BoxRec

Will be Netflix

qatarm wrote: ↑19 May 2026, 08:56 If only we lived in a world where they could both lose the fight.

Yeah, that is a nice thought. Although we certainly don't want a draw, because then they're run it back at least one more time.

Taansend wrote: ↑18 May 2026, 15:21 If they fight in Vegas there'll probably be tens of thousands of British fans flooding the city

You mean tens

tony1234 wrote: ↑19 May 2026, 11:55

Taansend wrote: ↑18 May 2026, 15:21 If they fight in Vegas there'll probably be tens of thousands of British fans flooding the city

You mean tens

Or less

I don't mind Benn. I know he's a dick but I'd still like him to beat Garcia, just for the fuckery of it all.

Probably because his dad meant so much to me though.

Taansend wrote: ↑19 May 2026, 12:16

tony1234 wrote: ↑19 May 2026, 11:55

Taansend wrote: ↑18 May 2026, 15:21 If they fight in Vegas there'll probably be tens of thousands of British fans flooding the city

You mean tens

Or less

I don't mind Benn. I know he's a dick but I'd still like him to beat Garcia, just for the fuckery of it all.

Probably because his dad meant so much to me though.

I despise the prick. Garcia smashes this fraud to pieces

Anyone that travels to Vegas from the UK to support Benn can stay there. Can't imagine there's a decent person out there that likes him that much

joshj909 wrote: ↑19 May 2026, 13:07 Anyone that travels to Vegas from the UK to support Benn can stay there. Can't imagine there's a decent person out there that likes him that much

Yh can’t imagine.

Brits love to travel though if it means a holiday or night out. Who knows how many would go.

Casuals follow Benn, but will they follow him to Vegas.

Unless they already live out there.

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑19 May 2026, 13:18

joshj909 wrote: ↑19 May 2026, 13:07 Anyone that travels to Vegas from the UK to support Benn can stay there. Can't imagine there's a decent person out there that likes him that much

Yh can’t imagine.

Brits love to travel though if it means a holiday or night out. Who knows how many would go.

Casuals follow Benn, but will they follow him to Vegas.

Unless they already live out there.

Ooh, where's the bitchy cat emoji

This is confirmed now?

Come on Conor, beat that drug cheat.

The whole of Britain is behind you

they both kinda got away with it all

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑22 May 2026, 15:04 they both kinda got away with it all

Oh, I know.

Half the fighters are getting away with it. Sad, but true.

I like this fight though.

Benn teases 'big announcement,' WBC title fight vs. Garcia

Conor Benn and Ryan Garcia have made it no secret they want to fight each other next.

Garcia has gone as far as to say the fight is set for September 12 in Las Vegas during an appearance on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" in May. On Friday, during a Zuffa Boxing Q&A in Bournemouth, England, Benn added more fuel to the fire, saying he has his sights set on Garcia’s WBC welterweight title and that a big announcement will be made in the next 10 to 15 days.

“I’ve made no secret I want to fight for the WBC world title,” Benn said. “It’s the belt my dad won, and it’d be a dream for me to get that belt. The person’s doing a lot of talking, as he does. Hopefully, he signs the contract.”

Benn’s father, Nigel Benn, held the WBC title across two divisions between 1992 and 1996.

Garcia (25-2, 20 KOs, 1 NC), The Ring’s No. 5-ranked welterweight, won the WBC welterweight title with a dominant unanimous decision victory over Mario Barrios on February 21 in Las Vegas. The 27-year-old from Victorville, California, dropped Barrios inside the first 30 seconds of the fight before coasting to the most important win of his career.

Benn (25-1, 14 KOs) hasn’t fought at 147 pounds since 2022. He weighed 149.5 pounds for his last fight, a unanimous decision victory over former two-time 140-pound world champion Regis Prograis in a 10-round fight on April 11 at Tottenham Stadium in London.

Benn, of Essex, England, is ranked No. 1 in the WBC’s welterweight rankings.

While Benn, 29, acknowledges the pressure that comes with facing Garcia, he predicts a short night and he’ll take a significant step in cementing his own legacy.

“I got a lot to prove in this fight, not just to everyone else, but to myself,” Benn said. “Ten years ago, me as a kid who first turned over to be in a position I'm in now, where I can solidify my own legacy and prove irrelevant of all the noise, irrelevant of all the haters, irrelevant of all the no's. I'm going to go into this fight fueled with a chip on my shoulder to prove to the world that I will be the greatest WBC champion.

“I'm going to come out fast and put it on him and hopefully get him out of there early, within four.”

Ryan Garcia feels responsibility as champion to fight anyone

Line ‘em up and sign ‘em up – that’s Ryan Garcia’s mentality.

The WBC welterweight champion is chasing all the smoke and has declared that he’s not dipping or dodging any dance that requires him to sign on a dotted line.

“As a champion, I have a responsibility to uphold boxing in the most respectful manner without putting myself in a bad predicament,” Garcia told Complex’s Matt Welty. “But I’m the type of person who will fight everyone, especially when all the terms are equal and fair. I’ll fight anybody.

“I’ve never been scared in my life to fight top competition, ever since the amateurs. I fought everybody. I fought in the hardest divisions. Now you see at 147 pounds, everybody wants to come here now. … I’m definitely gonna show the fans that I’m a great world champion.”

Garcia (25-2, 20 KOs, 1 NC) has claimed that he’s next facing Conor Benn on September 12 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, but an official announcement has not been made following Garcia’s revelation May 18 during an appearance on “The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon.”

In addition to Benn, Garcia has been tied to a bevy of other bouts. He called out a host of top talent, including rematches against Devin Haney, Gervonta Davis and Rolando “Rolly” Romero, as well as fights against the likes of Shakur Stevenson, Teofimo Lopez and even Manny Pacquiao.

The 27-year-old Garcia, a native of Victorville, California, is ranked No. 5 by The Ring in the welterweight division. He last fought on February 21, when he dominated Mario Barrios by unanimous decision to win the WBC welterweight title.

De La Hoya, Golden Boy issuing cease-and-desist letter to Zuffa, Paramount alleging Ryan Garcia interference

Oscar De La Hoya and Golden Boy Promotions are sending a cease-and-desist letter to Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing, TKO Group Holdings, Paramount and Saudi Arabia’s Sela to immediately halt alleged interference with WBC welterweight champion Ryan Garcia, sources familiar with the situation told Boxing Scene Wednesday.

A day after telling reporters he’s open to negotiating with all major boxing promoters, including White and his first-year promotion, De La Hoya was said to be blindsided upon learning that Zuffa Boxing was poised to announce on Sunday’s UFC 328 event from the White House on Paramount+ that Garcia, 25-2 (20 KOs), would make his first title defense against Zuffa fighter and No. 1 contender Conor Benn, 25-1 (14 KOs), of England.

That bout has for weeks been rumored to occur on September 12 in Las Vegas.

De La Hoya attorney Ricardo P. Cestero of Los Angeles-based law firm Greenberg Glusker alleges in the letter, that also names Garcia advisor Guadalupe Valencia, that Golden Boy has not participated in any financial dealings or related negotiations they are obliged to participate in along with Garcia’s King Ryan Promotions.

Garcia, the letter states, is obliged to have his fights on Golden Boy’s streaming partner DAZN, not Paramount+.

“Golden Boy has not approved of or agreed to the terms of any such [Benn] bout, nor has Golden Boy been involved in the negotiations of any such bout,” Cestero writes in the letter reviewed by Boxing Scene.

“Accordingly, Golden Boy hereby demands that you immediately cease and desist from any negotiations or discussions …”

Having that mutual say is a critical element of Golden Boy’s longstanding relationship in promoting Southern California’s Garcia to a third title shot in February that resulted in a unanimous-decision victory over Mario Barrios.

At a news conference Tuesday, De La Hoya told Boxing Scene “there’s no update” on Garcia-Benn… “I’m hearing rumblings and rumors. Nobody’s talked to me. We obviously have the final say because I am Ryan Garcia’s promoter.

‘This is the one thing I can tell you: We work with every promoter, even if it has to be Dana White and Zuffa.”

White, the UFC CEO/president, is a constant punching bag of De La Hoya's on his “Clapback Thursday” social media posts.

“As much as I hate it, let’s go. Why not? Because the fighters want this fight. Ryan wants it. You have to work with the promoters to make these fights happen,” De La Hoya said. “If that’s what Ryan wants, that’s what he’s going to get. It’s a matter of details, a matter that all parties are happy.

“Ultimately, there has to be a conversation, whether they like it or not. We’re going to be on stage together, maybe a few feet away. Maybe the news conference will be more interesting than the fight, because of me and Dana White going at it. I’m ready. You know me.”

Earlier this week in England, Boxxer promoter Ben Shalom told reporters Zuffa Boxing has engaged in “scandalous” conduct by allegedly poaching his fighters, including former cruiserweight champion Chris Billam-Smith.

"We have to protect our business because it's dangerous and damages aren't appropriate," Shalom told Boxing Scene. "We need to stop them from being able to take our fighters and staff.”

Speaking with Froch on Fighting, two-division champion turned analyst Malignaggi said that he has not been impressed with Benn’s recent performances, and doesn’t believe the Brit has earned his place on the world stage.

“If his last name wasn’t Benn, he wouldn’t be anywhere near the level that he is on. Does that mean that I don’t like the fact that he is here? No. He has taken advantage of the name, he has been promoted well, he has been moved well, I don’t think that he is a world-class fighter, though.

“His best performances were around the PED suspicion, he has not looked good since, he looked bad against the corpse that was Regis Prograis. I don’t think that he is that good, honestly.”

Conor Benn ready to fight Ryan Garcia ‘whenever he comes out of hiding’

Conor Benn has reiterated his desire to challenge WBC welterweight champion Ryan Garcia.

Benn, who has not boxed at 147lbs for several years, is the WBC’s No. 1 at the weight and it looked as though he was a lock to fight Garcia later this year.

But with the apparent issues between Golden Boy/DAZN, who represent Garcia, and Benn’s Zuffa Boxing backers, the proposed match is losing steam.

Speaking at a TKO event in Washington DC, Benn said he was sorry to be missing the induction of his father, Nigel, into the International Boxing Hall of Fame on Sunday, but that he was pleased to be in DC, where he will watch the UFC event on the White House lawn.

“The goal for me is to get the WBC world title,” said Benn. “It’s a belt I’ve dreamed of achieving since I was a kid. It’s the belt my dad won, and Ryan, I’m taking it and there’s nothing you can do about it.”

Benn was then asked when the fight might happen.

The Essex man is 25-1 (14 KOs) and last boxed winning a decision over Regis Prograis in April.

Now 29, Benn said: “When am I fighting Garcia? When he fights his pen and whenever he comes out from wherever he’s hiding… He can get the smoke no problem. He’s getting smashed to pieces whenever he signs the contract.”

Garcia is 25-2 (20 KOs) and is yet to defend the title he won against Mario Barrios in February.

Conor Benn hopes to follow in father's footsteps, win WBC title

Long before Conor Benn ever put on a pair of boxing gloves, his father, Nigel Benn, was a two-division world champion, which included winning the WBC super middleweight title.

His father being the WBC super middleweight champion for four years and defending it nine times has made winning a green belt a primary focus for Conor. That run played a vital role in Nigel being inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in Canasota, New York, on Sunday as part of its 2026 class.

“My dad’s a legend, not just in the ring, but out of the ring,” Conor said during a Zuffa Boxing Q&A recently in Washington, D.C. “If I’m anything like my dad, if I’ve achieved half of what my dad’s achieved, I’ll be a very happy man. He’s my God. He’s my hero. I adore him.”

Benn (25-1, 14 KOs) hopes he’ll get his chance to follow suit later this year against Ryan Garcia, who holds the WBC welterweight title. The 29-year-old contender from Essex, England, is the WBC’s No. 1-ranked fighter at welterweight, despite having not fought at the weight class in more than four years.

He weighed 149.5 pounds for his last fight, a 10-round, unanimous-decision victory over former two-time 140-pound world champion Regis Prograis on April 11 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London.

Garcia (25-2, 20 KOs, 1 NC), The Ring’s No. 5-ranked welterweight, won his first world title in his last fight, when he beat Mario Barrios by unanimous decision to become the WBC champion on February 21 in Las Vegas. The Victorville, California, native dropped Barrios inside the first 30 seconds of their fight, before coasting to the most important win of his career in dominant fashion.

Benn and Garcia have both said a fight against each other will be next. The 27-year-old Garcia said he’ll face Benn on September 12 in Las Vegas during an appearance on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” in May. Benn said on Saturday that the only holdup is Garcia putting his name on the dotted line.

“The goal is for me to get the WBC world title,” Benn said. “It’s a belt I've dreamed of achieving since I was a kid. It’s the belt my dad won. That belt is mine, and Ryan, I'm taking it, and there's nothing you can do about it.”

This is honestly good matchmaking. This is the only winnable marquee fight for either one of these guys.

Oscar De La Hoya updates Ryan Garcia vs Conor Benn status: ‘All Zuffa does is get in the way’

Oscar De La Hoya says that Ryan Garcia does want to fight in September, and seems to acknowledge that Garcia does want to fight Conor Benn.

But De La Hoya insists that Garcia has a promotional contract with Golden Boy, and that if the fight is going to happen, it has to be on DAZN.

Garcia said fairly recently that he was going to fight Benn on September 12; soon after, it was rumored to be a Zuffa Boxing event that would air on Paramount+.

Since then, Golden Boy have issued a cease-and-desist to Zuffa, and De La Hoya is standing his ground with longtime media rival Dana White and his new boxing venture.

“The problem that I have with Zuffa is everything they touch, whenever they get involved, it’s a big fuckin’ problem all the time,” De La Hoya said tonight on DAZN.

“Ryan Garcia has a promotional contract with Golden Boy, and Ryan is fighting on DAZN. Zuffa Boxing, all they do is get in the way and make things difficult. The bottom line is, yes, Ryan Garcia wants to fight on September 12th, but he’s gonna fight on DAZN.”

De La Hoya added: “If the opponent is gonna be Conor Benn, then so be it, but we all have to work together to make the fight happen. There’s promoters for a reason, there’s contracts for a reason, but again, when Zuffa gets involved, there’s always a big problem.”

The 27-year-old Garcia won the WBC welterweight title, his first world title, on February 21 by beating Mario Barrios. Benn (25-1, 14 KO) jumped to Zuffa and was allegedly paid $15 million to fight a washed-up Regis Prograis on Tyson Fury’s April 11 undercard at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Garcia (25-2, 20 KO) and De La Hoya/Golden Boy seem to reach a new major dispute in their relationship every two or three years, and may be due for a new one, and this could be it. Each time in the past, Garcia has wound up staying with Golden Boy and extending his contract.

Conor Benn has signed, Ryan Garcia has issues to work out with DAZN and Golden Boy

Conor Benn’s manager Keith Connolly has confirmed that his man’s side of the deal is done for a bout with WBC welterweight champion Ryan Garcia.

Garcia had announced that the fight was done and dusted for September 12 in Las Vegas during an interview with Jimmy Fallon. Garcia’s promoter, Oscar De La Hoya of Golden Boy, then claimed that he had been left out of negotiations and that he would have to be involved for the fight to take place.

Benn is signed with Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing, who have made their stance clear that they do not wish to work with other promoters. Zuffa has a broadcast deal with Paramount and Sky Sports, while Golden Boy is exclusive to DAZN. De La Hoya has also publicly stood against the Zuffa-backed Ali Revival Act, causing more issues between the two parties.

“I know our side is signed and we're ready for the fight,” Connolly told Boxing Scene. “We're in. I think Ryan is in. I think he has some issues that he's got to work out with his network, his promoter, but that's his business. It's not really mine. I've heard the rumors. I've heard things, but I don't want to comment on something unless it's my fighter.”

Zuffa Boxing have also made it clear they do not wish to work with the traditional four sanctioning bodies. The WBC title will be on the line for Garcia-Benn, but Connolly confirmed there will be no issues.

“When we made the move to Zuffa, we contacted Mauricio Sulaiman. We told him we love the WBC. It's always been Conor's dream,” he said. “We've always represented that we want to win the WBC, and they were happy to hear from us, and no problems whatsoever.”

This would be the second world title fight featured on a Zuffa event if the issues on Garcia’s side are resolved, after the IBF middleweight strap will be on the line for Aaron McKenna-Etinosa Oliha on August 8 in Dublin, Ireland.

“I think they're starting to work things out. I think they're thawing. I can't really talk directly on it, but I've heard the rumors that they're starting to work things out, and in boxing I think that's a good thing, right? It's a good thing that more money is coming into the sport, more opportunities, more eyeballs, because Paramount has got 70 million paid subscribers. So all this is good.

“I don't know why there's such a war between traditional promoters and Zuffa, and the fans are starting to back one side or the other. I think we should be embracing all the money that's coming into the sport and all the new viewership.”

Ryan Garcia-Conor Benn in the process of being finalized for Sept. 12 in Las Vegas, I’m told. Latest on the marquee fight on the @Zuffa_Boxing pre show with @MollyQerim.

This might be a fight where each fighter is less popular in their home country than the opponent.