Conor Benn turned down Manny Pacquiao for December but says he 'can do Pacquiao' next year

Benn told Sky Sports the December date was too soon after making welterweight for his Ryan Garcia fight and the birth of his son, and that his future is at middleweight.

Conor Benn has said he was offered a fight with Manny Pacquiao in December and turned it down, but says he can face the eight-division world champion in the first three months of 2027 if Pacquiao wants it.

Benn told Sky Sports: "I know the Pacquiao fight was offered to me for December. And I wasn't ready to get the fight done in December. But if he wants it Q1 next year, we can do Pacquiao."

He said the date came too soon after his move down to welterweight and the birth of his son: "The fight got presented to me for December and it was just too soon, making weight, got a newborn son, so for me it was really about spending time with my family."

But he added: "If Q1, he wants to get it on again, I'm interested. Always in the gym, always working, if he wants it Q1 next year, we can do it, no problem."

Benn called Pacquiao "an all-time legend" and said: "Another stadium show sounds nice."

Garcia stopped Benn in the second round of their WBC welterweight title fight at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on 12 September, in Benn's first world title fight. Benn said "it's a hard pill to swallow" and that he would not argue with the referee's decision: "I respect the referee and it's the referee's job to keep the fighter safe."

He will not box at welterweight again. "I don't know what I was thinking making 147lbs," he said. "My future's at middleweight."

Pacquiao, 47, has not won since beating Keith Thurman by split decision in 2019. Ireland's Paddy Donovan has said his manager held talks with Pacquiao's team about a fight at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff on 11 December, and Wales' Joe Cordina has also been named as an option: Paddy Donovan on Pacquiao talks.

Benn's trainer Tony Sims has said Benn needed time away from the ring after four back-to-back fight camps (Sims on Benn's break), and Eddie Hearn has said Benn is "at the bottom of the pile" at Zuffa Boxing (Hearn on Benn).

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