Conor Benn has made his intentions clear: after dispatching rival Chris Eubank, he now wants the biggest American names he can find. Speaking to DAZN, Benn revealed that his top target is WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios, with Ryan Garcia also high on the list. While Garcia has publicly claimed he will face Barrios early in 2026, Benn said he’s heard the fight isn’t finalized and would love for it to land on the Cinco de Mayo weekend in Las Vegas.
If those options don’t materialize, Benn pointed to Rolando Romero or even a move toward someone like Devin Haney. His focus, however, keeps circling back to the WBC title. He repeated in a later media huddle that the green belt is his absolute priority, insisting it’s the championship he “no doubt” intends to win.
One fighter Benn isn’t looking at is fellow Matchroom welterweight Lewis Crocker, the current IBF champion. Benn brushed off the idea of an all-British unification, saying Crocker isn’t on his radar and doesn’t match the scale of the U.S. names he wants. For Benn, it’s about big fights, big profiles, and bringing major American opponents to Saudi Arabia or meeting them in the States.
Benn also addressed concerns about returning to 147 pounds after campaigning twice at 160. He stressed that making welterweight again won’t be an issue with modern sports science, a full performance team, and a disciplined approach to nutrition. While he admitted the cut won’t be pleasant, he’s confident he can safely return to the division where he believes his biggest opportunities lie.
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