CONOR BENN has swerved any ORKward Ryan Garcia encounters by binge watching The Hobbit instead.
The 29-year-old takes on America’s WBC welterweight king, 28, in Las Vegas.
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There’s been plenty of aggro in the build-up with Garcia vowing to slap Benn if he pushes his buttons before the opening bell.
Garcia has hammered Benn for his lack of domestic titles and put his fame and fortune down to dad Nigel.
But Benn – who Carl Froch says resembles Gollum due to the brutal 20lb weight cut – has turned a blind eye to watch the JRR Tolkien classics instead.
“I don’t get involved in the politics,” Benn said about the back-and-forth.
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“I don’t even really watch boxing. I don’t really watch a lot of sport. I watch Lord of the Rings and have just started The Hobbit.
“I am going to go home and finish watching it.”
Golden boy Garcia refused to show up for Tuesday’s first planned face-off and was a couple of hours late for Wednesday’s press conference.
Benn has suggested the champ is not dedicated to the sport and is a Gen Z party boy.
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Garcia vs Benn – all the info
Ryan Garcia will make the first defence of his WBC welterweight title against British superstar Conor Benn THIS Saturday.
The blockbuster Las Vegas event is under the arm of Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing promotion.
Garcia, 28, captured his first world title in February by securing a dominant unanimous decision victory over Mario Barrios.
Benn, 29, is challenging for a world title for the first time in his professional career.
His sole professional defeat came against domestic rival Chris Eubank Jr in April 2025, a loss he quickly avenged with a dominant unanimous decision victory in their November 2025 rematch.
Benn enters the biggest bout of his life following a decisive points win over former world champion Regis Prograis in April, which marked his debut under Zuffa Boxing.
ALL THE INFO
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The Home of Boxing in 2026
There’s a massive year of boxing ahead!
It has already been a blockbuster year inside the ring, and it is not going to stop anytime soon!
All eyes are focused on when Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury will get in the ring, with the pair due to finally settle their decade-long rivalry.
Conor Benn fights for his first world title one week later against Ryan Garcia in Las Vegas – it is The Destroyer’s second bout for Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing.
October’s action doesn’t stop either, with Fabio Wardley and Daniel Dubois facing off in the rematch of their thrilling fight in May, while Canelo Alvarez returns against Christian Mbili on Halloween.
Here’s all the big fights coming up…
September
- Sat 12 – Conor Benn vs Ryan Garcia – DAZN
- Sep 12 – Jai Opetaia vs Noel Mikaelian
- Sat 19 – Isaac Cruz vs Nestor Bravo – DAZN
October
- Sat 3 – Ben Whittaker vs Conor Wallace – DAZN
- Sat 17 – Daniel Dubois vs Fabio Wardley 2 – DAZN
- Sat 31 – Canelo Alvarez vs Christian Mbili – DAZN
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But, after having his bleach-blonde locks mocked, he says Garcia’s trash talk is rubbish compared to his epic two-fight rivalry with Chris Eubank Jr.
He said: “I have played mindgames before with someone on a much better level. He just needs to show up on the night.
“I haven’t put any thought into Ryan, he can do and say whatever he wants.
“You need characters like his in boxing, insulting my hair and whatever else. I am here to work and be disciplined.”
And Garcia – who streams a lot of his private life online – is happy for Benn to think he’s only a part-time boxer.
He said: “People doubt my training camp before every fight but I know I have trained harder than him.
“He will find that out the hard way. We will get him on Saturday night. I don’t think he’s mentally stronger than me.
“He knows how to take an ass- whooping, if that’s what means mentally strong, look at his face after every fight.
“He’s already been slapped with an egg before so I can’t do that again.
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“But if he does anything stupid or crazy he will get slapped and I don’t care if the fight gets scrapped.
“He is like a fancy trash can, he’s an athletic beginner, he’s only in this position because of his last name and his dad. He needs to prove me wrong.”