Don’t expect Conor Benn to have a long title reign should he beat Ryan Garcia on Saturday to become the WBC welterweight champion.
Ahead of one of the most anticipated boxing matches in 2026, Benn admitted that his trip down to 147 pounds is a one-and-done for him. Benn always wanted the chance to win a 147-pound title and so he’s effectively torturing himself to make that weight for his fight against Garcia but no matter the outcome, don’t expect to see him at that weight again.
“This is my last fight
at 147,” Benn said during media day on Wednesdya. “I feel unbelievable at 160. I’ve always wanted to win a world title at 147. I wouldn’t have made it for any other fight apart from fighting for the world title.
“Thank Nick [Khan], thank Dana [White], thank Zuffa for getting me this world title shot. It’s my job to deliver now and then move up to 160, 168.”
While Benn has fought across multiple weight classes during his career, the 29-year-old Brit is smart enough to recognize that killing himself to get down to 147 pounds will eventually backfire in the ring.
But for the chance to capture a world championship and take out a huge name like Garcia, it’s a risk that Benn is willing to make.
“Of course it’s a gamble, but isn’t that what makes it fun?” Benn said. “The risk. The challenge. It’s exciting. A lot of people said I couldn’t make the weight. Watch me do it.
“It’s been four and a half years since I made it and it does feel like I’ve been through the pits of hell and had a fight with Satan and God brought me back to life. That’s how it feels making this weight. But ultimately I’ve done it and that’s it.”
If Benn is successful in defeating Garcia on Saturday, he’ll certainly have plenty of opportunities awaiting him against any number of top name opponents. To Benn, that’s exactly why he’s will to put himself through hell to get down to 147 pounds because it’s going to allow him to join the short list of the best boxers in the world regardless of weight class.
There was no way Benn was going to pass on that opportunity no matter how much it might hurt over the next 24 hours.
“About 15 weeks of dieting,” Benn revealed when asked how long it takes him to get to 147 pounds. “I was walking around 185 pounds for the [Chris] Eubanks’ fight. I was solid. I felt good. I felt strong.
“But an opportunity like this comes up and you have the magnitude of fighting for the world title in Vegas headlining? What am I going to do? Say no?”
