Tony Sims, the longtime trainer of British boxer Conor Benn, has made it clear that the welter‑weight division is now behind Benn for good. After Benn stepped back up to the 147‑pound limit to take on Ryan Garcia for the WBC welterweight championship, he was overwhelmed by a powerful combination and the referee halted the contest in the second round while he was still on his feet. Speaking to Sky Sports, Sims said there are no excuses for the outcome. “It was a tough weight to make, no doubt about that,” he explained.
“Conor never pretended it was easy, but he put together a solid training camp. The sparring sessions the week before the fight went well, he was feeling sharp, and then he got caught with a clean shot.
In world‑class boxing that’s the reality – one perfect punch can change everything.” Sims went on to confirm that the Garcia bout will be Benn’s final appearance at welterweight. “Without a shadow of a doubt, this was his last fight at 147 pounds,” he said.
“He managed to make the weight, but it was a struggle. The stakes were enormous – the purse, the exposure, the legacy – and you don’t get that kind of opportunity fighting anyone else at that level. Sometimes a fighter has to take a calculated risk, even if it means pushing the limits of his body.” The trainer expressed surprise at the timing of the stoppage.
“Benn took a fantastic shot, and he responded well, getting back to his feet quickly,” Sims recounted. “He grabbed the ropes, tried to regain his balance, and was sliding along them. In my view the referee stopped the fight a little early – the punch was a great one, but Benn was still defending himself.
Still, there’s no point in making excuses. It’s a shame the bout didn’t get a few more rounds, given the magnitude of the event.” Looking ahead, Sims suggested that Benn may consider moving up to middleweight or even super‑middleweight, a shift that could set the stage for a third showdown with Chris Eubank Jr. The two fighters, whose fathers Nigel Benn and Chris Eubank were bitter rivals in the 1990s, have already squared off twice at middleweight. Benn lost the first encounter but bounced back to win the rematch, leaving fans eager for a decisive third chapter.
“The potential third fight will always be on the table, whether it’s a year from now or a decade later,” Sims said. “The names Conor Benn and Chris Eubank Jr.
are forever linked in the public imagination. If either of them wants it in the future, the bout will happen. But I don’t think Conor is going to be talking about another fight anytime soon.” Sims believes Benn needs a genuine break from the sport.
“He’s financially secure for life, but the mental and physical toll has been huge,” he warned. “He’s burnt out. Right now the best thing for him is to step away from boxing completely, recharge, and reassess his future. When he’s ready, the options are there – whether that’s a move up in weight, a trilogy with Eubank Jr., or something entirely different.” In summary, Tony Sims has drawn a line under Conor Benn’s welterweight chapter, citing the difficulty of making 147 pounds, the high‑stakes nature of the Garcia fight, and the premature stoppage as key factors.
He envisions Benn possibly shifting to higher weight classes, which could reignite the long‑standing rivalry with Eubank Jr., but stresses that the boxer should first focus on recovery and mental well‑being before plotting his next move. The boxing world will be watching closely, waiting to see whether Benn embraces a new weight division or decides to step back from the sport for a longer period.