Ryan Garcia ended Conor Benn’s welterweight world title dreams in Las Vegas, dropping and stopping the Brit in two rounds, and Chris Eubank Jr was quick to react.
Benn came back down to 147lbs for the first time in four years to challenge for Garcia’s WBC belt, battling the scales in what he called a ‘brutal’ weight cut.
On the first bell, he came out and put pressure on Garcia, who landed his signature left hooks and sneaky uppercuts in response. Benn stood up to those shots in the first three minutes, but a right hand in the second round saw him on the canvas.
The American was a heavy favourite and plenty of big names in the sport predicted a stoppage due to his speed and power, but not many said it would end so early.
Some will put it down to Benn’s punch resistance being depleted after his extreme weight cut, and will await his words on the outcome in the next day or two.
In the meantime, Eubank took to social media almost immediately after the fight, highlighting the irony of the circumstances.
“Welcome to the ‘fighting after cutting too much weight’ club… Enjoy.”
Eubank and Benn fought twice last year, each managing a win. The ‘born rivals’ each managed a win, with Eubank scoring a unanimous decision in the first meeting and Benn the same result in the rematch.
Eubank was extremely vocal about facing a 10lbs rehydration clause in the contract for both bouts, meaning he couldn’t weigh more than 170lbs on the morning of each fight after making 160 the day before. The clause seemed to have a major effect on him in the second fight.
Benn faced no such rehydration clause, and even boasted this morning that he had put on over 30lbs since making 146lbs, however it was almost certainly gamesmanship.
The Brit is now expected to move up in weight, and a trilogy with Eubank may be the strongest option out there for him.
