Conor Benn did not need much time to answer when Stephen A. Smith pressed him on which fight he wants next.
“Garcia.”
Sitting alongside Dana White on ESPN’s First Take on Friday, Benn cut through the diplomatic preamble and made his priority clear. The newly signed Zuffa Boxing fighter had walked through the procedural path toward a WBC welterweight title shot before Smith cornered him on a name, and the answer was immediate.
“We’re going to try to get the WBC world title. I’m mandatory for that shot. I’ve worked hard to get there,” Benn said. “But I’m open to options. There’s plenty of fighters calling me out. Whatever fight the public wants, they can get.”
He also explained the broader motivation behind signing with Zuffa and pursuing the biggest available matchups. “I’m here because I want to make the biggest fights possible. I want to make the most memorable nights in boxing, the ones where people go, ‘What a fight. What a night.’ Something to remember. History made, legacy made. That’s why I’m here.”
Benn sits as the WBC mandatory challenger at welterweight, putting him in direct line for a shot at Ryan Garcia, who holds the WBC welterweight title after his victory over Mario Barrios earlier this year. With Benn now signed to Zuffa and Oscar De La Hoya pushing Garcia toward a world champion opponent next, both fighters are under promotions aligned on making the bout happen. Early reporting has pointed toward an August date on Netflix, though nothing has been officially announced.
Benn’s Zuffa deal runs five fights over 2.5 years, meaning Garcia would be the first of multiple marquee outings. With Shakur Stevenson and Devin Haney also circling at welterweight, Benn made clear on Friday which name sits at the top of his list.
