British boxer Conor Benn has already set his sights on a world title shot against WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios, regardless of the outcome in his highly anticipated rematch with Chris Eubank Jr this Saturday.
The North London Showdown
The bitter rivals are set to clash once again at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in north London on November 15, recreating their dramatic April encounter that saw Eubank Jr emerge victorious via points decision. Despite starting strongly in their first meeting, Benn ultimately fell short in his attempt to overcome his long-time adversary.
Entering the rematch as the heavier fighter, "The Destroyer" Benn is determined to level the score in their heated rivalry. However, unlike many fighters who might pursue a trilogy, Benn has made it clear he has no interest in a third bout with Eubank Jr, regardless of Saturday's result.
Welterweight Ambitions Revealed
Instead, the British fighter has outlined ambitious plans to drop back down to welterweight and pursue world championship glory. In exclusive comments to Boxing Social, Benn declared: "I want to fight for the WBC world title next. For me, that's the priority."
Benn expressed confidence that WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman would sanction a title fight, citing his family's history with the organisation and his father's previous WBC championship success. "See if we can make that Barrios fight next, immediately," Benn added, revealing that communication has already taken place with Barrios and his team.
Final Middleweight Appearance
In a separate interview with Sky Sports, Benn doubled down on his intentions, suggesting that Eubank Jr might retire after their rematch. "He's fighting a welterweight," Benn stated pointedly. "Just look at the landscape. He isn't going to stay at 160lbs and fight a Janibek [Alimkhanuly] or a [Hamzah] Sheeraz, for half the money. It doesn't make sense."
The fighter confirmed that this will be his final appearance at middleweight, with a determined return to the 147lb welterweight division immediately following Saturday's contest. "I'll drop back down to welterweight and carry on pursuing my goals and dreams at 147," he affirmed.
Benn has assembled what he describes as "the best team" to facilitate his return to welterweight, including a nutritionist and chef to manage the weight cut. He plans to attend the WBC convention in Thailand immediately after the fight to solidify his championship ambitions.
Multiple Opportunities Await
Beyond the Barrios matchup, Benn identified several potential high-profile opponents at welterweight, demonstrating the breadth of opportunities available to him. "There's plenty of world title opportunities for me to get, whether it's Barrios, [Ryan] Garcia, Rolly Romero, these are the fights that are being talked about after the fight, straightaway," he revealed.
Other names mentioned included Brian Norman, with Benn asserting he would fight "any of these guys." Despite not competing at welterweight for three years since his second-round knockout victory over Chris van Heerden, Benn remains confident in his ability to comfortably return to the 147lb limit.
Rematch Focus Remains
Despite his future ambitions, Benn maintains that his complete focus remains on Saturday's crucial encounter. He dismissed any suggestions of apprehension about facing Eubank Jr again, highlighting the weight disparity between them. "If I was scared or not a proper fighting man, would I have given the public this fight? Probably not, no," Benn stated.
"I'm the one jumping up two weights at the end of the day," he emphasised, before issuing a stark warning to his opponent: "He couldn't lose the first one, you're fighting a welterweight for God's sake. You've got to think that was the second time going 12 rounds in my whole career. I'm about to tuck him in on Saturday."
Fight Night Details
The 12-round middleweight rematch takes place on Saturday, November 15 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. While official timings remain unconfirmed, expectations suggest the undercard will commence around 5pm UK time, with the main event ringwalks scheduled for approximately 9:50pm UK time.
The bout will be broadcast exclusively on DAZN pay-per-view, available for £24.99 or free to viewers with a DAZN Ultimate subscription plan. Boxing enthusiasts across Britain are anticipating another dramatic chapter in this compelling British boxing rivalry.
