Eddie Hearn: 'Conor Benn ready to move to elite level'

Promoter Eddie Hearn has reiterated that he is ready to throw Conor Benn into elite-level fights after his dominant win over Chris van Heerden on Saturday night.

Although the unbeaten British welterweight did not have things all his own way in the first round, he proceeded to close the show early in the second, a big right-hand being followed by a flurry of shots which floored his opponent.

Having witnessed Benn progress with each fight and put together a string of impressive victories, Hearn says he will now target an "elite" contest for the 25-year-old.

Speaking after the bout in Manchester, Hearn said: "Benn is the most exciting fighter in the country right now. Now it's time for the step up this summer. He is a young man with a big future. He's demolishing guys and it's time for a step up. Like Kell Brook. That's to establish the best welterweight in Britain. I think Conor Benn is him.

"There's him, there's Danny Garcia, there's Mikey Garcia, there's Adrien Broner - there's all these elite welterweights and that's really step that's got to be taken for Conor Benn.

"It's time to take off the L plates and go into an elite level."

Despite getting into the ring after the fight, Amir Khan is highly unlikely to be chosen as Benn's next opponent on the back of losing convincingly to Brook.