Former welterweight world champion gives Ryan Garcia vs Conor Benn prediction

Kell Brook previews Ryan Garcia vs Conor Benn

WBC World welterweight champion Ryan Garcia defends his title to challenger Conor Benn on September 12 in Las Vegas.

The championship clash is huge due to many factors, such as the characters of the combatants - loud, brash, outspoken and controversial - plus there's the history where both men have been suspended for failing drug tests, and there's also the numbers that they bring to the ring, each one with huge social media followings and extensive fan bases.

Former IBF welterweight champion Kell Brook was speaking on Fight Your Corner, in partnership with Midnite, to give them a rundown of the fight and who he expects could win.

The 40-year-old retired fighter from Sheffield said, "I think Conor has it all, he can fight. I’d have liked him to have got a British title first, but he is a PPV fighter. It’s a very exciting fight. Ryan can whack big time, and this is going to be a real test for Conor. He’s coming down to welterweight - this is more his weight, but it’s two serious characters who aren't going to disappoint. 

"I give Conor a good chance, but I do lean towards Garcia - I just think he’ll rise to the occasion. I think Garcia has that get out of jail card. When I boxed Shaun Porter, I went to Vegas to finish some sparring, and I put it on to this kid, and after we got chatting, he said he’s never been hit as hard as Ryan Garcia. The punch power he’s got is just next level."

Tony Bellew was also on podcast to give his view, "I think he’s [Garcia] the quickest fighter pound for pound in the World right now. I don't think anyone is remotely close. I haven't seen speed like that since Amir (Khan). It’s blinding speed. My only issue with this fight is you don't know which Ryan Garica turns up. Mentally, I think Garcia is all over the place, whereas Benn is so, so strong to get through what he got through.

Kell Brook was then quizzed about the recent rumours he could return to fight Benn, and the Brendan Ingle fighter revealed, "There were talks, but I don’t know if he was just keeping his name in the media." He added that if Benn was unsuccessful in his challenge and remained beltless, then he would certainly consider that fight once again, "Yeah, I could get up for that.

"Regardless of what’s said, Kell’s name is still huge, and Conor is going to need a comeback opponent, and they’d think that Kell fits a comeback criteria.

"You left the sport on a big win, and that means there’s always that ‘what if’ narrative."

So, the former British and World champion hasn't conclusively hung up the gloves yet, he admitted, "You can never, ever, ever say it's done completely. Even Tony [Bellew] there can never say it's done, because he's a fighter."

DID YOU KNOW? The Gennady Golovkin vs Kell Brook unified middleweight world title fight in London in 2016 sold over 750,000 PPV buys!