Conor Benn has made it clear that securing a WBC welterweight title bout with Ryan Garcia remains his foremost objective, yet he also pointed out that a slew of other high‑profile fighters are already knocking on his door, eager for a showdown. The British pugilist recently inked a multi‑year, multi‑fight contract with Zuffa Boxing, a deal that followed his impressive debut for the promotion when he stopped Regis Prograis on the undercard of the Tyson Fury‑vs‑Tommy Fury event at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last Saturday. Benn now holds the mandatory challenger position for Garcia, who currently wears the WBC welterweight crown, but the Englishman believes his standing in the division has opened the floodgates to a range of elite opponents.
"Of course, the Garcia fight is the priority," Benn told Sky Sports, "but I’m not short of options. There are a lot of fighters calling me out, big names calling me out.
God willing we get the Garcia fight done for the title. I’m in the No. 1 spot for that belt and I’ve worked extremely hard to get there. If Ryan doesn’t want it, there are plenty of fish out there." The comments came amid a busy news cycle that also featured Dave Allen’s knockout of Jonny Fisher in a rematch, Daniel Dubois weighing potential clashes with Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk after his February IBF heavyweight defense, and a press conference showdown between Eubank and Benn in Manchester.
In addition, Adam Azim praised his recent test against Ohara Davies, while Anthony Joshua’s camp emphasized Dubois’ need for a victory to cement his claim to the IBF heavyweight title. Dubois, meanwhile, warned unified champion Usyk that “there is definitely unfinished business.” Benn, who is 29, reflected on the reaction to his points win over two‑time world champion Prograis, noting that the fight had generated a wave of challenges he had not anticipated.
"Do you know what’s funny? After the weekend, you have all the fighters calling me out, begging me for a fight. It just shows their character because no one was calling me out after the second Eubank fight; everyone went radio silent. They saw me go down at 150 lb, win on points, and now they want to hype me up and call me out.
Maybe it’s a blessing that I went to points and ten rounds with Regis." He added that the bout against Prograis was his first fight back at the 150‑pound limit in four years, and he had taken it on six weeks’ notice. "Not many people can say they will fight a two‑time former world champion as a run‑out, win almost every round, and drop it down to 149 lb. For me, it’s about discipline, staying in the gym and being ready to go in six or seven weeks.
If Ryan wants it, he can have it – he can have it tomorrow if he wants it. But that is news to me about negotiations for a summer fight." Zuffa Boxing CEO Dana White expressed enthusiasm for a potential "fun" matchup between Benn and Garcia. Speaking to Sky Sports, White said, "All the guys that have signed with us – we ask what you’ve dreamed about, what you want to do, what the plans are for your career.
We like to hear all those things. Obviously I’m about making the biggest fights you can possibly make.
All these kids that are fighting with us see it the same way." White also highlighted Zuffa’s recent acquisition of former WBO cruiserweight champion Chris Billam‑Smith and hinted at a broader recruitment drive aimed at securing more of Britain’s top talent. "Let me put it this way: I just did a big deal with Sky and we are going to be bringing you big fights to the UK," he said. "So yes, I am looking for lots of UK talent – not just the big names you all know, but also young up‑and‑coming guys we think have the potential to be world champions." In summary, while Benn’s immediate focus is on locking in a bout with Garcia to contest the WBC welterweight belt, his recent performances and new promotional backing have placed him squarely in the crosshairs of several other high‑profile contenders.
Whether he will face Garcia next or entertain one of the many other suitors remains to be seen, but the British fighter’s confidence, discipline, and willingness to take fights on short notice suggest that the next chapter of his career will be filled with marquee match‑ups and significant stakes.