Anthony Joshua was secretly approached to leave Eddie Hearn by Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing

Conor Benn wasn’t the only Matchroom fighter Zuffa Boxing tried to snap up.

The Dana White-fronted promotional outfit also tried to poach Anthony Joshua, according to his promoter Eddie Hearn.

Instagram @zuffaboxing

But while Benn signed a one-fight deal with Zuffa worth $15m last month, AJ was quick to shut down the approach.

During a recent appearance on the Ariel Helwani Show, Hearn revealed that Joshua immediately sent him a screenshot of the message.

Hearn said: “He won’t mind me saying it, but AJ had an approach around the back a couple of weeks ago.

“Do you know how quickly he sent me the screenshot? Seconds.

“[He said], ‘Let me know what you want to reply.’

“We are a team. Until the wheels come off, we are a team.

“And I have got your back always.”

Zuffa’s decision to contact AJ is a puzzling one, considering the Watford powerhouse signed a career-long deal with Matchroom in 2021, making it logistically impossible for him to jump ship.

Hearn didn’t have the same framework in place for Benn, whose contract with Matchroom had expired after he exacted his revenge over Chris Eubank Jr last November.

Rather than rushing to renew the deal, Hearn made the ill-advised call to allow Benn to mull over his options.

AFP

That is when Zuffa swooped in with a money-spinning offer.

Hearn was informed of Benn’s decision via an email from the boxer’s lawyer and was denied a phone call with his long-time client.

It marked the end of a 10-year partnership spanning the entirety of Benn’s professional career.

Hearn felt ‘betrayed’ by Benn’s abrupt exit and admits he was wrong to assume the 29-year-old would ‘repay his loyalty’ for working tirelessly to prove his innocence following his two failed drug tests in 2022.

A war between Matchroom and Zuffa has been raging ever since, with Hearn retaliating last week by signing UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall to the Matchroom Talent Agency.

Aspinall remains under contract with the UFC; however, Hearn is now working with him in a commercial and advisory capacity.

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