Conor Benn has been “cleared” and he is chomping at the bit, as the saying goes, to get back in there and, as he puts it, “give the supporters what they want and that’s entertainment.” And Benn is aiming high for his return fight/fights. Speaking with Fight Hub TV, the unbeaten welterweight said he would happily fight the winner of a rematch between Terence Crawford and Errol Spence (Spence having recently activated the rematch clause for a return go at “Bud”).
Benn also said he would “happily go to the states and do the job,” Benn saying how all the best 147 pounders are currently American fighters.
“For me, I wouldn’t have activated the rematch clause if I was Spence,” Benn said. “I don’t know why he’s activated it. You know, it was quite one-sided to me. But I’ll happily fight the winner of them. Or you’ve got these top-five fighters coming through…..any of them. All the top welterweights are over there (in US) – I’ll happily go over there to the states and do the job. I’ll go to the states and handle business. I’m the best 147 fighter in the country, no doubt, and the most entertaining for sure. So I’d be happy to go challenge the Americans, ‘cos that’s where it’s at, that’s where all the belts are currently.”
Benn’s promoter Eddie Hearn has said numerous times how he would prefer to see Benn fight in the UK, in potential big domestic fights with the likes of Chris Eubank Jr, Kell Brook and others. But Benn wants the world title and he says that if he has to go to America to win it, then so be it. It’s been a long time since Benn boxed of course, and even before his ban for a positive test (Benn and Hearn having constantly claimed no wrongdoing) the jury was out on how good 26 year old Benn really is.
Benn, 21-0(14) was coming through with some good wins, over Chris Algieri and, in his last fight, in April of 2022, Chris van Heerden. But the 147 division is pretty talent-rich right now, with guys like Crawford, Boots Ennis, Vergil Ortiz and others having really impressed fans. Is Benn good enough to live with these guys, let alone beat them? Who knows. But Benn is exciting and plenty of fans are keen to see him back in action.
Meanwhile, speaking on the subject of Crawford possibly going up to 168 to challenge Canelo Alvarez, Benn has a perhaps surprising view on who wins the fight should it happen.
“I think Terence wins,” Benn said on a potential fight between Crawford and Canelo. “I do, yeah. I just think he’s bread different. He’s an alien! He’s one of them fighters who you watch and you admire the work he does. He’s all all-round great fighter and he lives it. And listen, I hope so [I fight him]. You want to challenge yourself against the best, you wanna fight the best. Ambition is priceless.”
Can Benn go on and enter the elite level? Benn says there is talk of his return to the ring happening in Orlando on September 23rd.
