Key Points:
- Ryan Garcia eats boiled eggs in front of Conor Benn
- Benn says he’s “not here for a cuddle”
- Welterweight world champion crashes event in disguise
The defending champion Ryan Garcia (25-2, 20 KOs) accused challenger Conor Benn (25-1, 14 KOs) of struggling to make weight, while the Brit insisted he was “not here for a cuddle” as the pair traded blows and jibes at their final press conference ahead of Saturday night’s WBC welterweight world title fight in Las Vegas.
The American defends his green and gold belt to 29-year-old British boxer Benn at the T-Mobile Arena on Saturday, September 12, live on DAZN.
The fight week had been relatively quiet until it roared into life on Thursday thanks to the unpredictable, erratic champion. A performative Ryan Garcia shouted and swore and even ate a boiled egg in front of 29-year-old Benn, who uncharacteristically kept his cool during a very peculiar presser in Las Vegas that even saw a fellow welterweight world champion turn up in disguise. Fight week in Las Vegas runs through the casino resorts that host these events, and UK readers who game at home can see which credit card casinos take deposits from this country.
What was said?
Ryan Garcia: “He’s going to try real hard, we know that. He’s probably going to have to try to resort to some dirty tactics, so we’ll be prepared for that. And we’re just going to do what we do best, which is stay sharp, be ready for everything, and we’re prepared, man. We’re conditioned 100 percent, and we’ll put on a hell of a show, I promise you that.
“I know you’re not on weight, because I can see it in your eyes. You ain’t on weight. Hey, you’re going to hit that bathtub tonight, or the bike.
“I heard his dad talking like he was gonna knock me out. Bet he won’t. We can bet whatever too. Your son ain’t gonna knock me out. He couldn’t even knock out Regis. Your dad ain’t right. Your dad lying to you. I hope you know that. Dad lying to you.
“All this is noise, I’ve done my job and I’m the better fighter. This is fun but we know what to do.”
Conor Benn: “All the talking, tweeting, typing and streaming is done – I’m ready to fight.
“Just don’t cuddle me in here. I didn’t come all the way to America for you to cuddle.
“I’m not concerned [about weight]. I don’t focus on him and what he does, I focus on what I do. I bring tenacity, ferocity, spite, experience.
“I’ve been here before, I’ve fought in front of 70,000 three times now, on the bounce. So you know I’m here to come and really set the tone from the first round.
“Come Saturday night when his blood is spilling out his mouth, that will be enough to show him how Mexican I am.
“He seems to have enough problems as it is. I don’t look at him, I just worry about myself and don’t cut corners. We’ll see who makes weight tomorrow.”
Banned boxers
Both Garcia and Benn have been given boxing bans.
Garcia was found with ostarine in his system immediately after his emphatic victory over long-term rival Devin Haney in 2024, and Benn was suspended for the use of banned substance clomifene in 2022, which cancelled his scheduled fight with Chris Eubank Jr. The Brit was eventually cleared by UKAD after a lengthy appeal. Garcia, however, accepted his 12-month ban and served his sentence. A backstory like that keeps the market busy right up to the first bell, and fans funding an account on the night can use phone bill betting sites.
What happened at the presser
Minutes after taking his seat at the final presser, 28-year-old “KingRy” reached into a bag, pulled out a boiled egg, calmly peeled it and ate it whole in front of Benn.
“He has a lot of familiarity with eggs so I thought I’d eat some,” Garcia said, as his opponent’s father – Nigel Benn – shook his head.
It was a reference to 29-year-old Benn’s two positive tests for clomifene and the WBC’s subsequent ruling that elevated consumption of eggs could provide a reasonable explanation.
Adding to the bizarre atmosphere, Garcia said his egg was a bit dry and would benefit from some honey.
Before the face-off, security confiscated an egg Garcia had tucked into his pocket, potentially preventing a repeat of last year’s incident when Chris Eubank Jr slapped Benn across the face with one.
Benn and Garcia had to be separated at their launch event in New York in July, but there was no repeat this time. As Garcia continued talking, Benn put a finger to his lips, smiled and eventually turned away and left the stage calmly.
Fans had begun queuing more than an hour before the doors opened at the T-Mobile Arena. It was not a Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez-sized crowd – and far from anything like the travelling support Ricky Hatton once brought to Las Vegas – but there was still a very sizeable, healthy turnout. A fair share of that crowd will have money on the result, and Apple Pay betting sites give UK fans a way to back a fighter from the phone in their pocket.
Small pockets of travelling British supporters made themselves heard, while Garcia received a much louder but mixed reception.
Garcia said Benn had “lit a fire” by questioning his Mexican heritage. Benn – who spent 12 years of his childhood living in Majorca – responded by speaking fluently in Spanish.
Garcia also took aim at Benn’s manager Keith Connolly’s hairline before turning his attention to the challenger’s weight.
Benn has not made the 10st 7lb welterweight limit for more than four years, having fought Chris Eubank Jr twice at middleweight.
“The Destroyer” walked away from the faceoff calmly, while Garcia remained on stage – flexing, shouting and playing to the crowd.
Teo ‘Takesover’ in disguise
Another twist to their press conference was a surprise appearance by the WBA Super welterweight world champion Teofimo Lopez, who wore a fake beard and introduced himself as ‘Jack Hoffman’ as he asked a question in the crowd.
Teo was comically disguised with a fake beard, anonymously stood amongst the crowd to ask a question before revealing himself to loud cheers.