Conor Benn has made a sudden change of direction following his dominant win over Chris Eubank Jr. in London. After confirming he would move back down to welterweight and hunt WBC champion Mario Barrios, Benn has now publicly set his sights on Ryan Garcia instead.
The convincing nature of Benn’s unanimous decision victory appears to have closed the door on a trilogy with Eubank, whose one-sided defeat left little appetite for a third instalment of their long-running rivalry. Instead, Benn looked ahead to 147lbs, stating before and after the fight that Barrios was his next target despite not fighting at the weight since 2022.
Watch Benn vs. Eubank Jr. 2 highlights.
That plan shifted this morning when Benn responded to Garcia’s recent interest in facing him. Posting on X, Benn declared: “Your head’s next then. We can run it here in a stadium. I’m the money man. Come get it!! Ryan Garcia.” It was a bold move, signalling Benn’s preference for a UK stadium event over a direct title challenge.
Benn remains the WBC’s number four-ranked welterweight, while Garcia is currently unranked at 147 after only one fight in the division - a points loss to Rolando Romero. However, Garcia is in talks to face Barrios next, potentially placing both men on a collision course depending on how negotiations unfold.ё
With rumours of a January Barrios defence circulating, fans now await clarity on whether Garcia secures his shot at the WBC title or opts to chase Benn’s stadium callout. Whatever the sequence, Benn has made it clear he is ready for another major event - and sees Garcia as the man to deliver it.
Image Credit: Matchroom Boxing