Ryan Garcia says his next fight is locked in, and the opponent is none other than Conor Benn.
During an appearance on “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon,” Garcia publicly announced that he is targeting a September 12 showdown with Benn in Las Vegas. While the matchup has been heavily discussed in boxing circles, no official event announcement has been made yet.
Garcia has previously revealed fights before contracts were finalized, so fans are still waiting for formal confirmation from promoters.
Garcia Says Bad Blood With Benn Made The Fight Personal
Garcia did not hold back when discussing the matchup on television. He pointed to a tense interaction between the two fighters that happened years ago.
“I can say that we are fighting September 12th, it will be in Vegas. His name is Conor Benn. And he’s talking a lot, he’s talking crazy.”
Garcia then described a confrontation involving Benn at an awards show.
“He actually confronted me at an award show two years ago, and my wife was there. He just pressed up on me, grabbed me. Yeah, so it’s a little personal.”
The fight would give Garcia another major event after his February victory over Mario Barrios, where he captured the WBC welterweight title in Las Vegas.
Watch the whole episode here
Busy September Could Create Big Fight Weekend
The proposed Garcia vs. Benn date falls on the same day as the scheduled super fight between Canelo Alvarez and Christian Mbilli in Riyadh.
Because of the time difference between Saudi Arabia and Las Vegas, both cards could potentially air on the same day without directly overlapping.
Benn enters the matchup after a decision win over Regis Prograis in London earlier this year. The performance received mixed reactions, with many fans expecting a stronger showing from the British contender.
The 29-year-old Benn has also faced scrutiny over the last few years following a failed drug test in 2022 that stalled his career and postponed his long-awaited clash with Chris Eubank Jr.
Garcia dealt with controversy of his own in 2024 after testing positive following his victory over Devin Haney. That result was later overturned.