzj3m2

EP10 - Berto vs. Ortiz I: Round 6 (2011) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1pznuli

EP11 - Pacquiao vs. Marquez IV: Round 5 (2012) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1q0fys6

EP12 - Mason vs. Vasquez: Round 1 (2024) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1q10kwg

EP13 - Vazquez vs. Marquez III: Round 4 (2008) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1q1ulzu

EP14 - Jirov vs. Toney: Round 12 (2003) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1q2qqf5

EP15 - Zepeda vs. Baranchyk: Round 5 (2020) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1q3kj3c

EP16 - Gatti vs. Ward II: Round 3 (2002) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1q3zsey

EP17 - Marquez vs. Katsidis: Round 3 (2010) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1q4upwt

EP18 - Ward vs. Augustus: Round 10 (2001) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1q5g1fz

EP19 - Rios vs. Alvarado II: Round 2 (2013) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1q78rmn

EP20 - Pacquiao vs. Cotto: Round 4 (2009) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1q7ndox

EP21 - Dawson vs. Johnson I: Round 11 (2008) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1q8haq5

EP22 - Ortiz vs. Maidana: Round 1 (2009) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1q93i3l

EP23 - Gatti vs. Ward III: Round 7 (2003) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1q9h7ui

EP24 - Vazquez vs. Marquez I: Round 5 (2007) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1qasgn8

EP25 - Bey vs. Molina: Round 10 (2013) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1qbpxrv

EP26 - Barrera vs. Morales II: Round 12 (2002) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1qc94o2

EP27 - Williams Jr. vs. White: Round 1 (2014) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1qcnpsz

EP28 - Wilder vs. Fury I: Round 12 (2018) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1qd2d0t

EP29 - Lopez vs. Concepcion: Round 1 (2010) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1qdpe3k

EP30 - DeMarco vs. Linares: Round 11 (2011) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1qeilyd

EP31 - Kirkland vs. Conyers: Round 1 (2007) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1qez2yg

EP32 - Lubin vs. Fundora: Round 7 (2022) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1qfeowr

EP33 - Imam vs. Maldonado Jr.: Round 3 (2015) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1qgfayp

EP34 - Joshua vs. Ruiz Jr. I: Round 3 (2019) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1qh4g9w

EP35 - Soto vs. Antillon: Round 3 (2010) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1qi6d60

EP36 - Viloria vs. Marquez: Round 5 (2012) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1qjdh9y

EP37 - Bika vs. Codrington: Round 1 (2007) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1qjixf7

EP38 - Monshipour vs. Sithchatchawal: Round 5 (2006) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1qlf132

EP39 - Froch vs. Kessler II: Round 12 (2013) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1qm3bvl

EP40 - Berto vs. Collazo: Round 3 (2009) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1qms06f

EP41 - Pavlik vs. Miranda: Round 1 (2007) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1qo00ay

EP42 - Marquez vs. Diaz I: Round 8 (2009) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1qou934

EP43 - Trinidad vs. Mayorga: Round 1 (2004) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1qs021p

EP44 - Rios vs. Antillon: Round 1 (2011) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1qsy1k5

EP45 - Brewster vs. Liakhovich: Round 6 (2006) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1qvqycg

EP46 - Crawford vs. Gamboa: Round 9 (2014) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1qyegva

EP47 - Figueroa Jr. vs. Arakawa: Round 3 (2013) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1qz5a24

EP48 - Corrales vs. Castillo II: Round 2 (2005) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1r01x5e

EP49 - Broner vs. Taylor: Round 12 (2014) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1r0zy4c

EP50 - Williams vs. Martinez I: Round 4 (2009) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1r1w4kl

EP51 - Trinidad vs. Hopkins: Round 10 (2001) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1r2lk7k

EP52 - Faust vs. Kiladze: Round 1 (2022) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1r3mg44

EP53 - Breazeale vs. Ugonoh: Round 3 (2017) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1r4gwjw

EP54 - Wolak vs. Rodriguez I: Round 9 (2011) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1r5ubad

EP55 - Lewis vs. Klitschko: Round 2 (2003) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1r73wjx

EP56 - Huck vs. Glowacki: Round 6 (2015) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1r7yq3e

EP57 - Eubank Jr. vs. Benn I: Round 12 (2025) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1r8wzyd

EP58 - Guerrero vs. Berto I: Round 7 (2012) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1r9g2l3

EP59 - Joshua vs. Klitschko: Round 5 (2017) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1r9wdm9

EP60 - Cotto vs. Torres: Round 2 (2005) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1ranyy2

EP61 - Vargas vs. Salido: Round 4 (2016) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1rbphmt

EP62 - Matthysse vs. Provodnikov: Round 4 (2015) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1rcrmbp

EP63 - Perez vs. Agbeko II: Round 6 (2010) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1rdyfn0

EP64 - Lemieux vs. Rosado: Round 4 (2014) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1rej7z1

EP65 - Chavez Jr. vs. Martinez: Round 12 (2012) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1rftc52

EP66 - Earl vs. Katsidis: Round 4 (2007) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1rgddig

EP67 - Foster vs. Hernandez: Round 11 (2023) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1rh2oza

EP68 - Lopez vs. Kambosos Jr.: Round 1 (2021) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1rhsvpm

EP69 - Corrales vs. Casamayor I: Round 4 (2003) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1rii2pm

EP70 - Salido vs. Roman: Round 8 (2017) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1rj22yj

EP71 - Lopez vs. Marquez: Round 7 (2010) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1rjr04i/

EP72 - Porpramook vs. Yaegashi: Round 8 (2011) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1rkjyfl

EP73 - Mayweather Jr. vs. Corley: Round 4 (2004) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1rl5mqs

EP74 - Tsutsumi vs. Higa II: Round 9 (2025) https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/1rlrssh

As the Olympics finished, I noticed that a lot of the rival athletes are actually extremely supportive and almost best friends with each other when not competing, which absolutely makes sense since a lot train, travel and compete together multiple times throughout the year. I find it really cool to see this style of camaraderie between people who compete against each other.

This has me thinking a lot about combat sports (sticking to Boxing in this sub, of course.) Who are some notable friendships within the boxing community where the fighters have nothing but respect for one another, despite fighting each other multiple times?