Conor Benn says he’s not interested in fighting Ryan Garcia, but he would if he’s offered “$15 million.” He states that he would have no desire to face him “apart from money” because he got “battered” in his loss to Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romero last May.
Career Underachiever’s Grand Plans
Benn (23-1, 14 KOs) is coming off an even worse battering in his defeat against Chris Eubank Jr., but he’s got an excuse because he was fighting a middleweight. He went up two divisions to face the 35-year-old Eubank Jr. Rolly technically fights at welterweight, but he looked like a junior middleweight when he rehydrated for the Garcia fight.
The version of Rolly that defeated Ryan would likely beat Eubank Jr. and Benn. Neither of those guys has beaten world-class opposition during their careers. They’ve feasted on British, European, and old washed-up former champions. These two have existed below the radar, picking off what’s left of old fighters and guys that were never good to begin with. Some would argue that if not for their famous fathers, Benn and Eubank Jr. would be toiling away in obscurity in the UK.
Conor is interested in fighting the winner of the July 19th fight between the WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios and Manny Pacquiao. Benn, 28, wants to capture the WBC title and then face Rolly in a unification fight for his WBA belt. Interestingly, Conor didn’t mention wanting to fight WBO welterweight champion Brian Norman Jr., who is seen as the biggest puncher in the division and arguably the #1 guy.
Benn’s $15M Ryan Garcia Price
“I’d fight anyone. If they say, ‘Here’s $15 million,’ no problem. That’s it. But there’s no motivation apart from money in that fight,” said Conor Benn to Fight Hub TV when asked if he would fight Ryan Garcia. “You’ve got Rolly with the WBA. Barrios-Pacquiao with the WBC.
It’s unlikely that any promoter would be willing to meet Benn’s asking price of $15 million, because he’s not achieved anything in his career. His thing is being competitive with Eubank Jr. in a grueling 12-round decision loss last April. After Benn likely loses to Eubank Jr. again, he would be a worthless opponent for Ryan or the Pacquiao-Barrios winner.
“No, because he lost,” said Conor when asked if a fight against Ryan Garcia would be a mega-fight. “I see Rolly Romero here in Turkey. That’s a fight I’d definitely like down the line. If I can get the winner of Barrios-Pacquiao, win the WBC title, and unify with Rolly, that would be a dream.”
The way Benn talks, he sounds like he’s done big things in his career. His best wins are against over-the-hill 37-year-old Chris Algieri and Chris Van Heerden.
If Benn had beaten solid welterweights like Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis or Brian Norman Jr, he could act and talk the way he does. But when his best wins are Algieri and Van Heerden, he lacks the perch to set prices. Turki Alalshikh shouldn’t have indulged Benn and left him where he found him.
Benn’s Unrealistic Payday Expectations
“It’s a huge fight, but he lost and just got battered, and he’s got his own things to sort out,” said Benn about Ryan. “He needs to do a lot of self-care rather than me going, ‘Oh, listen. It’s a money fight.’ He needs to sort himself out first before he goes near a ring.”
If Ryan were firing all cylinders mentally and physically, he’d likely knock Benn to planet Neptune with one of his left hooks. But obviously if he’s in the form he showed against Rolly, because he didn’t look capable of beating anyone, even the shell-shocked Devin Haney.
Last Updated on 07/05/2025
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