Conor Benn admits weight struggles before Ryan Garcia stoppage and plans move up

Conor Benn will fight at middleweight or super-middleweight in future after admitting he struggled to make 147lb for his second-round stoppage loss to WBC welterweight champion Ryan Garcia.

Conor Benn has admitted he struggled to make the 147lb welterweight limit before his defeat by Ryan Garcia. Asked why the fight ended so quickly, he pointed to the weight cut, Boxing News reported. Benn had fought twice at middleweight (160lbs) the year before dropping back down to challenge for the title.

Garcia stopped Benn in the second round to keep the WBC welterweight title in the first defence of his career.

Benn has confirmed he will move up to middleweight or super-middleweight for his future fights. That has fuelled talk of a possible third fight with Chris Eubank Jr at 168lbs in 2027. Keith Connolly, Benn's manager, has set out a tentative plan for one fight at middleweight to return to winning ways before revisiting the Eubank rivalry. Benn is first expected to take time out after two high-profile years that included four big fights.

Since the loss, fans, pundits and fighters have suggested Benn was competing one or two levels above where he belongs and should target the British title instead of world honours. Benn dismissed suggestions that he was overmatched and said he wanted to move on quickly from the performance. He said: “If you go swimming, you get wet, you pay the price. No problem, you bounce back. It’s life, it happens.”

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