Benn Calls Garcia 'Good for Boxing' But a 'Liability'
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- Conor Benn called WBC welterweight champion Ryan Garcia both 'good for the sport of boxing' and a 'liability,' telling BBC Sport: 'You don't know who's turning up - you don't know if Garcia's turning up'
- Ryan Garcia, 27, won his first major title in February after two previous failed attempts and a return from a one-year doping suspension
- Benn is the mandatory number one contender for Garcia's WBC welterweight title but opted to face Regis Prograis on 11 April rather than wait until September
- Benn left longtime promoter Matchroom and signed a one-fight deal with Zuffa Boxing, backed by UFC chief Dana White and Saudi Arabian capital
- Zuffa Boxing's stated aim is to sideline the WBO, WBC, IBF and WBA and make its own belt the premier world title alongside the Ring Magazine title
- Benn spent 2025 tied up in a rivalry with Chris Eubank Jr, stepping up two weight classes and winning the second encounter
Why it matters: Benn's one-fight deal with Zuffa Boxing — backed by Dana White and Saudi capital — places him inside a structural power play aimed at dislodging the WBO, WBC, IBF and WBA. By leaving Matchroom for the disruptor's platform while still holding mandatory status for Garcia's WBC belt, Benn is effectively straddling both the old and new order in welterweight.
