Ryan Garcia showed no remorse for skipping Tuesday's scheduled face‑off with Conor Benn, even describing it as "funny" to watch the British contender pretending to confront his own father, Nigel, during the promotional event. Garcia is preparing for his inaugural defense of the WBC welterweight championship, a bout that will take place against Benn at the T‑Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday night.
Earlier in the week the two fighters were supposed to meet at the Mandalay Bay Hotel for a media day, but the American star failed to appear. Benn later accused Garcia of "bottling it" for walking away from the scheduled encounter.
At a press conference on Wednesday, Garcia offered a candid explanation: "I wasn't there because I didn't want to be. Look, we have a face‑off at the press conference on Thursday, then the weigh‑ins on Friday, and then a final face‑off literally in the ring when the referees give you instructions.
I've been doing this for a long time. I've had fight weeks in Vegas before. I've never had to do a face‑off on Tuesday.
So I have a routine, and it's just something I didn't want to do. It was funny seeing him [Benn] staring at himself." Garcia's decision not to attend the media event has sparked a flurry of commentary across boxing outlets. Some analysts, such as former champion Johnny Nelson, have suggested that Benn's "graduation day" could be eclipsed by Garcia's performance in Las Vegas, implying that the American fighter may be a step above his opponent in terms of skill and marketability. Social media posts have highlighted the tension, with headlines like "Conor Benn RIPPED and ready for Ryan Garcia at weigh‑in" and "Conor Benn hushes Ryan Garcia during heated face‑off!" circulating widely.
Meanwhile, Benn has voiced his disappointment, arguing that Garcia's absence was disrespectful to fans who deserve a full promotional buildup. "Ultimately it's disrespectful to the public because they deserve it," Benn said on Wednesday.
"The public deserves us giving you guys the best. This is what we do. This is what we're here for." Benn enters the fight as the underdog, having recently moved up to middleweight for a bout with Chris Eubank Jr. He suffered his first loss to Eubank in April 2025, but later avenged that defeat in November of the same year.
More recently, Benn secured a win over Regis Prograis at a 150‑pound catch‑weight in April, marking a successful return to the welterweight division. If he makes weight at Friday's official weigh‑in, it will be the first time in over four years that Benn competes at the 147‑pound limit; his last appearance at that weight was against Chris van Heerden in April 2022.
Benn has been vocal about the skepticism surrounding his ability to make the welterweight limit, describing his preparation as a grueling ordeal. "A lot of people said I couldn't make the weight, watch me do it," he declared, noting that he endured fifteen weeks of strict dieting. He added, "I felt like I was dragged through the pits of hell and had a fight with Satan during my preparations. I've done it, and that's it." Looking ahead, Benn has hinted that this could be his final fight at 147 pounds, with aspirations to move up to 160 or even 168 pounds in the future.
This potential weight jump adds another layer of intrigue to the upcoming clash, as both fighters will need to manage their conditioning and power differently than in previous bouts. Garcia, for his part, made it clear that he will not entertain any excuses from Benn regarding the weight cut after the fight. "All we can do is go by past experience," Garcia said.
"He cut back down to 150 pounds to fight Regis Prograis. We have seen how he bloated up. Now he has an extra three pounds to go.
I don't want to hear any excuses. He doesn't have a rehydration clause. I don't want to be hearing any crybaby s*** from him.
He's trying to set up a narrative, because when he gets his a** whopped, he'll say: 'I was drained.' I'm about to beat his a**, it doesn't matter how much he weighs." The promotional buildup has also featured a series of video clips and articles urging viewers to use the Chrome browser for a more accessible video player, underscoring the digital nature of modern boxing promotion. These technical notes appear repeatedly throughout the coverage, indicating that the organizers are keen to ensure fans have a smooth streaming experience for the pre‑fight content. In summary, the tension between Ryan Garcia and Conor Benn has intensified after Garcia's decision to skip the scheduled face‑off. While Garcia frames his absence as a matter of personal routine and a bit of humor, Benn views it as a slight against the audience and a missed opportunity for fan engagement.
Both fighters are now focused on the upcoming title defense, with Garcia aiming to retain his WBC welterweight crown and Benn seeking to prove his worth at the weight class after a challenging period of weight management and recent victories. The stage is set for a high‑stakes showdown in Las Vegas, where the outcome will likely shape the trajectory of both athletes' careers in the welterweight division.