Conor Benn is on the verge of a challenge for world honours, but big names in the sport continue to question where his level truly lies. Now, British boxing legend ‘Prince’ Naseem Hamed has offered his thoughts on the 29-year-old’s ability.
Benn skipped the traditional route to the top and then, after a failed drugs test scuppered his plans, prioritised a lucrative clash with Chris Eubank Jr. over a possible world title shot.
Now, despite not fighting at welterweight since April 2022, he has been named the WBC mandatory challenger in the 147lbs division and is working on a fight against reigning champion Ryan Garcia later this year.
Earlier this month, Benn triumphed over Regis Prograis with a clear points decision, but couldn’t close the show and has been criticised for the performance by the likes of Carl Froch. He is seen as the underdog in his proposed scrap with Garcia.
Speaking with TalkSPORT Boxing, Hamed claimed that Benn’s victory over Eubank has convinced him that he is a ‘world-level’ fighter, even after famously telling Eubank that he should retire eight years ago.
“I don’t know how anybody can say that he is not world level and I’ll tell you why – nobody ever said that Chris Eubank Jr. was not world level.
“Eubank Jnr, regardless of what I said about him in the past, he proved me wrong, he came back. He [Benn] is world-level, he is world-class.”
Benn seeks to prove Hamed right and his doubters wrong by taking the coveted WBC crown from Garcia, with recent comments from the champion signalling that the fight could be signed soon.
