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Conor Benn | History Repeating
England’s Conor Benn Has Arrived In Las Vegas Looking For Family History To Repeat Itself, With A World Championship Victory In Sin City.
Going into their opponents’ backyards and emerging victorious is nothing new to the Benn family.
Conor’s father Nigel is a former middleweight and super middleweight world champion as well as one of the most feared punchers of his generation. Arguably, his finest moment came when he fought Iran Barkley in Las Vegas in 1990 and stopped “The Blade” in the first round in a wild encounter that showed “The Dark Destroyer” at his very best.
There’s plenty of that same fighting spirit in Conor, too, and “The Destroyer” has arrived in Sin City looking for a career-best win of his own as he challenges Ryan Garcia for welterweight championship gold at T-Mobile Arena on Saturday night.
Conor Benn Sit-Down Interview | Garcia vs Benn
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Conor Benn Sit-Down Interview | Garcia vs Benn
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It’s Benn’s first crack at a world title, but when it comes to fighting Stateside, this certainly isn’t his first rodeo.
“I've fought in Vegas before. I headlined in Vegas before at the Cosmo,” Benn explained. “I’ve fought in Florida. I fought at Nassau Coliseum in New York. So, it's no secret that I've fought here [in the U.S.], but many times. Also, coming off the back of three stadium shows in front of 65,000 people, back-to-back, to then headlining in Vegas, yeah, it definitely puts you in good stead. There's no pressure. The pressure's all on Ryan.”
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Benn’s star power went supernova back home in the U.K. when he engaged in two massive fights with longtime rival Chris Eubank Jr, son of his father’s great rival, Chris Eubank Sr. The two sons continued the family rivalry across a pair of middleweight bouts that delivered two unforgettable nights at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with Eubank claiming the victory in the first fight, and Benn storming back to take the victory in the rematch.
Those fights both took place at 160-pounds, but Benn has come back down to 147 to challenge for welterweight gold. It’s been a punishing process, but one he said will bring the best out of him on fight night.
“Yeah, it's the hardest thing I've ever had to do,” he admitted. “It feels like I've been dragged down to the pits of hell, had a fight with Satan and come back to life. So yeah, it's been challenging, but the reward is massive, so ultimately, you have to make sacrifices.”
Limited Tickets Remain For Garcia vs Benn; Get Yours Here
Standing between Benn and world championship glory is one of boxing’s biggest stars, Ryan Garcia, who has grown from amateur standout to social media phenom to bona fide world champion. After capturing the welterweight title in his last outing, “King Ry” is determined to take his career to the next level by cleaning out the division.
Benn acknowledged Garcia’s talents but said nothing the American has achieved in his career can prevent him from dropping the title on Saturday night.
Dedicated To Dad | Garcia vs Benn
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Dedicated To Dad | Garcia vs Benn
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“He's a good fighter, you know? He's a world champion, so I’ve got to give him the respect he deserves,” said Benn. “He's young, he's hungry, he's athletic, he's got speed, he can punch. So, he’s a good fighter… I don't really think about how he feels or what he thinks because it doesn't really concern me. He can think what he wants. It’s not going to change the outcome on Saturday.”
Benn knows he’s on enemy territory on Saturday night, and he knows he’s heading into the fight as the underdog, but that suits him just fine.
WATCH: Road To Garcia vs Benn
“I always go into every fight with an underdog mentality. Every fight,” he said. “I could be fighting anybody. It's the underdog mentality. It’s the way I prepare.”
The bout offers Benn the chance to do something his father accomplished — flying across the pond and winning a world title fight in Las Vegas. Nigel did it when he defended his middleweight title against Barkley back in 1990. Now, more than a quarter of a century later, Conor hopes to repeat the feat by capturing a world title of his own, and he’s arrived with his father by his side as an integral part of his team.
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“Ah, it’s a blessing,” Benn said. “I mean, there’s not really much more I can say on that. It's a huge blessing in my life that me and my dad get to share these moments together and also live it together. We do it together, you know? If my dad wasn't here, I wouldn’t be doing it. It really is a father-son thing, and it feels that way. I’ll forever be my dad's son, and the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.”
Conor Benn | On This Planet To Fight
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Conor Benn | On This Planet To Fight
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With his father by his side, and the chance to compete for world championship gold in the famed “Fight Capital of the World,” Benn is full of gratitude for the way his career has panned out to this point.
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“To be where I am right now is a blessing,” he said. “I couldn’t have written a better story myself.”
That story continues on September 12.