Conor Benn says he would fight Conor McGregor “any day of the week,” opening the door to a potential crossover bout following his knockout loss to Ryan Garcia.
Benn responded on Instagram to a mock-up poster proposing a fight with the UFC star next year. There’s no indication that the bout is being negotiated, and McGregor is recovering from a knee injury.
The response comes after Benn indicated he wanted an extended break from boxing to spend time with his family. Garcia stopped him in two rounds in September, ending his bid for the WBC welterweight title in his first fight for a world championship.
Former four-division world champion Roy Jones Jr., who previously trained Chris Eubank Jr., has suggested Benn face McGregor before meeting Eubank in a third fight and then retiring. Jones believes the two events would generate major paydays for Benn and help Zuffa Boxing recoup its investment in him.
“A Conor McGregor fight would be a lot more in Conor Benn’s lane,” Jones told talkSPORT. “I think if I had my dream wish for Conor Benn, it would be to fight Conor McGregor, and then to finish off with Chris Eubank and call it a day.
“That’s two big-time multimillion-dollar fights. Zuffa makes their money back that they put into him, and we call it a day.”
Benn hasn’t announced plans to retire, but Jones’s proposal offers him a route back to major events after a damaging defeat. McGregor remains one of the biggest names in combat sports, and his only professional boxing match, a tenth-round stoppage loss to Floyd Mayweather in 2017, was a huge pay-per-view attraction.
Benn would be a strong favorite against McGregor under boxing rules. For Benn, the appeal would be the payday and the size of the event rather than the chance to move closer to another world title.
His loss to Garcia raised serious doubts about his chances of winning a belt at any weight. Benn is quick and aggressive, but he still looks underdeveloped against championship-level opposition. The softer opponents he faced while building his record didn’t prepare him for the speed, power, and accuracy Garcia brought to their fight.
A victory over McGregor would put Benn back in a major event, but it wouldn’t answer those concerns. The Eubank trilogy would be a more meaningful boxing match: Benn and Eubank have split their first two bouts, giving them a score to settle.
There are obstacles to making the McGregor fight. The former two-division UFC champion is recovering from the knee injury he suffered against Max Holloway in July and has one fight left on his UFC contract. Benn’s response shows he’s interested, but a poster remains a long way from a signed deal.
Benn hasn’t announced plans to retire, but fights against McGregor and the 37-year-old Eubank could be as lucrative as it gets for him at this stage. Both are recognizable names, and Benn wouldn’t need to rebuild his standing against a series of dangerous contenders to sell either event.
Beyond those two, Benn’s options for major paydays look limited unless he commits to a serious rebuild. He would need solid wins over top-level opposition to make himself a credible opponent for another champion or a leading name. After the way Garcia stopped him, that would be a difficult route.
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