Former IBF welterweight world champion, Kell Brook, has previously called for a domestic dust-up with Conor Benn. Now, ‘Special K’ has predicted how Benn will fare in his first world title challenge, against WBC titleholder, Ryan Garcia.
Benn and Brook were linked to a bout in May 2023, when the pair were pulled apart in a ringside confrontation in Dublin, but the fight never materialised, partly due to the fact that Benn had relinquished his BBBofC license following his infamous failed drugs test.
Instead, Benn twice fought stateside as a super-welterweight and then twice boxed fierce rival Chris Eubank J as a middleweight, before announcing plans to return to the welterweight division and challenge for world honours.
On his way back down to 147lbs, Benn entered the ring against Regis Prograis earlier this year in a 150lb catchweight contest and underwhelmed, but still he has landed his title shot, with a fight against Garcia now formally confirmed.
Speaking on the Fight Your Corner Podcast, Kell Brook looked ahead to the fight and admitted that whilst he gives Benn ‘a good chance’, he feels as though the power of Garcia means that a win for the Californian is more likely.
“I give him [Benn] a good chance, but I do lean towards Garcia winning the fight, I do. In his last fight he boxed well but in the fight before, he didn’t box so good. I just think that he will rise to the occasion, they are champions and I think that we are going to see the best of both of ‘em.
“I just think that Garcia has got that get-out-of-jail card. When I boxed Shawn Porter, I went to Vegas to finish some sparring off and I was some sparring with some good kids. I put it onto this kid and had a really good spar, I was punching hard.
“We had something to eat after and I said, who is the biggest puncher you’ve been to, don’t forget I’m a lot older than Garcia, and he said, ‘I have never been hit as hard as by Ryan Garcia,’. That punch power that he has got, that snap [is impressive].”
Garcia-Benn takes place on Saturday, September 12, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, with undefeated cruiserweight Jai Opetaia expected to appear on the undercard.
