Ryan Garcia just took fans on a heck of a ride. The Victorville native was initially supposed to rematch Devin Haney to put an end to their heated rivalry. But that quickly fell apart after his win over Mario Barrios earlier this year. He then turned his attention to Shakur Stevenson, but even that bout didn’t materialize. Since then, he has been adamant about fighting Teofimo Lopez. But now, the 27-year-old has confirmed a fight against Conor Benn. 

“It’s gonna be in August… It will happen in Vegas,” Garcia said in his latest KICK livestream when asked about his next fight. “His name is Conor Benn. He’s from the UK… Yeah, Conor’s about to get blasted, guys.”

Last weekend, Conor Benn secured a unanimous decision victory over Regis Prograis, which turned out to be the latter’s retirement fight. When the fight was happening, ‘King Ry’ trashed Benn, calling him “Conor Bum,” and predicted a stoppage win if they ever met in the ring. So, Benn called out Garcia for a fight right after his win. 

“Garcia, I want my belt. Keep my belt warm,” Benn said. “September, let’s go. Any day of the week, twice on Sundays… Garcia, you’re next. Keep my belt warm.”

Despite Benn’s willingness to fight for Garcia’s WBC welterweight strap, the Brit hasn’t fought in the division since beating Chris van Heerden in April 2022. Meanwhile, Benn fought Prograis at a catch weight of 150 pounds and weighed in at 149½ pounds. So, it shouldn’t be too much of a hassle to cut a couple of more pounds. 

Despite Garcia’s confirmation, Golden Boy Promotions hasn’t officially confirmed the fight. And if Conor Benn continues to work with Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing, sparks will definitely fly since Oscar De La Hoya, White’s arch nemesis, is GB Promotion’s head. While Benn’s free agency hangs in the balance, De La Hoya has already shared his thoughts on a potential fight between Garcia and Benn.

Oscar De La Hoya green-lights Ryan Garcia vs. Conor Benn

Although Oscar may be ready to fight Dana White, he will have to settle for the boxer White promoted for what appears to be just one fight. After Benn’s recent win over Prograis, Oscar De La Hoya shared his candid opinion on Benn’s performance.

“I didn’t see him as active or as fresh as when he fought Eubank. He looked better, he looked stronger, he looked fresh, he looked energetic,” Oscar De La Hoya said. “147 is going to be a little tough for him. But if he wants to fight Ryan, let’s make it. I’m ready. Why not?” 

Meanwhile, Dana White, who reportedly spent $15 million to sign Benn for one fight, has also shared his thoughts on Benn’s last outing. 

“Yeah, I watched the fight,” White said after UFC 327. “I think he dominated.”

Despite White’s opinion, Benn faced criticism for being unable to end the fight early, especially since it was revealed that Prograis had suffered multiple injuries before the fight. 

For now, though, both Ryan Garcia and Conor Benn appear to be heading for a collision course. But a lot can happen before the ink meets the paper. How do you feel about this clash?

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