Ryan Garcia and Conor Benn are set to face each other for the WBC welterweight world title on September 12 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The announcement was made by Turki Al-Sheikh. This bout marks Garcia’s first defense of the welterweight title he secured in February, following a points victory against Mario Barrios. Benn, who is 29, will be challenging for a world title for the first time in his career.
Garcia, 27, holds a professional record of 25 wins, 2 losses, and 20 knockouts. His recent title win against Barrios was his first world title. Benn’s record stands at 25 wins, 1 loss, and 14 knockouts. The fight will be broadcast on Paramount+ in the United States, and on DAZN in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
Path to the Welterweight Title Bout
Garcia’s journey to this title defense includes a previous call-out to WBO light-welterweight champion Shakur Stevenson. Despite being under contract with Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions, Garcia has expressed a desire to fight various opponents, stating, “I want to be a great champion, I’m not scared. I fought Devin Haney. I’ll fight you, Shakur Stevenson. I’ll fight anybody.” Stevenson has also indicated interest in a potential match against Garcia.
Benn’s recent fighting history has seen him move across weight divisions. He last competed as a welterweight in February 2024, securing a points win over Peter Dobson. Prior to that, he moved up to middleweight for two fights against Chris Eubank Jr in 2025, losing the first and winning the second. He then returned to a catchweight of 150lb for a fight against Regis Prograis in April, which he won by points. This 150lb bout was 3lb above the welterweight limit of 147lb.
Benn signed a one-fight deal with Zuffa Boxing in February after leaving his previous promoters, Matchroom. Following his victory over Prograis, he signed a new five-fight promotional deal with Zuffa, extending through 2028. Benn has openly stated his ambition for a world title, calling out Garcia after his win against Prograis. His father, Nigel Benn, was a two-weight world champion who held the WBC super middleweight belt between 1992 and 1996.
Doping Cases and Performance
Both fighters have been involved in doping cases in recent years. Garcia received a one-year suspension from the New York State Athletic Commission (NYSAC) after testing positive for ostarine, a performance-enhancing drug, around his April 2024 fight against Devin Haney. That fight was subsequently ruled a no-contest.
Benn was provisionally suspended after adverse analytical findings for clomifene, a prohibited substance, were found in two tests conducted by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA). These tests were ahead of a scheduled fight with Chris Eubank Jr in October 2022, which was later canceled. His suspension was lifted in November 2024 after the National Anti-Doping Panel (NADP) determined it was “not comfortably satisfied” that an anti-doping rule violation had been proven.
Benn’s last fight at 147lb was over two years ago. Since his failed test, he has not achieved any stoppage victories, including against the 37-year-old Prograis in April. The catchweight bout with Prograis allowed Benn to reduce his weight from the 160lb he fought at against Eubank Jr. While he stated that making weight was not an issue, he did not dominate Prograis as some had anticipated.
Garcia’s talent is recognized, but his performances can be inconsistent. If he demonstrates full focus and readiness for the upcoming fight, he is considered a strong contender. However, if his performance is not at its peak, Benn’s speed and grit could make the bout more competitive on September 12.
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Source: nytimes.com
