Conor Benn’s next move remains up in the air following a second-round knockout loss to Ryan Garcia in Las Vegas, though he will not be short of potential opponents.
The Brit dropped back down to welterweight for the first time in four years to challenge for Garcia’s WBC world title, but was stopped inside six minutes by the hard-hitting champion.
Benn’s performance failed to deliver on pre-fight promises that he would outwork Garcia, who he labelled a “quitter” and teased him for being dropped by Luke Campbell back in 2021. Garcia beat the count to win the fight by stoppage.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Olympic Gold Medalist Campbell said he would happily pause his political career – he is now the mayor of Hull and East Yorkshire – to fight Benn.
“100 percent. If it came my way, definitely. I haven’t called anyone out. He was insulting me and I just responded to that. Everything’s gone from there really. I would definitely entertain it.”
On Benn’s performance against Garcia, Campbell said there were levels separating him from the American champion.
“I don’t know what was going through his head or what level he thought he was at [when he fought Garcia]. I don’t know what the boxing IQ was or what the game plan was.
“It would be the same result [with me as with Garcia], probably a knockout. I don’t know if it would be two rounds but it would be the same result.”
Benn has so far given nothing away about when he will return, content with a rest with his family. His manager, Keith Connelly, has floated a middleweight move before pursuing a trilogy with Chris Eubank Jr at super-middleweight. Whatever happens, Campbell – who retired after the Garcia loss – is unlikely to be a part of the plans.
