Conor Benn has said he and Ryan Garcia are “just not the same” ahead of their title fight this weekend, with the Briton declaring his rival a “Gen Z kid who wants an easy life”.
On Saturday, Benn will challenge Garcia for the WBC welterweight title in Las Vegas, as the pair headline at T-Mobile Arena.
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The bout is Benn’s first world-title fight, while it is Garcia’s first defence of a world title.
Conor Benn at the launch press conference for his fight with Ryan Garcia (Getty)
For Benn, the contest follows points wins over Regis Prograis and bitter foe Chris Eubank Jr, the latter of whom handed Benn his sole loss in April 2025. Benn, 29, bounced back from that loss by beating Eubank Jr in November, before the Prograis fight this April.
Speaking to The Independent as part of a wide-ranging interview, Benn said: “I’m not saying that I dislike [Garcia] or hate him, it’s not a Chris Eubank Jr situation.
“[But] you haven’t got to like everyone, have you? We’re just not the same. My pillars are very different to his. Mine’s family, working hard, choosing the hard way, because the hard way pays off later on.
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“He’s one of these Gen Z kids, ‘kid-men’ who want an easy life. I’m just not wired that way. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion is my sort of mindset.”
Before being paired with Garcia, 28, Benn also targeted fights with the American’s compatriots Shakur Stevenson and Devin Haney, both of whom are world champions.
“I just want to be the best version of me, be in the biggest fights possible, challenge myself against the best,” Benn told The Independent. “Is that not what we’re in this game for?
“Am I not here to really push the limits? To see how far Conor Benn can go? It was maybe only after my 15th fight that I realised I can go all the way.
Ryan Garcia is set to fight Benn in Las Vegas (Getty)
“Three stadium shows, now headlining in Vegas, a ‘fight of the year’ with Eubank. It’s been a crazy 16 months, but I believed in getting here. This isn’t by chance, you know?”
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Benn will carry a 25-1 (14 KOs) record into his fight with Garcia, who is 25-2 (20 KOs).
Garcia’s last bout was a points win in February, in which “King Ryan” dropped Mario Barrios en route to collecting the WBC belt.
That result saw Garcia bounce back from a 2025 loss to Rolly Romero, who dropped Garcia and won via decision. Garcia’s other defeat was a 2023 loss to Gervonta Davis, who stopped him to the body.
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