Benn aims for decisive finish over Garcia
Conor Benn is confident he will stop Ryan Garcia in their upcoming WBC welterweight title showdown set for September 12. The British fighter has made it clear that the outcome is not in question, and he is focused on delivering a victory. Benn said that what Garcia does on the outside does not matter and that he is fully committed to winning. He emphasized that he is putting in the necessary work and is determined to secure a stoppage. Benn believes the win will validate the struggles he has endured in cutting weight to make the division’s limit. Benn has grown up in the sport and understands the nuances of fight promotion, often drawing comparisons to Muhammad Ali in terms of his promotional flair. Benn sees Garcia as more of a speed bump than an obstacle, but also as an entry point into the elite conversation. He told Ring Magazine, âI donât care what heâs doing. Like it makes no difference. He can carry on doing what heâs doing. It doesn't concern me at all. All I know is that Iâm working extremely hard to come out victorious. No doubt Iâll be looking for the stoppage myself. I think Iâll stop him. Yeah, I do.â
Farewell to welterweight
Benn has announced that the fight against Garcia will be his last at the welterweight limit of 147 pounds. He has not competed at that weight in over four years, having previously moved up to challenge for the title in the super welterweight and light middleweight divisions. The return to 147 has been physically demanding, and Benn acknowledged that making the weight has been a tough challenge. However, he remains confident that the effort will pay off if he can come out of Las Vegas with the WBC title. Benn said he reached 183 pounds for his previous bouts with Chris Eubank Jr., and he is determined to drop back to 147 for this fight. Benn is far too old to be considered a rising prospect, and instead, he is a grizzled veteran looking to carve his own destiny. Standing in front of him is Garcia.
Weight cut and the road ahead
The weight cut for the welterweight division is a major obstacle for Benn. He appeared visibly tired before his 150-pound catchweight bout against Regis Prograis in April, and fans are watching to see if he will be able to look strong on the scale for the September 12 fight. Benn admitted the process is brutal, but he said it is worth it for the chance to leave the division with a title. After Garcia, Benn plans to move up to 154 pounds or beyond. However, this transition could mean facing some of the toughest fighters in those divisions, including Jaron Ennis, Vergil Ortiz Jr., and WBA middleweight champion Erislandy Lara. Benn's last knockout victory happened back in 2022, a two-round demolition of Chris van Heerden, his last defense of the WBC Continental welterweight title. Since then, he's fought 56 rounds, 168 minutes of action, winning four of those five fights. Benn has accused Garcia of quitting, saying, âDid he quit? Do you think he's a quitter? I guess. Did he quit? As a fighter I can say he did. Did he go in his shell once he got clipped? You know, so he did, you know, if you know, and that's that. Our DNA is just different. Our makeup's completely different.â Benn's assertions come at a time when Garcia's mental state continues to become a talking point. He has, for the most part, controlled the behavior that caused concern in the boxing community. Yet, with Benn labeling Garcia a quitter and given his omnipresent social media behavior, how does this affect Garcia, and will it force him to feel the need to attack from the opening bell?
Benn’s win over Prograis last April did little to quiet concerns about his performance in heavier weight classes. While Prograis was past his peak and fighting above his natural weight, Benn still had to work hard to secure the victory. That result has left questions about how he will handle the physical demands of higher weights. Returning to welterweight would require another tough weight cut, but it could also offer him a better path to another world title. However, for now, Benn must focus on defeating Ryan Garcia to make his exit from welterweight as the champion.