Sean Gibbons reveals exactly how Manny Pacquiao vs Conor Benn bizarre bout came about and potential dates
Manny Pacquiao’s advisor Sean Gibbons spoke with Nordic Bet and revealed that negotiations are happening between Team Pacquiao and Conor Benn.
He revealed exactly how the Manny Pacquiao vs Conor Benn fight unravelled with no prior talks or even thoughts, “It was bizarre. There was a year or so ago when we were interested in the Conor Benn fight but then it died down.
“His Excellency loves fighters and loves Manny Pacquiao so invited him to the show on the weekend and Conor Benn was there doing some commentating for DAZN.
“They are both there at the weigh-in and you had Derek Chisora joking with them saying ‘why don’t you guys’ fight’ and then Ariel Helwani was there and said ‘are we going to get a fight, how close is it and let’s have a face off’.
“We weren’t even negotiating but we are now and it went from zero to 100 and now we are certainly negotiating.
“We were there just as guests but all of sudden you saw this interest and buzz around the fight. His Excellency Turki Alalshikh took a liking from what had happened, and it hasn’t been announced but you can tell there is interest in the fight instantly but it comes down to see if His Excellency, who loves the fight, can make it happen in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
“That’s the place to make it happen or Eddie Hearn mentioned Wembley and that would do huge numbers.”
He then revealed details on the current stage of the negotiations, “There has been some preliminary talks that could go very quickly if the parties that promote the shows in Saudi say that’s the fight we want, let’s get it done.
“There is no issues with the fighters, they are ready and want to fight. It can get done now. When you have Eddie Hearn, Conor Benn and Manny Pacquiao on board and want the fight, with rivals to idols being the name of the fight like Eddie and Conor said.”
Naturally, Pac-Man’s advisor favours the Filipino in the fight, “Conor Benn has looked slightly average in his last couple of fights, while Manny is a generational guy where there won’t be another one like him.
“He’s a George Foreman, a Bernard Hopkins, and set the record at 40 years old to beat Keith Thurman to win the welterweight world title. Sugar Ray Leonard, Sugar Ray Robinson, Oscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather couldn’t do it.
“Manny wasn’t in decline, he got stuck with Yordenis Ugas after Errol Spence Jr got injured. He was by no means shot at that time and you could arguably say he won the fight. Ugas was huge and rehydrated to a light heavyweight. Manny’s shots would have knocked out most welterweights, it was a horrible, horrible fight.
“We need to see how his punch resistance is but one thing you never lose is your power, like Mike Tyson at 57. If he hits, then that game is over for Jake Paul. If Manny Pacquiao cracks Conor Benn on the chin, then it’s night night for him. It’s Manny Pacquiao and he has taken care of himself over the last 10 years and a guest appearance in Saudi may now turn into a fight.
“Conor Benn has looked very vulnerable in his last couple of fights and that’s what brings the intrigue to it and that’s the target. Next step is His Excellency wanting to make the fight and we will move to the next step.”
And that ‘next step’ could be just months away, according to Gibbons, “In a perfect world, June or September but we won’t be able to choose the date. Let me rephrase, June would be the best time as both guys are ready, Manny has enough time to sharpen up and Conor is always training so that would be the date. Let’s do it at welterweight for the WBC Diamond title, a belt Manny won 14 years ago when Conor was like 13 years old or younger.”