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Announcement nears as underwhelming opponent accepts Conor Benn fight for April

Eddie Hearn says Conor Benn's next opponent will likely be announced next week.

Conor Benn's next opponent is likely to be South African Chris van Heerden after the experienced southpaw accepted an offer for a fight in April.
Benn's promoter Eddie Hearn revealed that an announcement will be made "next week" after Hearn made a number of different offers to potential opponents.
Hearn has confirmed he made offers to Adrien Broner and Maurice Hooker, who agreed to the fight before suffering an injury in training. The promoter also claimed discussions with one other fighter, who he refused to name, have taken place.

Boxing News claimed that man was experienced US welterweight Robert Guerrero.

"Hooker accepted the fight, and I was quite pleased with that but picked up an injury in his first week of training," Hearn told ProBoxing Fans.

"We're talking to him about the dates now whether that's moved. Van Heerden has accepted the fight [with Benn]. We also have two other offers out with other opponents.

"One is Broner, and the other is someone else that I won't mention at the moment out of respect for them-looking to make an announcement next week."

Hearn has made it clear he has two dates in mind for Benn's next match-up - April 16 and April 23.

Tyson Fury's heavyweight defence against Dillian Whyte is likely to be on April 23 though, so Hearn says he has made contingency plans.

"If Fury-Whyte happens, then it looks like April 16th will be the date for Conor Benn," said Hearn," added the promoter.

It appears that 34-year-old Van Heerden (28-2-1, 12 KOs) is a last resort for the unbeaten Benn (20-0, 13 KOs). Benn was impressive in his last outing against Chris Algieri in December.
Benn made light work of the skillful New Yorker with a devastating fourth-round knockout over Algieri in probably his best career win to date.

Van Heerden battered by Spence

Van Heerden has not fought since he was saved in the first round to a deep gash after facing Jaron Ennis in December 2020.

Van Heerden was getting a serious beating by the young American when the fighters' heads collided with about 20 seconds remaining in the round, signalling the end of the contest.

The Johannesburg-native defeated Matthew Hatton back in 2013, but his most famous fight was against Errol Spence Jr. in 2015.

Spence dropped his opponent twice before being knocked out in the eighth round.
Van Heerden's record is a respectable one but he's hardly the name that the British fans wanted to see.

It's a million miles away from an opponent like third-ranked Cuban, Yordenis Ugas or Chris Eubank Jnr, both of whom have been mentioned.

Benn: I'll have anyone

"Anyone, anyone top 10, anyone. I'd have [Yordenis] Ugas next. I'd have anyone," Benn told Boxing News. "I just leave it to my team to pick the opponent and I go okay, let's go."
"It will be in the month of April (next fight). We'll just keep working hard, keep grafting and when the opportunity presents itself, as in a fight date, then we'll make sure we're ready," Benn said.
"[The support] is overwhelming. It's like what did I do to deserve this? I think I just give people value for money and I love to entertain the public. I fight with my heart on my sleeve.
"It just encourages me that what I'm doing is right and I love the public for it. It's just warming. It's very warming for me."

Read more: Five reasons why Conor Benn will not fight David Avanesyan

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