Tony Sims, the longtime trainer of British pugilist Conor Benn, has made it clear that the welter‑weight division is now a chapter closed for his fighter. After Benn stepped back up to 147 pounds for a high‑profile showdown with Ryan Garcia for the WBC welterweight crown, he suffered a decisive defeat, being stopped on his feet in the second round.

In an interview with Sky Sports, Sims left no room for doubt: "There are no excuses. The weight cut was brutal, and Conor never pretended otherwise. He had a solid training camp, the sparring sessions in the week leading up to the bout went well, and he was in sync with his game plan. In the end, he simply got caught by a clean shot, and that’s the reality of world‑class boxing." Sims went on to confirm that the Garcia fight will be Benn’s final appearance at welterweight.

"Without a shadow of a doubt, this was his last fight at 147 pounds. He managed to make the weight, but it was far from easy," the trainer said.

He added that the stakes of the Garcia bout – both in terms of prestige and financial reward – were so high that Benn would not have found a comparable opportunity elsewhere. "Sometimes you have to take risks when the payoff is that massive," Sims noted.

Reflecting on the stoppage, Sims expressed surprise at how early the referee intervened. "Benn landed a fantastic shot after being hit, and he recovered quickly, getting back on his feet. I thought he made the right decision to clinch and protect himself while the referee was still assessing the situation. In my view, the fight was stopped a little prematurely, even though the punch that landed was undeniably powerful.

It’s what it is – you can’t make excuses after the fact. It was a shame that such a high‑profile contest wasn’t allowed to continue a bit longer." Looking ahead, Sims suggested that a move up to middleweight or even super‑middleweight could open the door to a potential third encounter with Chris Eubank Jr. The two families have a storied rivalry: Nigel Benn and Chris Eubank were fierce opponents in the 1990s, and their sons have already squared off twice at middleweight.

Benn fell short in the first meeting but turned the tables in the rematch. A decisive third bout remains a tantalising prospect for fans. "That fight will always be on the calendar, whether it’s a year from now or a decade later," Sims said.

"The names are forever linked, and the matchup will keep resurfacing. Whether Conor wants to pursue it or Chris does, the narrative will stay alive." Sims also hinted that Benn may need a substantial break from the sport. "I don’t think we’ll hear Conor talking about boxing for a while," he warned.

"He needs a complete rest at this point. Financially, he’s set for life, but the mental and physical toll has left him burnt out. He’s got to step back, recover, and reassess his future in the ring." In summary, Tony Sims has drawn a line under Conor Benn’s welterweight ambitions, citing the grueling weight cut, the high‑stakes nature of the Garcia fight, and the premature stoppage as factors that solidify the decision. The trainer believes a shift to a higher weight class could revitalize Benn’s career and possibly set the stage for a third showdown with Chris Eubank Jr., a bout that continues to capture the imagination of boxing enthusiasts.

Meanwhile, Sims stresses the importance of a genuine hiatus for Benn to heal both mentally and physically before any further steps are taken in his professional journey.