Ryan Garcia and Conor Benn are set to face each other for the WBC welterweight world title on September 12 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The fight was announced by Turki Al-Sheikh on Wednesday, with Oscar De La Hoya confirming the deal on social media. De La Hoya, promoter for Golden Boy Promotions, stated that negotiations had concluded, and the fight is now confirmed.
Garcia, with a record of 25-2 and 20 KOs, will be making his first defense of the welterweight title he secured in February. He won the title after a points victory against Mario Barrios. Following that win, Garcia had expressed interest in fighting Shakur Stevenson, the newly crowned WBO light-welterweight champion. Stevenson, who signed with Zuffa, also indicated a willingness to face Garcia, citing a past amateur rivalry.
Benn, whose record stands at 25-1 with 14 KOs, is 29 years old and last competed at welterweight in February 2024. His upcoming bout against Garcia will mark his first fight for a world title. The WBC belt holds particular significance for Benn, as his father, Nigel Benn, a two-weight world champion, previously held the same belt at super middleweight between 1992 and 1996.
Benn’s recent career has seen him move between weight classes. He fought Chris Eubank Jr twice in 2025 at middleweight, losing the first bout and winning the second. He then moved down in weight to face Regis Prograis in April at a catchweight of 150lb, which is 3 lb above the welterweight limit. Benn secured a points victory over Prograis, who retired immediately after their bout.
Promotional Deals and Doping Controversies
Benn’s path to this title fight involved changes in his promotional affiliations. He departed from his previous promoters, Matchroom, in February, subsequently signing a one-fight deal with Zuffa Boxing. Zuffa Boxing is a promotional outfit co-owned by Saudi Arabian entertainment group Sela, which holds a 60 percent stake, and U.S. combat sports giant TKO Holdings. After his win against Prograis, Benn signed a new five-fight promotional deal with Zuffa, extending through to 2028. He publicly stated his ambition for a world title, specifically calling out Garcia after his victory over Prograis.
Both fighters have been involved in doping cases in recent years. Garcia received a one-year suspension from the New York State Athletic Commission (NYSAC) following positive tests for ostarine, a performance-enhancing drug. These tests were connected to his April 2024 win over Devin Haney, a result that has since been overturned to a no-contest.
Benn also faced a provisional suspension after returning adverse analytical findings for clomifene, a prohibited substance, in two separate tests conducted by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA). These tests occurred before a scheduled fight with Eubank Jr in October 2022, which was subsequently canceled. His suspension was lifted in November 2024 after the NADP (National Anti-Doping Panel) determined it was not sufficiently satisfied that he had committed an anti-doping rule violation.
Fight Dynamics and Broadcast Information
The upcoming fight is seen as a significant challenge for Benn. It has been more than two years since he last fought at 147lb, a bout where he secured a points win over Peter Dobson in Las Vegas. That fight reportedly did not showcase the explosive power Benn had demonstrated in earlier stoppage victories over Chris van Heerden and Chris Algieri, which occurred before his positive test for clomifene. Since that failed test, Benn has not stopped any of his opponents, including Prograis.
Garcia’s talent is widely recognized, though his performances can be unpredictable. Observers suggest that if Garcia is fully focused, he will be a formidable opponent. However, if his focus wavers, Benn’s speed and grit could make the fight more competitive. The catchweight bout against Prograis allowed Benn to manage his weight descent from the 160lb he weighed for his fights against Eubank Jr, and he stated that making weight was not an issue.
The fight will be broadcast on Paramount+ in the United States and in other regions, with the exception of the United Kingdom and Ireland, where it will be available on DAZN. This arrangement indicates Zuffa’s involvement in the event, despite De La Hoya’s initial statement not explicitly mentioning them. The collaboration between various parties, including DAZN, was highlighted by Garcia on social media as crucial to making this significant fight happen on September 12.
Source: nytimes.com