Ryan Garcia vs Conor Benn special fight preview

WBC Special Preview: Ryan Garcia vs Conor Benn

By James Blears

Only one can be Boss, neither wants a loss, both are currently cross, and perhaps a trifle crass, in a seething build-up, as Ryan Garcia (25-2, 20 KOs) readies to defend the World Boxing Council welterweight title for the first time at the T Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, against Brash Briton Conor Benn (25-1, 15 KOs), on September 12, live on DAZN.

When it's been face to face, with scowls on their jowls, these colourful characters have needed to be restrained.

Prior to winning the WBC welterweight title via TKO, against Jose Napoles, British boxing legend John H Stracey walked over to him before the opening bell and touched gloves. On the very day of the fight against his first challenger Hedgemon Lewis, defending champion John H greeted him and inquired if he'd had a good flight over, if he was comfortable in his hotel, then they wished each other good luck and to come through the fight without serious injury. That was half a century ago, and oh, how times have changed!

Conor Benn, who lived in Mallorca for 12 years as a youngster, and worked as a painter and decorator for a pittance despite his family fortune, has been plastering Garcia with a barrage of insults in fluent Spanish. Ryan has retorted in English that Conor won't last five rounds with him.

Yet, for all the talk, these two are bound to back it up in the ring. They can bark and bite. No one believes they are going to tune into a chess match. This fight has barnstormer written all over it, with added spice, genuine dislike, and emotion involved.

WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman said: "It's a sensational match. Ryan has great technique, ability, speed and power. Conor possesses ring generalship, a great chin and he also has power. This is a fight that's going to be of great interest to the world."

Both can be irritable, irascible, impertinent and impetuous. The greater experienced champion, Garcia, insists challenger Conor simply isn't good enough to last the course. While WBC #1 Benn counters that he himself has never taken a knee and that Ryan is an influencer, rather than a dedicated fighter.

Both have tested positive for banned drugs and got past this. Ryan temporarily put his career on hold to deal with psychological issues. Each have overcome losses in the ring, Benn avenged his sole defeat to his born rival Chris Eubank Jr.

When Garcia fought the crafty Gervonta Davis in a catchweight match, he initially charged in like a bull in a china shop and paid the price early on. In round two his exposed head was clipped with a perfectly timed counter left hook, decking him. After that, a chastened Garcia was more careful and cautious, until a left hook to the ribcage in the seventh put him back down again and this time he couldn't beat the count.

A more mature Garcia won the WBC title from Mario Barrios on February 21. Controlling the effervescence of his adrenaline and curbing the urge and surge of his boundless enthusiasm, in round one, he landed a straight right on Mario's dome, which wobbled him and another follow up dropped him. In a disciplined performance, in which he didn't get carried away, Garcia boxed clever to claim a convincing UD.

'KingRy' has an abundance of natural talent. As an amateur, he won 15 national titles. Trained by his father Henry, himself a former pro boxer, Ryan turned pro aged 17 in 2006.

His first milestone was in stopping Romero Duno in round one to win the WBC Silver lightweight title. Then a sterner test for the WBC Interim title, against former Olympic gold medallist Luke Campbell, who knocked Ryan down in round two but he got back up, rallied and stopped Luke in round seven.

He was to fight Joseph Diaz but suffered a hand injury, recovered and came badly unstuck against Gervonta Davis in the catchweight contest of one 136lbs.

Then, on to Devin Haney who was WBC super-lightweight champion and Ryan's biggest rival in boxing after six amateur bouts scored three apiece.

Following some bizarre behaviour in the build-up, Garcia came in overweight and had to pay Haney $600,000. He knocked down Devin in rounds seven, 10 and 11, winning via MD. But after a failed drug test, the fight was declared a no contest, he was given a year-long suspension, huge fine and other problems.

Returning to the ring in Times Square, he got knocked down via a double left hook in round two by Rolly Romero and appeared listless, under-performing. But then came the revelation resurgence against Barrios, so it's been a rollercoaster ride for Ryan. When he is focused on the task at hand, he's formidable, but he is also vulnerable.

Conor, who is the son of superstar Nigel Benn, has carved an individualistic path for himself. Following a reasonable amateur career with 20 wins from 22 bouts, he turned pro aged 19 in 2016, trained by Tony Sims at the Matchroom Gym in Essex.

The 29-year-old's first big success was winning the WBA Continental welterweight title by dropping Cedric Peynaud twice. Then he stopped ex-world super-lightweight champion Chris Algieri in four. Then came the infamous adverse drug test. He was eventually cleared by the National Anti-Doping Panel, however the bad publicity stuck.

Finally, the keenly awaited first clash with Chris Eubank Jr, in the ongoing generational battle of the two families, took place in April 2025. Chris struggled with the middleweight limit, but still won via thrilling UD, scored 116-112 on all three cards. Licking his wounds after his first pro defeat, an emotional Benn claimed the score was way too wide for the close back-and-forth fight of the year. However, the reality is that the scorecards were very reflective of the action and agreed unanimously by the officials on the night.

Then Eubank's weight problems worsened for the rematch, seven months on, which he lost by UD, dropped in the final round by a searing straight left. In fight one Eubank averaged 31 punches per round, but in the rerun it plummeted to just six.

Benn has fought since then, in his Zuffa Boxing debut in April, against two-time super-lightweight world champion Regis Prograis at a catchweight limit of 150lbs, winning a scrasppy affair via UD. Prograis later explained he was badly injured during training camp and the fight itself.

Four years have now gone by since Benn fought at welterweight and this hasn't gone unnoticed by fight fans who are outraged at his opportunity to fight for a world title in a division he hasn't competed in since 2022.

WBC head honcho Mauricio Sulaiman offered this: "The WBC has kept in contact with Conor and we've monitored his weight. He fought Chris Eubank Jr at middleweight for legacy. Conor has always been clear and constant that his dream is the Green and Gold Belt."

Benn's failed drugs saga, his decision to ditch Matchroom for Zuffa, his undeserved no.1 welterweight world ranking has resulted in many of his compatriots supporting Garcia this weekend. His new body shape also has some feeling suspicious that he could be weight-drained after such a drop in pounds.

Whomever you are backing, whether you agree if Benn deserves this shot or not, this is guaranteed to be an explosive fight of the year contender, which isn't certain to go the distance. 

Garcia is arguably more skilled, experienced and talented than Benn, but the Brit is gritty, determined, fit and relentless. Ladies and gentleman, we have a fight!

RYAN GARCIA
WBC Welterweight 2026
WBC Interim Lightweight 2021
WBC Silver Lightweight 2019-2020
NABF Super Featherweight 2018

CONOR BENN
WBC #1 Welterweight
WBC Mandatory Contender
WBA Continental Welterweight 2021 – 2022

Betting Odds

1/3 Ryan Garcia
13/5 Conor Benn
28/1 Draw

10 Historic Welterweights

Ray Robinson (173-19-6, 108 KOs) He was a boxing icon, a dazzling figure whose supreme throne among welterweights. He debuted in 1940 at age 19, and eleven years later, had built a record of 128 wins with only one loss. He was the first boxer in history to win a world middleweight championship for the fifth time and held the welterweight title for five years (1946 to 1951).

Emile Griffith (85-24-2, 23 KOs) The first world champion born in the Virgin Islands. Griffith belonged to the golden age of welterweight, which began in the early 80s. He was a welterweight as well as a middleweight monarch.

Félix “Tito” Trinidad (42-3, 35 KOs) Considered one of best Puerto Rican boxers in history, his prime occurred at welterweight. He was a three-time champion, defeated the best opponents of his generation, defended his crown fifteen times, and holds the record for time as welterweight champion: six years, eight months, and fourteen days.

Henry Armstrong (151-21-9, 101 KOs) He was the only one to achieve the feat of being a simultaneous champion in three different categories (featherweight, lightweight, and welterweight). He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1954. Those who followed his career consistently mentioned his overwhelming offense as the highlight of his boxing arsenal. He was known as “Homicide Hank.”

Thomas Hearns (61-5, 48 KOs) He was the first boxer in history to win five world titles in five different divisions. He started, at welterweight on August 2, 1980, when he defeated Pipino Cuevas by TKO.

“Sugar” Ray Leonard (36-3, 25 KOs) Leonard was the figure who popularized this category. Transformed into a celebrity after his success at the 1976 Montreal Olympics, his peak was in the 80s. He starred in memorable fights against the era’s best exponents.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. (49-0, 26 KOs) A five-time world champion in five different divisions, he ended his career undefeated and unanimously ranked first among the best pound-for-pound fighters. Floyd’s greatest recognition, repeatedly, has been his brilliant technical performance and especially his superlative defensive attributes that no opponent managed to overcome.

Roberto “Manos de Piedra” Duran (103-16, 70 KOs) While the Panamanian Superstar earned his greatest accolades in his lightweight career, he also made history at welterweight. This was due to his two memorable battles (one victory and one loss) against the best of his time: Sugar Ray Leonard.

Wilfred Benitez (53-8-1, 31 KOs) He is the unforgettable youngest champion in history. At just 17, he won the world title in 1976 against Colombian Antonio Cervantes. In 1979, he moved up to welterweight, and in another historic fight, he wrested the belt from Mexican Carlos Palomino. In 1981, he became the fifth fighter to win world crowns in three different categories, and his opponents included the best exponents of his generation.

Oscar De La Hoya (36-6, 30 KOs) He was an Olympic champion in 1992 and built a great career that allowed him to win ten titles in six different divisions. His value as a figure among welterweights is magnificent. De La Hoya has been the most influential Latin American champion in history. His career has inspired several generations of new boxers, and his venture into boxing promotion forever changed the business around the sport.