According to Bellew, the news of Benn's transition initially seemed completely absurd to him. "I won't lie, I thought it was a joke. I felt like someone was messing around," he said.
Bellew particularly noted the absence of a simple human gesture from Benn. "At the very least, you could call the person who has defended and helped you for some time," he emphasized, referring to the support Eddie had provided to Conor over many years, including tough career periods.
The former champion shared a broader thought on human relationships in sports: "If you expect others to act as you would, you will always be disappointed." In his view, in this case, Benn showed a lack of respect to the person who stood by him in tough times.
It should be noted that last week Conor officially announced signing a contract with Zuffa Boxing—a new promotional company created by Dana White along with other influential figures. This move was a real shock to the boxing world, as Benn had been building his career under the wing of Matchroom Boxing and Eddie Hearn for ten years.