Conor Benn will set his sights on a ‘mega fight’ with Ryan Garcia after signing with new promoter Zuffa Boxing, but he has also announced his intention to take on Chris Eubank Jr. again, this time at super middleweight.
Benn was previously promoted by Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing, but in an industry-shaking move he has now joined Zuffa, a new company run by UFC boss Dana White.
When asked what the switch to mainstream means for his career, Benn exclusively told Sky Sports: “My career is moving in the same direction as I want to win a world title by the end of the year. God willing, there will be a huge fight. That is the plan. Give the supporters and fans what they want. Come here. All the belts are here in America.
He added, “It will be whatever the public wants.” “I am a servant of the public and I want to give my supporters the biggest and best fight possible.
“I know I have big plans to take the world by storm.”
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Highlights of the rematch between Connor Benn and Chris Eubank Jr at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Photo credit: DAZN
Garcia earned a landslide victory over Mario Barrios for the WBC welterweight world title last Saturday. Now Ben wants a chance with Garcia.
“Obviously I watched the fight with Barrios. I am the number one contender for the belt,” said the Briton.
“I can’t say I was impressed. He did what was needed from a guy who had just come off a one-dimensional, slow two-draw. (Barrios) wasn’t really in the fight. I was impressed with Garcia’s engine, but I was impressed by the fact that he pulled it together and won the world title.”
“I’m not Barrios and I’m going to give him hell,” Ben insisted.
“He’s there to be taken away.
“I think my speed, agility, explosiveness, unorthodox style and power will cause him a lot of problems.
“It’s definitely going to be an exciting fight. I don’t think that fight is going to be scored by any standards.”
It’s unclear when Garcia will next play. If not until September, Benn will want a replacement fight first.
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Conor Benn claimed Chris Eubank Jr. ‘stolen his soul’ after soundly defeating him in their rematch.
“I want to get out there as quickly as possible, so whenever a first date comes up, I will undoubtedly jump at the opportunity,” he said. “All I need is a few weeks and I’m ready to go. If (Ryan Garcia) is in September, I’d like to get out there two or three times this year. So we’ll wait and see.”
“Rolly Romero (WBA welterweight titlist), Shakur (Stevenson), (Devin) Haney, I really want a piece of the American pie.”
It would be a huge satisfaction for him to follow in the footsteps of his father Nigel Benn and win a world title in the United States. The championship isn’t his main goal, as he fights welterweight legends like Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather, who are still active in their late 40s.
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Connor Benn’s funny reaction to a question about American rapper 50 Cent and Chris Eubank Jr’s ring walk
Benn looks at Pacquiao like Mayweather. “I’m just a little old.
“He is a legend and I respect and admire him as a man and as a warrior who can defeat him just because he is old.”
The “wild card” fight for him would be YouTuber turned pro cruiserweight Jake Paul, who lasted six rounds with Anthony Joshua at heavyweight.
“Jake Paul is going to be the fight out there! I have a lot of things I want to do and accomplish in boxing before then, like a world title mega fight, Shakur mega fight, Henny Big fight, Garcia mega fight,” Ben said.
He was scheduled to compete in a final trilogy match against rival Chris Eubank Jr. Benn moved up to middleweight to box Eubank twice at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last year, and although he suffered a thriller loss in the first contest, he controlled the rematch, dropping Eubank twice before the fight ended.
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Conor Benn and Chris Eubank Jr react after their rematch at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Benn’s target is welterweight, but he’s willing to move up to super middleweight, 168lbs, to give Eubank a third fight.
“For me, the first fight wasn’t about myself or any of those types of fighters. Is Eubank going to fight at a weight he’s comfortable with and has no excuses? Yes, he will,” Benn said.
“If you think about it, I would fight him at 168 pounds. I would. Not to beat him convincingly again, but because I’m just a better boxer. I have a better ring IQ, I’m faster, I’m more agile. I just punch harder. I have better endurance. I’m better than him in every department.
“That will be the point I want to prove, not to myself, because I know I beat him.”
He added: “It’s personal for 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 it’s hard to be in this game and it’s hard to be the son of a legend, but in the end we did it, we did it, we set up the lives of our kids, we established ourselves in the game and we got a big following.
“But my goal is still to win the world title.”
