Conor Benn is 2nd in rankings. Why?

Conor Benn has shot up the rankings, now sitting at #2 with both the WBA and WBC in the welterweight division, putting him in line for a potential world title shot. While Eddie Hearn must be thrilled with Benn’s positioning, fans are left scratching their heads, given that Benn hasn’t faced any top-15 contenders in his career. His best victories have come against older, past-their-prime fighters like Chris Algieri and Chris Van Heerden, which makes his rapid ascent seem questionable.

Benn’s recent wins over Peter Dobson and Rodolfo Orozco didn’t exactly shake up the division. Many feel that these kinds of victories don’t prepare him to face the champions at 147 pounds. With his high ranking, some fans worry that Benn could be thrown into a title fight and exposed as a hype job, something that doesn’t sit well with a boxing community.

If Benn is going to be a legitimate contender, it would make sense for Hearn to match him against tougher opposition, such as Alexis Rocha or Shakhram Giyasov, fighters who would truly test where Benn stands in the division. However, there’s a sense that Hearn might be avoiding these tougher fights, instead eyeing a big-money bout against Chris Eubank Jr., which would draw major attention in the UK.

As for the champions, the most likely titleholder Benn could challenge is WBC champ Mario Barrios. A bout against WBA champion Eimantas Stanionis is also a possibility, but it doesn’t carry the same buzz. While Benn’s high ranking has raised eyebrows, UK fans seem ready to support him in a world title shot, even if he hasn’t quite earned it the traditional way.