Conor Benn makes case he's more devoted than Ryan Garcia

LAS VEGAS – Conor Benn has listened to those questioning his weight cut, his entitlement and his title worthiness.

In an instant Wednesday, he answered it all by responding, “How do I look? Yeah, yeah. Cheers.”

It was a flex of mental strength for England’s Benn, who fights for the WBC welterweight title versus champion Ryan Garcia Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena – a bout that will test Benn’s cerebral tenacity in meaningful ways beyond his verbal mastery of the criticism.

“If I was the public, would I favor Ryan?” Benn, 25-1 (14 KOs), asked reporters at Wednesday’s media-day session with reporters. “Big amateur pedigree, been boxing since he was a kid, fast hands, world champion, looked great in his last fight … the pressure’s on Ryan.”

In his first title defense since knocking down and defeating former champion Mario Barrios by unanimous decision in February, Garcia 25-2 (20 KOs), is a -350 betting favorite as the son of former WBC welterweight Nigel Benn tempts fate by moving down 13 pounds from his November 2025 fighting weight to match his Hall of Famer father’s title accomplishment.

“I know my dad treasured the green and the gold [WBC belt] a little bit better than the other one,” Benn told BoxingScene during the session. “For a kid, it looked better. It’s a blessing to be in this position, to be headlining in Vegas, to be fighting on this big show and putting the Benn name back in bright lights.

“Of course it’s a gamble, but isn’t that why we fight? The risk, the challenge? A lot of people have said I couldn’t make the weight. Watch me do it.”

Benn revealed it required a 15-week diet session to position to make Friday’s cut, his gaunt frame alarming some around the sport.

“It’s been four years [since Benn last made 147lbs] and it feels like I’ve been through the pits of hell, fighting with Satan, but God pulled me back to life,” Benn said. “I’ve done it.”

Benn said he inflated to 185lbs after weighing in for the early 2025 fight of the year versus Chris Eubank Jnr, so this weight drain is substantial.

When asked if he feels sympathy for rival Eubank having to cut weight for their two bouts last year, Benn responded, “Zero. He got paid a fortune. I haven’t made the [147lbs]weight in 4 ½ years. See me posting a sob story? No, I get on with it.”

 “But when an opportunity like this comes up, and you have a fight of a magnitude like this: Vegas. Headlining. What am I gonna do? Say no?”

He’s made it clear he’ll return to middleweight or 168lbs after this, where he says, “I’m hard. I’m powerful.

“I’ve always wanted to win a world title here [at 147]. I wouldn’t have made it for any other title. It’s my job to deliver now.”

Benn thought Garcia fell short of his duties by blowing off Tuesday’s high-rise face-off with Benn.

It kept with the implied theme Benn carries of being the mentally stronger fighter after Garcia struggled with mental health issues in 2024, missing weight and testing positive for PEDs in a non-contest versus Devin Haney. 

Garcia admitted he’s likely the most trending boxer in the world with 10s of millions of social-media followers. Benn, meanwhile, jumped off social media entirely. 

“I genuinely have not put a thought on [Garcia],” Benn said. “The sport needs characters like him. I’m here to work, here to turn up, here to stay disciplined. No matter what, I give 100 per cent.

“I’m not trying to attack him mentally. I’m going on facts and I’m going for a stoppage. I’m coming out heady, aggressive. God willing, it’s one hell of a fight.”

Garcia said Saturday’s outcome won’t be determined by Benn one-upping him as a boxing intellect.

“I don’t think he’s mentally stronger than me. He knows how to take an ass whipping, if that’s mentally strong? Every fight, he looks like a banana exploded,” Garcia told BoxingScene. “Me? I’m going to be focused and taking advantage of his inexperience.”

While Garcia possesses the more impactful power, particularly in his loaded left hand, Benn made the case he has more emotionally invested after starting late in the sport.

“People need to acknowledge it’s not been easy getting here. If I told people at age 19, I’d get here, they’d think I’d belong in a straightjacket.

“Ultimately, I didn’t have to box. My father gave me a very privileged, blessed upbringing on the island of Mallorca in private school,” Benn said. “My father hasn’t done the fighting for me. I stand for my family – all of this. To be there for all three of my kids, that’s my job. That’s my legacy. My kids are everything.

“I leave no stone unturned. The public, the fans, everyone wants us to be the best version of ourselves."