Tony Sims, the man who has been in Conor Benn’s corner for years, has made it unequivocally clear that the British fighter will never step back into the welterweight division again. The statement came after Benn’s ill‑fated challenge for the WBC welterweight crown against Ryan Garcia, a bout that ended abruptly in the second round when the champion’s powerful punch forced Benn to the canvas and the referee halted the contest while Benn was still on his feet. Sims told Sky Sports that there are no excuses for the loss, even though making the 147‑pound limit was a significant hurdle for the 27‑year‑old.
“It was tough doing the weight, of course it was,” he said. “He never tried to hide that fact.” Despite the difficulty, Sims praised the preparation leading up to the fight, noting that the sparring sessions in the week before the showdown went smoothly and that Benn was in good shape mentally and physically.
“He was in tune, he just got caught with a clean shot. In world‑class boxing that’s what happens,” the trainer explained. When pressed about whether the Garcia fight would be Benn’s final appearance at welterweight, Sims answered without hesitation: “Without a shadow of a doubt, that was his last fight at 147 pounds.
He made the weight, but it wasn’t easy.” He added that the stakes of the bout – both in terms of prestige and the massive payday – meant that Benn had to take a gamble that few other fights could match. “Sometimes you have to take risks when the money and the magnitude of the event are that high,” Sims remarked.
Sims also expressed surprise at how quickly the referee stopped the contest. He described the decisive blow as “a fantastic shot” that caught Benn off‑guard, yet he felt the stoppage came a little too early. “He got hit cleanly, but he got up quickly, he was holding on and sliding on the ropes. I think the referee was a bit premature, but the punch was a great one,” Sims said.
He emphasized that there is no room for excuses after a loss of that magnitude, but also lamented that the fight didn’t get the chance to continue a few more rounds. “It’s a shame a fight of that scale wasn’t allowed to go a little longer,” he added. Looking ahead, the conversation turned to Benn’s future weight class.
Moving up to either middleweight (160 pounds) or super‑middleweight (168 pounds) could open the door to a highly anticipated third encounter with Chris Eubank Jr. The two fighters, whose fathers – Nigel Benn and Chris Eubank – were legendary rivals in the 1990s, have already squared off twice at middleweight.
Benn lost the first meeting but avenged that defeat in the rematch, setting the stage for a possible trilogy. Sims believes that the narrative of the Benn‑Eubank rivalry will endure, regardless of the timeline. “That fight will always be there, whether it’s a year from now or ten years from now. The names together keep the intrigue alive,” he said.
However, Sims cautioned that Benn may not be ready to jump back into the ring immediately. He suggested that the young boxer needs a genuine break from the sport, both physically and mentally. “I don’t think you’ll see Conor talking much about boxing for a little while yet,” Sims warned. “He needs a rest from boxing completely at the moment.” While acknowledging that Benn is financially secure for life, Sims noted that the toll of training, promotion, and the recent defeat has left him “burnt out” on multiple levels.
“Mentally and physically, he’s exhausted,” the trainer concluded. In summary, Tony Sims has drawn a clear line: Conor Benn’s era at welterweight is over. The loss to Ryan Garcia, the difficulty of making weight, and the premature stoppage have all contributed to this decision.
The future likely lies at a higher weight class, where a potential third showdown with Chris Eubank Jr. could become the next headline.
For now, however, Sims recommends a period of rest and recovery, allowing Benn to regain his passion and health before charting the next chapter of his boxing career.