Conor Benn has been handed a medical suspension from boxing after his defeat to Ryan Garcia on Saturday night. The 29-year-old was taken to hospital following his WBC welterweight title fight at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, where the referee stopped the contest in the second round.
Benn was knocked down early in the round by a right hand but got back to his feet. Garcia then pressed his advantage, landing a series of punches that trapped Benn against the ropes until the referee intervened.
Automatic suspension rules
As a result of the stoppage loss, Benn now faces time out of the ring. The British Board of Boxing Control (BBBofC) automatically imposes a minimum 28-day suspension on any fighter who loses by TKO, which can be extended to 45 days. The ban covers both sparring and competition.
Benn was stepping up significantly in class against an opponent known for his fast hands. Garcia's speed was apparent from the start, as he landed a left hook in the opening round. Benn took another left but responded with a body shot. However, he could not stop Garcia in the second round, suffering his second defeat in 27 fights.
Fighter reactions
After the fight, Benn wrote on social media: "Not my night, no excuses. Ryan Garcia, you're a great champion."
Garcia, defending his title, said: "I've always had a right hand but it's always been injured. I was so prepared and so focused, and what a performance. I knew he was going to put me under pressure in the first round so I let him have his way a little bit. Then in the next round I stood my ground a little bit. He was coming in reckless and you can't do that with me; he would have been better running around for the first three rounds. I've got thunder in both hands and they're ready to go. I'm here, I'm the champion and I'm not going to mess about."
