Conor Benn has suggested his fight with Ryan Garcia will be more “personal” than his grudge matches with Chris Eubank Jr.
On 12 September, Benn will challenge Garcia for the WBC welterweight title, as the pair headline at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
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The bout marks Benn’s first time fighting for a world title, and it follows his two domestic duels with Eubank Jr in 2025.
Conor Benn (right) stares down upcoming opponent Ryan Garcia (Getty)
Benn, 29, suffered his first professional loss when he was outpointed by Eubank Jr in an instant classic last April, before dropping his fellow Briton twice in a decision win in November.
Both fights took place at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and they played out three decades after Eubank Sr and Benn’s father Nigel had their own pair of duels.
“Beating Eubank, there will always be something special about that,” Benn told The Ring, “[and] there will always be something special about the first fight.
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“I preferred the first fight over the second; it was a fight of the year, and only Eubank could have taken me there. I don’t think any other fighter could have taken me there. You know, it takes two to tango.
“For me, in terms of theatrics and drama and chaos, it was a movie – it was a real-life Creed,” Benn continued, referencing the sequel series to the Rocky films.
Benn then explained how his fight with American star Garcia will be different.
“Winning the world title is for myself, it’s very personal,” he said, “whereas the Eubank fights were for the family name, for family pride. It was for DNA, it was for bragging rights.
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“This, for me, is for myself.”
Benn dropped Chris Eubank Jr twice in the final moments of their November rematch (Getty)
Benn is a natural welterweight, although his fights with Eubank Jr took place at middleweight. He then boxed Regis Prograis this April, also in Tottenham, at a 150lb catchweight. Benn won that contest on points.
He will return to his preferred 147lb when he fights Garcia, who won the WBC title by dropping and outpointed Mario Barrios in May.
That win followed the second pro loss of Garcia’s career, an upset defeat by Rolly Romero in May 2025. Romero dropped Garcia en route to a decision victory in Times Square, New York City, two years after “King Ryan”‘s first loss: a stoppage defeat by Gervonta Davis.
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