American boxing star Ryan Garcia has declared his willingness to face Britain's Conor Benn on UK soil, while simultaneously taking a pointed jab at Benn's promoter, Eddie Hearn.
Garcia's Callout and Hearn Rivalry
The potential showdown gained traction after Benn secured a significant victory over Chris Eubank Jr in their highly anticipated rematch on 15 November. Benn knocked Eubank down twice on his way to a decision win, avenging his points loss from their first encounter in April.
Discussing a fight with Benn, Garcia told Covers.com: "I don't think he has a big presence in America, but I would be willing to go to the UK. I would definitely be willing to go to the UK to fight him. He seems like a fun match-up."
Garcia, 27, then directed his attention to Hearn, with whom he has a history. "I love fighting Eddie Hearn fighters, I don't know why, I just love to beat them up," Garcia stated. "He just makes you want to beat his fighters up. It's just the way he talks, the way he moves, I can't wait to look at his face and say: 'I did it again.'"
He referenced his past bouts with Hearn-promoted fighters Luke Campbell and Devin Haney, claiming the prospect of defeating another one would bring him "so much joy... almost more than a championship title."
Benn's Ambitions and Garcia's Assessment
Following his revenge victory over Eubank Jr, which he fought at middleweight, the 29-year-old Benn is now focused on returning to his natural welterweight division with the goal of becoming a world champion for the first time.
However, Benn is primarily interested in high-profile opponents, and a fight with Garcia would certainly fit that bill. Intriguingly, both boxers have been linked to a potential title shot against WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios. If Garcia were to challenge and defeat Barrios, it could set up a title fight against Benn, combining a world championship opportunity with a major pay-per-view event.
Garcia offered a critical assessment of Benn's abilities, despite acknowledging his hunger. "I don't think he is at the level he thinks he's at," Garcia commented. "I don't think that Eubank had enough skills or felt good enough. I just think Conor is young, and I think he's hungry, and I think he fights that way, but I don't think he's that good."
He predicted that a technical boxer would always triumph over a brawler, suggesting Benn's style would not succeed against top-level welterweights. "I don't think he beats any of the top-level dudes at 147[lb], but if he believes it, we could all run it," Garcia added, before reiterating his desire to "take all your fans" in the UK, which he praised as "the best."
Context and Recent Events
Garcia's mention of his fight with Devin Haney comes with an asterisk. In 2024, Garcia dropped Haney three times en route to a decision victory. However, the result was later overturned to a No Contest after Garcia returned an adverse drug-test result, leading to a 12-month ban.
The rivalry was further fuelled recently when Benn and Hearn were ringside in Saudi Arabia to watch Haney, now unbeaten, become a three-division world champion by winning the WBO welterweight belt. Haney, 27, dropped Brian Norman Jr on his way to a decision win.
Benn downplayed Haney's performance, saying he looked "scared of his own shadow," a comment Garcia described as salty. "I think there was a little bit of saltiness, I could taste a little salt," Garcia said. "But when he had Devin, he was the 'greatest fighter in the world', he would 'never be beaten'."
While Garcia acknowledged Haney looked sharp, he criticised his lack of a "killer instinct," a comment that echoes the criticism Haney faced for his divisional debut win over Jose Ramirez in May. On that same card, Garcia himself was dropped and outpointed by Rolly Romero in his own welterweight debut.
Despite this, Garcia remains in the conversation for another title shot in his next fight, while Benn continues his pursuit of a defining match-up that could catapult him to the top of the welterweight division.
