Ryan Garcia Squares Off With Conor Benn This September In First WBC Title Defense

Ryan Garcia defeated Mario Barrios earlier this year to earn the WBC welterweight belt, and now he will attempt to defend his title for the first time against Conor Benn on September 12th.

This will be Benn’s first performance under the Dana White-run Zuffa Boxing promotion, and will also be his first chance at grasping a major world title.

Back in February, Garcia went the full 12-round distance with Barrios, securing the unanimous decision in the end. Earning the title at welterweight served as an excellent bounce-back victory, which Garcia was desperately in need of following his 2025 loss to Rolly Romero.

Meanwhile, Benn avenged his only loss to Chris Eubank Jr. with a unanimous decision victory in their rematch in 2025. This was followed by his most recent win over Regis Prograis back in April.

The match between Garcia and Benn has been long in the making, but was unfortunately held up by negotiation disputes. It came as a surprise to some that this bout came together now, as after Benn signed with Zuffa most felt an agreement had never been further away given UFC CEO and Zuffa Promoter Dana White has always had a rocky relationship with Golden Boy Promotions and Oscar De La Hoya, who has Garcia under contract.

Ryan Garcia vs Conor Benn is OFFICIAL!

Live from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on September 12th on Mexican Independence Day Weekend #GarciaBenn pic.twitter.com/YSnrSMnmVq

— danawhite (@danawhite) July 15, 2026