LONDON — Conor Benn has addressed his second-round technical knockout loss to WBC welterweight champion Ryan Garcia, identifying the difficulty of making the 147lb weight limit as the primary factor in his defeat. The bout, which took place last month, ended when Garcia landed a decisive right hand and forced referee Thomas Taylor to stop the contest, marking a successful first world title defense for the champion.
Benn, who had competed at 160lbs in his previous two outings, admitted the physical toll of cutting weight hindered his performance. “I can’t fight at the weight, I can’t make the weight,” Benn stated when discussing the loss. Despite external criticism suggesting he was overmatched at the world level, Benn remains focused on his future, noting, “If you go swimming, you get wet, you pay the price. No problem, you bounce back. It’s life, it happens.”
Following the defeat, Benn’s manager, Keith Connolly, has outlined a strategy for the fighter to return to the ring at middleweight before potentially pursuing a 2027 matchup against Chris Eubank Jr. at 168lbs. Benn is expected to take a period of rest after a high-profile two-year stretch that included four major fights before beginning his transition to the middleweight or super-middleweight divisions.