Where Does Conor Benn Go Now After Disappointing Win Over Regis Prograis?

As soon as the final bell sounded, marking the end of his 10-round affair with Regis Prograis, Conor Benn knew he would soon find himself in murky waters.

In a nutshell, Benn accomplished what he set out to achieve on Saturday night. He is officially back on another win streak with another notable opponent added to his resume while adding $15 million to his bank account in the process.

It was a relatively easy night for the 29-year-old, who beat a now-retired 37-year-old former champion to collect the biggest paycheck of his career.

But under the circumstances, Benn was expected to dazzle. After all, Turki Alalshikh spent a fortune to acquire his talents under the Zuffa Boxing banner and set him up to record a highlight against a past-his-prime big-name opponent who supposedly battled injuries throughout his final training camp.

Highlights from Conor Benn's dominant victory over Regis Prograis 🥊#FuryMakhmudov on Netflix 📺 pic.twitter.com/ADo1wQHFh2
— Ring Magazine (@ringmagazine) April 11, 2026

Benn dominated the fight, but he did not get the knockout everyone expected, allowing fans to continue dragging his name through the mud on social media.

Now 25-1 and still a top-five-ranked welterweight, Benn remains one of the biggest ascending stars in boxing. He is sure to ink a new promotional deal in the coming weeks, but the conversation is not what anyone anticipated.

Conor Benn enters free agency at a career crossroads

Although Dana White was not involved in Tyson Fury vs. Arslanbek Makhmudov, Benn's bout with Prograis was his official Zuffa Boxing debut. The upstart promotion made a big deal of announcing his signing in February, only for it to be a $15 million, one-fight deal that would not even be paid off at a Zuffa Boxing event.

As he mentioned in his official statement, Benn felt compelled to sign the deal that presented him with life-changing money and a golden opportunity to advance his career. He failed to take full advantage of that opportunity, leaving many to wonder how well the investment could have paid off for White, Alalshikh, and Zuffa Boxing.

While re-signing Benn is always an option, his performance against Prograis certainly does not warrant another $15 million contract, especially not on a per-fight basis. The effort spent to obtain his talents will at least warrant an internal discussion, but White seemed adamant that it was only a one-off when discussing the signing.

The conversation would also boil down to Benn, who heaped praise upon Zuffa Boxing when he hopped on board, calling it "the future" of boxing. But one has to wonder how much of that sentiment was legitimate and how much was promotional fluff in response to public criticism.

🗣️"ZUFFA ARE THE FUTURE"

Conor Benn talks his decision to make the switch from Matchroom to Zuffa Boxing🥊#BennPrograis pic.twitter.com/4qNY8iudAQ
— BoxingScene.com (@boxingscene) April 9, 2026

Even if Zuffa offers him another wealthy deal, Benn's ceiling might be capped with the company, which has been at odds with the governing bodies and would not provide him with many high-profile opponents.

A Matchroom Boxing return is always possible, but that depends on how heavily Benn's departure still weighs on Eddie Hearn, who repeatedly voiced his frustration with a move he clearly viewed as foul. Despite how closely the two shared a promoter-fighter bond for most of Benn's career, it seems that many, if not all, bridges have burned.

A fighter with championship potential like 'The Destroyer' will never be short on options, but his upcoming negotiations will not come easily. If Benn is expecting another $15 million deal in his next offer, it could be a while before he r