Ryan Garcia made easy work of Conor Benn in his first title defense. Garcia stopped Benn in two rounds to retain his WBC welterweight title Saturday in front of a partisan crowd at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
In an electrifying Round 1, Benn came out fast against Garcia (26-2, 21 KOs), looking to close the gap and throw combinations. Garcia utilized his reach advantage and his fleet footwork to keep Benn at distance and walk him into left hands.
Advertisement
Garcia knocked Benn (25-2, 14 KOs) off balance early in the contest with his trademark left hook, and his speed appeared to trouble Benn more than anything else. After eating left hooks throughout the first half of the opening round, Benn did manage to cut off the ring better in the final minute and pinned Garcia down a couple of times.
Garcia then brought his looping right hand into play as well as his uppercut, but Benn was happy to stay in punching range and get in whatever shots he could land. The challenger had his best moment of the opener with a flurry just before the 10-second clapper rang.
In Round 2, Garcia found a home for his right uppercut quickly in the frame, walking the defensively reckless Benn into that shot multiple times. The Brit ate a monster right hand later in the opening minute, which sent him crashing down to the mat.
When Benn rose to his feet, he found himself with his back to the ropes and was unable to get off them as Garcia teed off. The WBC champion was blisteringly fast and caught Benn flush with numerous power shots that he didn’t see coming.
Advertisement
Benn managed to hold onto Garcia, but once the action resumed Garcia hurt him again, this time to the body, and followed up with a combination that forced referee Thomas Taylor to step in and stop the fight.
“I’ve always had a right hand, but I’ve always had injuries,” Garcia said after his win. “[My past two fights were] the first two fights I’ve had no injuries on my right hand.”
Garcia won his belt with a shutout unanimous decision over Mario Barrios in February. He knocked Barrios down with a right hand just seconds into Round 1.
“I’m blessed to fight on this day,” the champ added. “Mexican Independence Day.”
Advertisement
Garcia has been criticized for being Mexican American but not understanding Spanish. It was something that Benn brought up repeatedly throughout the fight’s build-up.
The Mexican fans in Las Vegas, however, clearly didn’t see it Benn’s way, as they turned out for the champ en masse inside the T-Mobile Arena on Saturday.
Benn was fighting under the Zuffa Boxing banner for the second time after his stunning defection from Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom.
“Teofimo [Lopez], get that ass up here,” Garcia exclaimed post-fight. “Where you at?”
Garcia invited WBA welterweight champion Lopez into the ring to face off, but security refused to allow the Lopez to do so.
Advertisement
Check out complete Garcia vs. Benn results and highlights below, as well as Uncrowned’s play-by-play of the main card.
Main card
WBC welterweight title: Ryan Garcia def. Conor Benn via second-round TKO
Cruiserweight: Jai Opetaia def. Noel Mikaelian via ninth-round TKO | Watch video
Heavyweight: Da’Mazion Vanhouter def. Raphael Akpejiori via first-round KO | Watch video
Lightweight: Andres Cortes def. Mark Magsayo via unanimous decision (97-93 ×3)
Prelims
Lightweight: Oswaldo Molina def. Pablo Rubio via unanimous decision (60-54, 59-55 ×2)
Super middleweight: Abel Gonzalez def. Raul Salomon via unanimous decision (77-74 ×3)
Advertisement
Super welterweight: Vlad Panin def. Dakota Linger via fourth-round TKO | Watch video
Welterweight: Alexis Rocha def. Jose Ramirez via unanimous decision (98-91 ×2, 97-92)
Lightweight: Sean Garcia def. Abraham Morales via majority decision (56-56, 58-54, 58-54)
-
Darshan Desai
-
Darshan Desai
-
Darshan Desai
-
Darshan Desai
-
Darshan Desai
-
Darshan Desai
Benn rolls under a Garcia hook and connects with a jab. A right and a left hook at long range connect for Garcia. Benn comes back with some shots. Nice uppercut from Garcia. Benn is happy to trade when he is hurt. Garcia lands the uppercut again. HUGE RIGHT HAND from Ryan Garcia. Conor Benn is down. Still two minutes to go! Garcia is landing big power shots on the inside. Benn can’t hold on. Garcia is chopping down with rights. Benn is stuck on the ropes. He’s eating massive shots clean. Garcia hurts him to the body. Benn has lost his shape. The referee steps in! It’s OVER!
-
Darshan Desai
Here we go! Garcia is the taller of the two. Benn will look to close the gap early and be ferocious while Garcia will try and walk him onto shots.
Benn has come out looking to close the gap straight away. Garcia is looking to use fast feet. A left hook knocks Benn off balance. Benn is made to miss. Garcia’s feet are fast. Benn closes the gap and tries to let his hands go. Garcia just falls short with a left hook. But it landed that time! Garcia is having early success with his left hook, “Money” punch. Garcia’s left is fast, and Benn is walking right into it. Garcia is doing a lot of movement; he won’t be a static target for Benn. Two rights connect for Garcia. Benn fires back in the exchange. Benn lets a combination go on the inside. Garcia lets both hands go with speed. A very entertaining opener!
10-9 Garcia
-
Darshan Desai
It’s time for the main event!
-
Darshan Desai
-
Darshan Desai
-
Darshan Desai
He plays the traditional Mexican song, and the crowd — which looks packed — erupts into cheers for Ryan Garcia. The mariachi band is playing!
-
Darshan Desai
He was booed on his way there. Ryan Garcia walks next!
-
Darshan Desai
-
Darshan Desai
-
Darshan Desai
Two of boxing’s biggest and most controversial stars go head-to-head in Sin City as Ryan Garcia (25-2, 20 KOs) defends his WBC welterweight crown versus Conor Benn (25-1, 14 KOs)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – SEPTEMBER 11: Ryan Garcia (L) and Connor Benn (R) face off prior to their WBC welterweight fight at T-Mobile Arena on September 11, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Cris Esqueda/Golden Boy/Getty Images)
(Cris Esqueda/Golden Boy via Getty Images)
-
Darshan Desai
-
Darshan Desai
Benavidez says, “Let’s do it right here Cinco De Mayo next year.”
-
Darshan Desai
Mikaelian was rocked by a right hand coming out of the clinch, and a left followed early in the second minute.
A strong left-hand to right hook two-piece sent him onto the ropes.
The referee counted it as a knockdown because the ropes held Mikaelian up and decided not to let Mikaelian continue.
-
Darshan Desai
The crowd finally came alive when Devin Haney was shown on the big screen. The entire crowd put their energy into booing him.
Opetaia has started the eighth round well. He’s landed some good power shots but Mikaelian has a good chin and is still in there. Mikaelian is HURT to the body at the end of the second minute. Opetaia is looking to follow up. Mikaelian swings and misses with a big right. He will do well to get through the 12 rounds.
10-9, 79-73 Opetaia
-
Darshan Desai
Read the full article here
