Conor Benn has criticized Ryan Garcia after the WBC welterweight champion failed to attend their scheduled fight week faceoff in Las Vegas. Benn was left to handle promotional duties alone ahead of their title bout on Saturday night.
Garcia skipped the mandatory event on Wednesday, leaving former world champion Nigel Benn to stand in for his son during the faceoff. It created an unusual scene on the Las Vegas Strip, with Benn left to market the fight without his opponent. Garcia is making his first defence of the WBC title he won from Mario Barrios, yet his failure to follow the standard promotional routine has renewed doubts surrounding his focus.
Addressing the media directly, Benn voiced his annoyance at the champion’s absence.
He stated: “Guys, I apologize for Ryan doing what Ryan does. We turn up, we’re here. He needs to get his shit together,”
Benn’s comments highlight the frustration built up during fight week, though the challenger has his own physical hurdles to clear before entering the ring.
Benn appeared drawn with visible dark circles under his eyes during public appearances on Wednesday. Moving back down to the 147-pound limit requires a demanding weight cut following his recent physical bouts at middleweight against Chris Eubank Jr. Kell Brook previously suffered a late stoppage against Errol Spence Jr after making a similar drop down in weight. How effectively Benn rehydrates after Friday’s official weigh-in will determine whether he retains the stamina required to pressure Garcia over twelve rounds.
Garcia brings a history of weight struggles into this bout. He missed the contracted limit by 3.2 pounds ahead of his 2024 contest against Devin Haney, forfeiting a financial penalty before competing. While there is no current evidence that Garcia will miss weight again, his unpredictable approach keeps the pressure squarely on his camp.
Stylistically, Benn must close the distance and control the tempo from the opening bell. He depends on aggressive lunges and hooks to break down opponents, but leaping forward exposes him to Garcia’s quick counter left hook. If the weight cut saps Benn’s resistance, a single counter strike could end the fight early. Still, both men must first make weight on Friday before meeting in the ring on Saturday.
