Fans want Conor Benn to move back down to 147 to face freed-up Devin Haney for his next fight, rather than staying at middleweight to battle the larger, more skilled Chris Eubank Jr. in a rematch.
Benn, 28, looked sharp and slightly emaciated from muscle atrophy today, hitting the pads in a Ring Magazine video. The form is there, but he needs to put the muscle back on that he appears to have lost. It’ll be a double-edged sword for Conor if he chooses to fight Eubank Jr. again. While it would be a nice payday, he’ll likely lose, absorb punishment, and his market value will drop.
Benn’s Next Fight: Haney?
‘The Destroyer’ Benn (23-1, 14 KOs) doesn’t possess the inside game to win that fight, and he’s not going to learn to be sufficient in that area in one training camp.
Conor Benn’s Welterweight Options
- Devin Haney
- Mario Barrios
- Manny Pacquiao
- Gary Antuanne Russell: *140-pounder but with enough size and ability to pose a serious problem for the novice Benn
I wouldn’t advise Benn to challenge welterweight champion Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis or Brian Norman Jr. for their titles because they hit too hard, possess too much talent, and would have a massive advantage in skills. Although WBO welterweight champion Norman Jr. (27-0, 21 KOs) is only 24, he’s got a lot more experience in the sport than Benn. He’s taken it seriously from day one and would likely knock out Conor within two or three rounds.
Haney (32-0, 15 KOs) had been in negotiations for a fight against Teofimo Lopez for a catchweight fight at 145 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. However, Teo changed his mind about taking the fight, leaving Devin high and dry without an opponent. That was the second big-name opponent that slipped through the former two-division world champion Haney’s fingers.
The first was Ryan Garcia, who failed to deliver in his tune-up fight against Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romero on May 2nd. Kingry surprisingly lost to Rolly by a 12-round decision at Turki Alalshikh’s Times Square event in New York City. This was supposed to be a showcase event featuring the ‘Big Three’ — Ryan, Haney, and Teofimo — looking like gold against lesser opposition. None of them looked good. Turki picked the wrong horses for his Times Square event.
Last Updated on 06/04/2025
Read the full article here