Since winning the WBC welterweight world title back in February over Mario Barrios, Ryan Garcia has been tied to several potential matches for his first defense, and now mandatory challenger Conor Benn has spoken up.
Garcia (25-2, 20 KO) fought to a unanimous decision win over Mario Barrios to earn the WBC title, making a comeback in the eyes of many after losing to Rolando Romero last year. Of course, that loss followed his win over Devin Haney being overturned to a no contest because of a positive drug test. Now, with the pair both holding world titles at 147-pounds, many feel this is the perfect time for the rematch, but Haney has expressed that Garcia has been out of line in his demands and negotiations hit a standstill.
Teofimo Lopez also expressed interest in the Ryan Garcia fight after officially announcing his move up to 147-pounds earlier this year. In response to the potential for a match between Garcia and Haney, Lopez stated, “You can’t put them guys in yet. We got me in division now. I’m going in that division. So, we’ll see”.
Despite the level of interest in these big-name fights, ‘King Ryan’ has a mandatory WBC challenger in Conor Benn (24-1, 14 KO), and now the Brit has called for his shot to follow his match with Regis Prograis this weekend in the co-main event on the Fury-Makhmudov card. While many feel that he could miss his chance to face Garcia by taking the Prograis fight in the first place, Benn explained that it’s all in an effort to stay active.
“I want the biggest fights and I don’t think that there is any bigger fight out there than me and Ryan. I have got Regis in front of me, who is an absolute handful, and, no doubt, I have prepared for him as if I am preparing for the unified world champion.”
“I could have waited until July, August, September for Garcia, or whenever he is ready, I could have waited. Do I wait or do I stay active? Do I run that risk fighting a two-time world champion? I like that risk.
“I am in this game to fight and I believe that, on my best day, I beat anybody. So, although he is a southpaw and fights nothing like Garcia, it’s just being active, getting me out. After this fight, get me straight back out again.”
(h/t Boxing News Online)