Conor Benn told he is just as tough a test as Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis by Mario Barrios coach
The coach of underrated WBC interim world title holder Mario Barrios has said that he thinks a fight with Brit Conor Benn is just as difficult as one against the current undefeated IBF welterweight champion Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis.
Barrios is one of the men that was called out by Benn in his five-man hit list following his sub-par performance against Pete Dobson at the start of February.
Speaking via BoxingScene, Barrios’s coach Bob Santos assessed the potential match up.
“From this perspective, going overseas is no easy task. I’ve done it many times.
“We had Robert Guerrero go fight in Denmark [against Spend Abazi] to win a world title. Winning a world championship overseas is no easy task. So, when you put it in that perspective, what you have to overcome going to England, having an entire country against you, it is not an easy task.
“So from that perspective, do I think ‘Boots’ Ennis is a little more talented than Benn – sure. But when you put into play going overseas, the time zone, the food is different, it is a lot to overcome.
“Either fight would be a difficult fight, but that is what Mario Barrios has always been about. He has been about challenges.”
Benn has not yet fully cleared his name with regard to the two drug tests he failed ahead of his ill-fated fight with Chris Eubank Jr back in October 2022.
He is awaiting the outcome of a recent hearing with the British Boxing Board of Control, which he hopes will allow him to once again fight under license in the UK instead of pursuing his career stateside as he has been doing.
Gervonta Davis was being lined-up as an opponent for Benn but promoter Eddie Hearn has since accepted it’s unlikely to reach an agreement and named another potential fighter.