Conor Benn says weight cut for Garcia fight is extremely tough but remains confident
British boxer Conor Benn described the process of making the welter-weight limit for his upcoming world-title bout against Ryan Garcia as very difficult, but said he is healthy and expects to rehydrate before the fight.
British welter-weight contender Conor Benn said that cutting down to the 147-pound limit for his world-title fight against WBC champion Ryan Garcia has been "extremely difficult". The 29-year-old, who has not made the welter-weight limit in more than four years, told BBC Sport that the weight cut has been the hardest task of his career, but he will not complain given the financial reward for headlining the bout in Las Vegas.
Benn, who last made welter-weight when he stopped Chris van Heerden in April 2022, moved up to light-middleweight for two high-profile fights with Chris Eubank Jr. last year, suffering his first professional defeat before avenging it later. Observers expressed concern after seeing his appearance during fight week, with former champion Carl Froch and former opponent Chris Algieri questioning whether the cut could leave him depleted.
"I'm healthy," Benn said, adding that he expects to rehydrate to around 12 st 7 lb (80 kg) for the fight.
He also indicated that, should he win, he plans to vacate the welter-weight title immediately and move back up to middleweight or possibly super-middleweight. Benn described the upcoming clash as a stylistic contrast: his own aggressive, pressure-based approach versus Garcia's fast hands and counter-left hook.
The fight is scheduled for Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Garcia did not attend a pre-fight press event, prompting Benn to joke with his father, former two-weight world champion Nigel Benn, that he would square up with his 62-year-old father instead. Benn dismissed the champion's absence, saying it would not affect his preparation and emphasizing the need to deliver a performance for the fans.