Boxing Mar 13, 2026

Conor Benn targets Ryan Garcia and world title, rules out Floyd Mayweather bout but would box Chris Eubank Jr at 168lbs

👤
By Admin
Sports Journalist
Conor Benn targets Ryan Garcia and world title, rules out Floyd Mayweather bout but would box Chris Eubank Jr at 168lbs

Conor Benn will target a “mega-fight” with Ryan Garcia after signing with new promoter Zuffa Boxing, but also revealed he is open to another bout with Chris Eubank Jr, this time up at super-middleweight.

Previously Benn had been promoted by Eddie Hearn's Matchroom Boxing but in an industry-shaking move has now joined Zuffa, the new entity run by UFC boss Dana White.

Asked about what the switch to Zuffa meant for his career, Benn exclusively told Your Site: "Career's heading in the same direction which is world title by the end of the year, God willing, and just mega-fights. That's the plan. Give the supporters, the fans what they want. Come over here, all the belts are over here in America.

"Whatever the public want it to be it will be," he added. "I'm a servant of the public and I want to give the supporters the biggest and the best fights possible.

"I know we've got big plans for me to take the world by storm."

Garcia secured a dominant victory over Mario Barrios to win the WBC welterweight world title on Saturday. Benn now wants his shot at Garcia.

"Obviously I watched the fight with Barrios, I'm the No 1 contender mandatory for the belt," the Briton said.

"I can't say I was impressed. He did what he needed to do with a guy who's just coming off two draws, one dimensional, slow. [Barrios] wasn't really in the fight. I was impressed with Garcia's engine though, I was impressed with the fact he's managed to pull himself together and win a world title."

Benn insisted: "I am no Barrios and I think I'd give him hell in there.

"He's there for the taking.

"I think my speed, my agility, my explosiveness, my unorthodox style and power would cause him a lot of problems.

"It would be an exciting fight for sure, I definitely don't see that fight going to points by any measure."

It's unclear when Garcia will be ready to fight next. If it's not until September, Benn would want an alternative bout first.

"I'd like to be out as soon as possible, so whenever the first date presents itself no doubt I'll jump at the opportunity," he said. "All I need is a few weeks and I'm ready to go. If [Ryan Garcia] is September I'd like to get out two or three times this year. So we'll just wait and see.

"Rolly Romero [the WBA welterweight titlist], Shakur [Stevenson], [Devin] Haney, I really want a piece of the American pie."

It would be richly satisfying for him to follow his father Nigel Benn's footsteps and win a world title in America. A championship is his primary goal, rather than fighting welterweight legends like Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather who are still active in the sport in their late 40s.

Benn views Pacquiao like he does Mayweather: "Just a bit old.

"He's a legend and I respect and admire him as a man, as a fighter to let him lose to via just being old."

A "wild card" fight for him would be Jake Paul, the YouTuber turned professional cruiserweight who lasted six rounds with Anthony Joshua at heavyweight.

"Jake Paul that would be an out there fight! I've got plenty of things I want to do and achieve in boxing before that, like the world title, like mega-fights, Shakur mega-fight, Haney big fight, Garcia mega-fight," Benn said.

He would be open to an eventual trilogy fight with his rival Chris Eubank Jr. Benn moved up to middleweight to box Eubank twice at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last year, losing a thriller in the first contest but controlling the rematch, in which he dropped Eubank twice before the end.

While Benn's targets are at welterweight, he would be willing to go up to super-middleweight, 168lbs, to give Eubank a third fight.

"The first fight for me wasn't who I am or the sort of fighter I am. Would I fight Eubank at a weight that he's comfortable at and has no excuses? Yeah, I would," Benn said.

"Thinking about it, I would fight him at 168lbs. I would. Not for anything else but to beat him so convincingly again. Because I'm just a better boxer. I have better ring IQ, I'm just faster, more agile. I just punch harder. I have better endurance. Every sector I'm better than him.

"That would be a point I want to prove. Not to myself, because I know I beat him."

He added: "It's just something personal with me and Chris and there will always be something there. I respect Chris, I respect him.

"You don't have to like someone you respect. I respect him because being in this game is hard and also being a legend's son is hard. But ultimately we did it, we do it, we've set our kids' lives up, we are established in the game and we have a big following.

"But for me, my goal is still to get the world title."

Tags:

boxing news

Share this article

Related Posts

Chantelle Cameron: I hope Mikaela Mayer becomes undisputed champion, and I take the belts off her!

Chantelle Cameron: I hope Mikaela Mayer becomes undisputed champion, and I take the belts off her!

Chantelle Cameron is aiming to set up bouts with the world's best welterweights, Mikaela Mayer and Lauren Price.Cameron, a former undisputed world cha...

Caroline Dubois vs Terri Harper and Ellie Scotney undisputed fight headline April 5 all-female show on Sky Sports

Caroline Dubois vs Terri Harper and Ellie Scotney undisputed fight headline April 5 all-female show on Sky Sports

Caroline Dubois versus Terri Harper and Ellie Scotney’s undisputed title fight top an epic all-women’s TV bill on Sunday April 5 live on Your Site.The...

Caroline Dubois confronts Terri Harper after fiery head-to-head: 'Pathetic! I don’t see any resistance from her'

Caroline Dubois confronts Terri Harper after fiery head-to-head: 'Pathetic! I don’t see any resistance from her'

Caroline Dubois and Terri Harper clashed in a fiery confrontation after filming an episode of The Gloves Are Off.Dubois and Harper will fight in a wor...

Moses Itauma would 'love a shot' at Oleksandr Usyk, but why would he want to fight a 21-year-old?

Moses Itauma would 'love a shot' at Oleksandr Usyk, but why would he want to fight a 21-year-old?

Rising heavyweight phenom Moses Itauma would welcome a fight with the best in the division, Oleksandr Usyk.But Itauma, only 21 years old and already t...

Terri Harper on facing hate: 'Just be your authentic self. Don’t change who you are'

Terri Harper on facing hate: 'Just be your authentic self. Don’t change who you are'

Professional boxing can be a hostile environment for members of the LGBTQ+ community.But Terri Harper, a multi-weight world champion, looks to help wh...

Oleksandr Usyk: Unified heavyweight world champion expects the 'last dance' of his career to come against Tyson Fury

Oleksandr Usyk: Unified heavyweight world champion expects the 'last dance' of his career to come against Tyson Fury

Oleksandr Usyk, the unified heavyweight world champion, wants to have his final fight against Tyson Fury.The rivalry between Usyk and Fury has already...