The crowning achievement of Ryan Garcia's career came in February when he claimed his first world title with a one-sided decision victory over Mario Barrios.
With the green WBC belt now resting around his waist, Garcia doesn't have any plans of slowing down. In his first defense he's turned to trash-talking British contender Conor Benn, who returns to the welterweight division for the first time since 2022 to challenge for Garcia's title.
After avenging a defeat to Chris Eubank Jr. in a middleweight rematch last November, Benn dropped down to 150 pounds and scored a lack-luster decision win against Regis Prograis in April. Benn is expected to pose a far tougher test than Barrios, but Garcia believes the Brit is tailor made for him to put on another
signature performance.
"You're going to see a more violent Ryan Garcia this fight," he told reporters on Sept. 9. "This fight is made for me to showcase my skills and what I got. You're going to see a 'Class A' performance."
Here's more on how to watch the Garcia vs. Benn fight card tonight.
Where to watch Ryan Garcia vs Conor Benn tonight?
The Ryan Garcia vs. Conor Benn fight card will air exclusively on Paramount+ in the United States, at no extra cost to subscribers, while it will air on DAZN pay-per-view in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
- Watch: Paramount+
What time is the Ryan Garcia fight tonight? Ring walks vs Conor Benn
Coverage of the Ryan Garcia vs. Conor Benn fight card will begin at 7 p.m. CT on Saturday, Sept. 12. Ring walks for the main event will begin at approximately 10:15 p.m. CT. A five-fight preliminary card will also air for free at 4 p.m. CT.
- Main card start: 7 p.m. CT
- Garcia vs. Benn ring walks: approx. 10:15 p.m. CT
Ryan Garcia vs Conor Benn fight card
- Ryan Garcia (25-2, 20 KOs) vs. Conor Benn (25-1, 14 KOs); WBC welterweight title
- Jai Opetaia (30-0, 23 KOs) vs. Noel Mikaelian (28-3, 12 KOs)
- Da’Mazion Vanhouter (12-0, 9 KOs) vs. Raphael Akpejiori (19-3, 18 KOs)
- Andres Cortes (25-0, 13 KOs) vs. Mark Magsayo (29-2, 19 KOs)
Preliminary card
- Jose Ramirez (29-3, 18 KOs) vs. Alexis Rocha (26-2-1, 16 KOs)
- Pablo Rubio (15-0, 5 KOs) vs. Oswaldo Molina (9-0, 4 KOs)
- Abel Gonzalez (8-0, 6 KOs) vs. Raul Salomon (16-4-1, 14 KOs)
- Vlad Panin (24-2, 16 KOs) vs. Dakota Linger (17-7-3, 13 KOs)
- Sean Garcia (7-1-1, 2 KOs) vs. Abraham Morales (4-1, 2 KOs)
Ryan Garcia vs Conor Benn odds
Ryan Garcia enters fight week as a -330 favorite to defend his title, while Benn is a +250 underdog. The over/under is set at 9.5 rounds.
- Garcia by KO/TKO: -105
- Garcia by decision: +240
- Benn by KO/TKO: +500
- Benn by decision: +650
Odds via DraftKings, as of Sept. 10
Ryan Garcia vs Conor Benn prediction
Throughout fight week and much of the buildup to this bout, Garcia has remained relatively quiet, seemingly fully focused on the task at hand in the ring. There's no reason to expect Garcia won't be at his best on fight night, and at his best, Garcia is among the toughest outs in the division.
His wicked-fast left hook is stuff of legend at this point, and rightfully so, but Garcia displayed a full arsenal of punches in his win over Barrios. Benn's best chance for success will come on the inside, so Garcia will need to remain disciplined with his jab and continue to use the right hand which was so effective in February.
Those two punches paired with the occasional counter left hook should keep Garcia in control. If Benn is overly aggressive, which he may need to be by the later rounds, don't be surprised to see Garcia go for the stoppage.
Prediction: Garcia def. Benn by unanimous decision
Harrison Campbell covers boxing for The Tennessean and high school sports for The Daily Herald. Email him at hcampbell@usatodayco.com and follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @hccamp.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Ryan Garcia vs Conor Benn: Where to watch WBC title fight tonight
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