Ryan Garcia vs. Conor Benn: Big Fight Preview

Ryan Garcia vs. Conor Benn: Big Fight Preview

Boxing is a mixed-up, messed-up world. It always has been. Always will be. Don’t even try to make sense of it. You won’t. You can’t. It’s a sport that is impossible to fathom at times. The land of confusion. Money talks. Nothing else matters. We see that in plain sight this weekend in Las Vegas.

Ryan Garcia defends his WBC world welterweight title against Conor Benn on Saturday night at the T-Mobile Arena. An intriguing fight on paper, but one that is surrounded by dark clouds. Some might describe it in wrestling terms as heel against heel. But as we know, controversy sells. In this sport, that’s enough. Forget everything else; if it makes money, it makes sense. It’s a fight that has the perfect home in Sin City. A dark trade indeed.

Garcia accepted a one-year drug ban for a failed test. Lost his comeback fight against Rolando Romero, and looked awful doing so, but was still somehow given a world title shot by the WBC. Work that one out? We’ve already established you can’t. Failing a drug test and losing a fight equalled being rewarded with a world title opportunity. Boxing shouldn’t work like that. Sadly, it does.

Benn has had his own well-documented drugs controversy. He eventually won his long-running case, even though we were not told the specific details. Read into that what you will. Benn hasn’t made the welterweight limit since 2022, but was still given a number one ranking by the WBC. Scratch your head on that one. Earned or given? That’s one question you can answer.

But remove all the dirt and the grime, Garcia and Benn has a lot going for it in fighting terms. A fight where you are not quite sure what you are going to get. Unpredictability usually gives us something to remember. Tainted it might be. But it’s still a bloody good fight.

Garcia can blow hot and cold. But he has that left hook from hell. That might be all he needs. If Garcia is on it, he will surely be too much for his 29-year-old British opponent. But will he be on it? I’m not sure even Ryan Garcia knows.

In regard to Benn, we don’t yet know just how good he is. Is he really world-class? In five fights since his drug issues started, Benn hasn’t recorded a stoppage victory, whereas before they came on a regular basis. At times he’s looked ordinary. And beatable. Benn has dabbled at middleweight, and split two fights with his great rival Chris Eubank Jr. Benn won going away in the rematch with Eubank. But his opponent looked weight-drained and way past his best. In the fight after, Benn didn’t impress against an injured and badly faded Regis Prograis. As with many things in the Conor Benn story, there are still so many unanswered questions.

The 28-year-old Garcia (25-2) looked good last time out in winning the WBC welterweight title against the somewhat limited Mario Barrios. Garcia impressed, but did that victory flatter to deceive?

Weight cutting could be key. Benn (25-1) dropping back down to 147 could severely reduce his chances of emulating his father and winning that WBC bauble. But Garcia has reportedly been struggling to make weight also. Both made the required weight. How hard it was to do so, could be key. It might not matter too much either way, but it might. Another hidden footnote to a fight of high intrigue.

Garcia is around 1/3 to retain his WBC world welterweight title. If you fancy the upset, the British challenger is 13/5 with some bookmakers. The odds are about right, but Benn isn’t without hope. But you sense he will need Garcia to have an off night. I’m not sure even that will be enough for Benn.

Photo Credit: Zuffa Boxing