Jermall Charlo has made it clear which side he is backing when Ryan Garcia puts his WBC welterweight title on the line against Conor Benn.
Garcia and Benn are set to meet on September 12 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, with the champion making his first defense of the belt. Garcia captured the WBC title with a dominant decision victory over Mario Barrios in February, while Benn enters the fight as his mandatory challenger.
The matchup has generated plenty of debate, particularly with Benn dropping back to 147 pounds for the first time since 2022. Charlo, however, appears to be leaning toward Garcia.
Jermall Charlo Backs Ryan Garcia
Asked about the matchup, the two-division world champion revealed that he is a Garcia supporter and made no secret of the fact that he won’t be rooting for Benn.
Charlo still expects an entertaining contest and confirmed that he plans to be in Las Vegas to watch it unfold.
I am a Ryan fan, I am not with Conor Benn but that is going to be a good fight, it’s going to be a crazy fight. I will be there for that too.
Charlo stopped short of giving a detailed breakdown or predicting exactly how Garcia will win. However, his allegiance leaves little doubt about who he wants to see leave T-Mobile Arena with the championship.
Benn faces an intriguing challenge with the move back down in weight. His recent run included two fights against Chris Eubank Jr. at middleweight, and he has already indicated that even if he defeats Garcia, he intends to move away from the welterweight division afterward.
Garcia Prepares For First Title Defense
For Garcia, the fight represents his first opportunity to defend the world championship he won against Barrios earlier this year.
Benn, meanwhile, gets the chance to score the biggest victory of his career and leave Las Vegas as a world champion.
The September 12 card will also feature a major cruiserweight clash, with Jai Opetaia scheduled to face WBC champion Noel Mikaelian in the co-main event.
Charlo has his own business to handle as he plots his return to the ring. Visa issues derailed a planned appearance in Australia, while he has discussed October 17 as a possible date for his next fight. He is also targeting a potential shot at Jaime Munguia’s WBA super-middleweight title in 2027.
For now, though, Charlo will be watching Garcia and Benn from ringside — and he has already picked his side.
