NEAR BRAWL! Ryan Garcia Vs Conor Benn HEATED First Face-Off & Press Conference!

[00:00:01]So, for me, I'm just preparing myself and I have as the best as I possibly can.

[00:00:07]>> [music] >> And now when I step in that ring, I know myself will be 100%. So, we just have to see when he's in there how he is, but I definitely don't think it's something I haven't seen. Well, I think I could do a lot of talking and say, you know, oh, I'm prepared the best I can.

[00:00:25]Um You could just look at me and just kind of see the the shape I'm in and how I look and kind of have your own opinion on it. Um I think that that that speaks enough.

[00:00:38]As I say that speaks enough.

[00:00:41]>> You know, and as a a risk I'm I'm willing to run. You know, I believe I'll win.

[00:00:46]We'll have achieved more. We'll be more experienced. And it's my job to go in there and prove that I am at that level, which I will do without a shadow of a doubt in my mind.

[00:00:55]>> You don't think I'm going to hit you with that left hook?

[00:00:56]>> No, no, no.

[00:00:57]>> But a many fighters like you, I thought that that was going Yeah, you go first.

[00:01:00]>> You go first. You go first.

[00:01:02]You go, you go, you go.

[00:01:03]>> You're the one that started it.

[00:01:04]>> You go first.

[00:01:08]>> Ryan Garcia and Conor Benn went head-to-head during a heated press conference ahead of their highly anticipated clash, exchanging confident words and intense stares that set the tone for the build-up and drew massive attention from boxing fans across social media and the boxing world.

[00:01:22]>> He's terrified. He has PTSD.

[00:01:25]>> The fight is set to be Garcia's first defense of the WBC welterweight championship, making the match-up even more significant as the rivalry continues to intensify. Garcia captured the title earlier this year and quickly became one of boxing's biggest attractions. Benn, meanwhile, has worked his way into mandatory challenger status after a string of high-profile [music] performances, with tension building for months through verbal exchanges and interviews, press conferences, and on social media. For Garcia, the bout is a chance to prove his reign is legitimate and that he can handle the pressure of being a champion. For Benn, it represents the biggest fight of his career and an opportunity to win his first world title. Their contrasting styles, outspoken personalities, and real dislike for each other have created major anticipation among boxing fans.

[00:02:08]>> that September uh the Mexican holiday in September, around about the 12th of September, Las Vegas the destination is Ryan Garcia of Mexican heritage uh will be defending his WBC uh welterweight championship. And he was on the Jimmy Fallon show this week, which is massive for him in the States.

[00:02:25]He made a big announcement because he says that he's going to be fighting a certain fellow from the the U- United Kingdom uh >> [music] >> in the shirt of uh of Conor Benn. What did you make of all that? And if we're if I'm just for a little bit of context on that. Conor Benn hasn't fought at 147 lb flat >> [music] >> for the last 4 years. His last fight was 150-lb catchweight against Regis Prograis. He hasn't hit 147 for 4 years.

[00:02:48]Still highly ranked with the WBC at 147 and now gets an opportunity to see him in September to be fighting for a world championship.

[00:02:57]>> Garcia has stated clearly that he expects a dominant win over Conor Benn when they eventually meet inside the ring there. Speaking with confidence about the matchup, Garcia predicted that Benn will not hear the final bell, boldly saying his opponent will be going to sleep in the sixth or seventh round.

[00:03:11]The WBC welterweight champion believes his speed, timing, and explosive left hook will be too much for Benn to handle across the fight over all rounds.

[00:03:18]Garcia's prediction came after Benn's victory over Regis Prograis, a performance many boxing fans and analysts considered less than convincing overall display. Since then, Garcia has repeatedly shown confidence that he is operating on a different level from British contender there. The American star views the contest as an opportunity to make a statement in his first world title defense and silence remaining doubters completely.

[00:03:40]>> You know me, I can't wait to fight my brother. You're about to see right now.

[00:03:43]>> What round you going to beat him in?

[00:03:44]>> I'll try my best, though.

[00:03:46]>> Hey, what what round is Conor Benn going to sleep?

[00:03:50]>> Oh, he's going to go to sleep in round uh six or seven.

[00:03:53]>> Are you excited?

[00:03:54]>> Of course, man. We going to beat his You know that.

[00:03:55]>> He called you out again today.

[00:03:57]>> Oh, it's insane. He He act like they have a contract. Brother, I don't have a contract, you know?

[00:04:02]>> How you been, Ryan? Good. You look good.

[00:04:03]You look like you've been training.

[00:04:05]>> Once you're a champion, you got to stay a champion.

[00:04:07]>> Eddie Hearn believes the showdown between Ryan Garcia and Conor Benn would be a massive event, particularly in the United Kingdom. According to Hearn, Garcia's popularity extends far beyond the United States, and he has built a strong fan base among British boxing supporters. Hearn noted that while Benn is already a major attraction in the UK, Garcia's star power, social media presence, and global profile would help elevate the fight into one of the biggest boxing events of the year. He even suggested that Garcia is a bigger star in the UK than Benn is in America, highlighting the American champion's widespread appeal. Hearn expects the matchup to generate huge interest from fans, media outlets, and broadcasters on both sides of the Atlantic. Although he has questioned whether Benn is at his best at the 147-lb limit, he still views the contest as an exciting and highly marketable fight with two outspoken personalities and a genuine rivalry. Hearn believes the event could attract enormous attention throughout Britain.

[00:05:00]>> Yeah, in terms of that fight, I think it's a good fight. You know, I don't think it's a big fight in America. I think it's a big fight in the UK.

[00:05:06]Obviously, Ryan's a big star in America, Conor's not.

[00:05:08]>> [music] >> Ryan's a bigger star in the UK than Conor is in America, and Conor's a big star in the UK. So, yeah, I don't think it's a fight that's going to do massive numbers, but I like the fight. I think it's exciting. I think at 147, Ryan's a big fight. I don't think Conor should be fighting at 147. I think you know, I like him up at 160 or up towards that that weight class, but I think I don't see a way he beats Ryan Garcia at 147.

[00:05:29]>> Ryan Garcia versus Devin Haney is considered one of the biggest fights available in the US market. Their reasoning is rooted in history, rivalry, and proven entertainment value. The two fighters have already shared a dramatic bout where Haney largely outboxed Garcia, but Garcia's power created knockdowns that kept the contest highly competitive and memorable. That blend of technical boxing versus explosive punching creates a clear stylistic clash that fans easily understand and anticipate. Combined with their existing bad blood and championship stakes, the rematch carries both sporting legitimacy and major commercial appeal.

[00:06:01]>> Don't understand anyone that thinks that Conor Benn's a bigger fight than Devin Haney. In the US, [music] it's definitely not a bigger fight. Like, Conor Ryan Garcia versus Devin Haney is huge in the US. Why? Because we know what's going to happen during it. We know what the press tour is going to look like with these guys hating the hell out of each other. And we saw 12 rounds of them. Well, you're right. Devin Haney in the rounds he didn't get hurt or knocked down, won those rounds. The problem was Ryan Garcia hurt him a lot, knocked him down three times, beat him up in that fight. His face was all messed up at the end of that fight.

[00:06:34]>> And it was one of one of the fights of the year as well, man.

[00:06:37]>> Great fight. Let's not say it was a great fight. You don't need to tell people that Ryan Garcia Devin Haney could be a great fight. We know it is because we saw it the first time.

[00:06:46]>> recent performance has led some critics to raise serious questions about his standing in the welterweight division.

[00:06:52]Many observers described the showing as disappointing and viewed it as a potential red flag ahead of bigger fight. Doubts have also been expressed about Benn's position as the WBC's top-ranked contender, with some arguing that his ranking is difficult to justify given his limited activity at 147 lb in recent years. Critics who once believed Benn's aggression, power, and explosiveness could trouble elite opponents have started to reassess that view after his latest outing. As a result, confidence in his ability to compete with the division's biggest names has weakened. Sceptics now believe fighters such as Ryan Garcia, Devin Haney, and Shakur Stevenson would enter potential match-ups as clear favorites due to their superior experience, technical skills, and proven success at the highest level. While Benn remains a dangerous and marketable contender, many feel he still has significant work to do before proving he belongs among boxing's elite welterweight.

[00:07:40]>> Conor Benn, for whatever reasons, is the number one ranked challenger to Ryan Garcia's WBC title. All right, we're putting Let's Let's not Let's not litigate that right now, but WBC does incredibly crazy things with their rankings. I I agree with you there.

[00:07:55]Um Before this fight, I talked to a lot of smart people in boxing that thought Conor Benn would beat Ryan Garcia. That thought Conor Benn's explosiveness would be too much for Ryan Garcia, who often leaves himself kind of in a tough defensive position when he steps back. He puts drops his guard. That chin hangs up in the air. After this fight, sir, I don't know how you can look at a Garcia-Conor Benn matchup and say that Ryan is the undercard underdog.

[00:08:22]Ryan, who was on social media saying, "Bring that guy to me afterwards," has to be feeling confident if that's the fight that gets made at some point before the end of this year. All the welterweights out there were saying the exact same thing. Devin Haney is on social media. Shakur Stevenson, who is not a big puncher at 140 lb, said he would be disappointed >> Many are concerned about Conor Benn's ability to compete at the elite level against Ryan Garcia because he has not consistently fought at the 147-lb welterweight limit for several years.

[00:08:50]Since 2022, Benn has competed in bouts above the division, including middleweight and catchweight fights, forcing a significant adjustment ahead of this championship clash. Analysts question whether the demanding weight cut could affect his stamina, power, and overall performance on fight night.

[00:09:04]returned closer to welterweight in his victory over Regis Prograis and has insisted that making 147 lb is not a problem, but doubts still remain among some boxing observers.

[00:09:14]Critics argue that facing a naturally explosive and fast champion like Garcia after spending years at heavier weights presents a unique challenge. However, Benn and his team remain confident that his discipline, conditioning, and experience will allow him to successfully return to the division and compete for the WBC welterweight title at the highest level.

[00:09:31]>> Two more seconds, Spence. Listen, Paulie Malignaggi had some things to say about the fight and Listen to him.

[00:09:37]Paulie, did you catch the Conor Benn fight? Did you catch the co-main event?

[00:09:40]>> I I did. I did. You know what, guys? I'm done. I'm done with it. This guy is horrible. This guy is This guy is This guy is terrible.

[00:09:46]>> I I don't mind watching Conor Benn. Like I I don't mind him getting the the fanfare. He's He's an okay fighter. Just don't start mentioning him at world-class levels. Then you start going You cross You cross the line. But he doesn't He's not your Jake Paul either.

[00:09:58]So, it's not like I'm totally I'm throwing him all the way on the other side. I'm not doing that. I'm being a very honest person here. He's an okay fighter, okay? But just don't start mentioning him with these world-class situations and world-class fighters. He talks about Shakur Stevenson and all this other stuff. The The same belongs nowhere near those guys, okay? For the fanfare, okay. I get it. People start talking about him. He's He's got a lot of popularity, and I understand it's going to happen. But don't start mentioning him boxing-wise with these guys. All of a sudden, right away, we start seeing tweets and Instagrams about this Shakur Stevenson fight and everybody. Shakur Stevenson would beat him with one hand. I would beat him. I would beat >> Some boxing experts believe too much attention is being given to the fight between Ryan Garcia and Conor Benn.

[00:10:34]Instead, they argue a rematch between Garcia and Devin Haney would be a far bigger and more meaningful event. Their first meeting was one of the most talked about fights in boxing, featuring intense rivalry, dramatic moments, and controversy. Since that bout, both fighters have become welterweight champions, making a second fight even more significant. The rematch would not only involve two title holders, but also settle unfinished business between rivals with a long history of animosity.

[00:10:58]Experts say the matchup offers everything fans want: elite talent, championship stakes, contrasting styles, and a genuine personal rivalry. From a business perspective, both fighters are major stars with large fan bases, making the contest highly marketable.

[00:11:11]>> As I'm looking at these photos, I'm just thinking to myself, why are we talking about Ryan Garcia against Conor Benn? Why aren't we talking more about Ryan Garcia against Devin Haney? This was the fight that so many people wanted to make less than a year ago, when these two guys were in New York City getting ready to fight in that Times Square card. All they both had to do was win their fights. Devin looked, you know, mediocre against Jose Ramirez. Ryan went out and lost to Rolando Romero. That fight went away. A year later, both these guys are in much different places. Devin Haney come off that win against Brian Norman. He is a welterweight champion. Ryan Garcia beats Mario Barrios. He is a welterweight champion. This is the fight we should be talking about. Like no disrespect to Conor Benn, who has a big name, big punch, can sell a fight. This is the best one of I would say the best. It's the best fight you can make in the welterweight division right now. Two champions, two guys that hate each other, two guys with big names. Why is this fight not front burner for both these guys? Why is Ryan Garcia talking about taking this fight against Conor >> Henry Garcia criticizes Conor Benn for signing with Zafar Boxing, arguing that joining a new and unproven promotional system can damage a fighter's career trajectory. He believes established boxing networks provide access to top opponents, stable rankings, and meaningful title opportunities, while a startup platform may bring uncertainty and restrictive matchmaking. Garcia suggests that early-stage organizations often have politics and limited infrastructure, which could prevent fighters from facing elite established names. He also implies that contractual ties might reduce flexibility, making it harder to switch promoters or pursue high-profile bouts. While acknowledging potential financial incentives, he warns that money alone should not outweigh long-term career development. In his view, a fighter risks becoming isolated from mainstream boxing competition, which could stall momentum, reduce visibility, and ultimately limit legacy-building opportunities in the sport.