Conor Benn believes he is one of the most fan-friendly attractions in boxing.
The rising welterweight contender from Essex, England, took to social media recently to answer some questions from his fans.
Asked if he prioritizes retaining an undefeated record, Benn responded by saying it is a secondary concern and that his main objective is to offer thrills in the ring. Regarded as a puncher, Benn, the son of British boxing legend Nigel Benn, emerged last year as a legitimate contender, including a highlight-reel knockout of veteran Chris Algieri.
“Am I worried about protecting the ‘O’? I’m not really, no,” Benn said on Instagram Live. “Do you know what I mean? I give value for money. I’m an entertainer.
“Yeah, I’m an entertainer. That’s what we do. The ‘O’ is too protected. Who cares, man? People love watching me fight. And that’s that.”
Benn (21-0, 14 KOs) also took a swipe at Hall of Famer Floyd Mayweather Jr., who retired undefeated with a 50-0 record and was often criticized in some circles late in his career for not considering his fans enough.
“I ain’t no Mayweather, that’s for sure,” Benn said.
The 25-year-old is in serious talks to face countryman Chris Eubank Jr. in a catchweight bout Oct. 8 at O2 Arena in London that would land on pay-per-view, but a deal for the fight has not yet been consummated, according to their respective promoters. Like Benn, Eubank, a longtime contender at middleweight, is the progeny of another British boxing icon.
Benn had previously mentioned fighters such as Keith Thurman, Danny Garcia, Yordenis Ugas, Adrien Broner, and Jose Ramirez as possible opponents for this year, but it does not appear serious negotiations ever got underway with any of those fighters.
Benn is coming off a second-round demolition job of over-the-hill veteran Chris van Heerden in April at Manchester Arena in Manchester, England.
