Harley Benn is the other brother. Four days older than sibling Conor, the pair share a dad in boxing legend Nigel. But that is where the family similarities end. Both boys went on to follow in their father's footsteps and both are in action tonight. But while Conor will challenge Ryan Garcia for his welterweight world title in Las Vegas, Harley will look to resurrect his career against Joe Laws in Newcastle.
Paternity test and rocky relationship
There was never a doubt which corner Nigel would be in. The former two-weight world champion demanded a paternity test before accepting Harley as his son. And their relationship since then has been rocky at best.
"It means more to me to be my mum's son than it does to be a Benn; my surname doesn't define me," Benn, 29, said. "My mum and nan have done great things for me. I was an awful teenager; I was in trouble all the time, I was quite angry, I got in trouble with the police a lot, and if it wasn't for my mum and my nan, that would have been a lot worse. I don't reckon I'd be here if it wasn't for them."
No olive branches
"In a perfect world, me, my brother, and my dad would all be best friends supporting each other in everything we do and getting on. But life isn't perfect for anyone. I suppose you could say I would like that to be different, but I don't see it as my fault. There's no one specifically to blame, but it's definitely not me."
"We've had some silly back-and-forths, and you've got to remember, we're two boxers and an ex-boxer with similar mindsets. But at this stage in our lives, me and Conor are focused on our own lives at the minute rather than any olive branches."
Career resurrection
Benn had no amateur career and was selling solar panels when he first picked up a pair of gloves. He quickly turned professional but has mustered only 11 fights in nine years, losing two. "When I was 21 or 22, I didn't give it my all, to be completely honest," Benn added. "Back then losing for the first time was like losing your life, it was mentally horrible.
"It was a hard pill to swallow and I took a few years out. If you'd asked me two years ago whether I would fight again, the answer would probably have been no. But then my son came along and I decided to give it a real go. It's been a difficult two years but I'm back on track and now I've got the biggest fight of my career."
