One week out, Garcia and Benn settle it in Vegas
Michael Huezo
Host · Writer
LAS VEGAS — A week from today, Ryan Garcia and Conor Benn will finally settle the bad blood in the ring. Until then, they're settling it everywhere else.
The two welterweights meet Saturday, September 12 at T-Mobile Arena for Garcia's WBC welterweight championship, a 12-round main event that headlines a stacked four-fight card streaming exclusively on Paramount+ and DAZN. It's the kind of matchup that doesn't need manufactured heat, and neither fighter has bothered trying to manufacture any. Benn, has pointed the finger the other way. "This guy talks enough for the both of us. He's a child," Benn said of Garcia.
Zuffa Boxing
Conor Benn reacts during the heated exchange at Fanatics Fest.
He then made clear that he's used to being doubted and prefers it that way. "Listen, when you've had 26-27 fights, you've heard it all," Benn said. "I've heard I've not been good enough. I've not been this, I've not been that, and I continue to prove people wrong." He wasn't finished. "The last person who overlooked me got put in the hospital for three days."
Ryan Garcia hasn't taken any of the talk quietly either. He fired back with the kind of line that tends to follow him into fight week. "You're a fancy trash can and I'm gonna take out the trash," Garcia said.
Zuffa Boxing
Ryan Garcia is held back after grabbing the microphone during the Fanatics Fest press conference.
None of this happens without a truce nobody saw coming. Garcia has fought under Oscar De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions since his pro debut in 2016, though Benn is actually the final fight on that contract, with Garcia set to become a free agent once it's over. Benn, meanwhile, is signed to Dana White's Zuffa Boxing.
As recently as June, the fight looked dead, with Golden Boy sending Zuffa a cease and desist and De La Hoya publicly blasting White's operation. The deal got made anyway, largely credited to Turki Alalshikh, the Zuffa Boxing co-founder whose backing has quietly become the reason fights like this get built at all. The WBC will have its own stake in the room too, since it's the belt Garcia won off Mario Barrios in February that's actually on the line. Rival promoters, a departing fighter, and a sanctioning body all in the same building, for a fight that might be the last thing that ever puts Golden Boy and Zuffa on the same poster.
The co-feature has weight of its own, with cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia, unbeaten at 30-0 with 23 knockouts, defending against two-time titleholder Noel Mikaelian. The rest of the main card pairs former featherweight champion Mark Magsayo against Las Vegas native Andres Cortes at lightweight, and unbeaten heavyweight prospect Da'Mazion Vanhouter against knockout artist Raphael Akpejiori.
Five preliminary bouts open the night at 2 p.m. PT, led by Jose Ramirez against Alexis Rocha, with Pablo Rubio, Oswaldo Molina, Abel Gonzalez, Raul Salomon, Vlad Panin, Dakota Linger, Sean Garcia, and Abraham Morales rounding out the card.
Zuffa Boxing
The complete Garcia vs. Benn fight card for Saturday, September 12 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
For now, the main event is still just words. Garcia and Benn will have their final face to face later this week before fists finally settle what neither man is willing to concede on a microphone. Whatever gets said between now and next Saturday is only the preview. The real answer comes in the ring on September 12 in Las Vegas.
