Tim Bradley has assessed whether Conor Benn should even attempt to become a world champion following his second-round stoppage defeat to Ryan Garcia.
Prior to their contest last month, many questioned whether Benn deserved his WBC title shot after having crafted a career of defeating mostly faded fighters.
Not only that, but ‘The Destroyer’ had not fought at welterweight since 2022, when he tested positive for banned substance clomifene and was removed from his scheduled contest with Chris Eubank Jr.
The British rivals then ended up colliding last year, with Benn losing their first encounter before scoring two 12th-round knockdowns and winning their rematch by unanimous decision.
Both these fights were up at 160lbs, though, and with Benn moving back down in weight, he was made an even greater underdog than he would otherwise be against Garcia.
But while many expected the world welterweight champion to win by stoppage, very few anticipated him doing so in such emphatic fashion.
As a result, many have questioned Benn’s future in the sport. However, Hall of Famer Bradley, speaking on his YouTube channel, is not ruling out another championship run, suggesting that the 30-year-old could chase another world title opportunity at middleweight.
“I think Conor [should] take a long break, reassess what [he wants] to do and [whether he wishes to] continue boxing.
“You made a whole lot of money; you still want to be that world champion? Go after it, man. Go up to 160lbs, where you feel comfortable. Get a nice little test there, then step up your game. It ain’t over for you.”
Bradley went on to praise Benn’s heart and commitment to his training, saying the sport needs more fighters who are “hungry to be the best”.
