Ryan Garcia failed to show up for his first face-off against Conor Benn on Tuesday ahead of their world title fight scheduled for this weekend in Las Vegas. The American boxer was expected at a photo session but skipped it, leaving Benn to stand alone. Benn, 29, was accompanied by his father, boxing legend Nigel Benn, who humorously took his place in the face-off.
After some lighthearted moments with his dad, Benn commented that Garcia “didn’t turn up.” He criticized Garcia’s absence, saying, “I apologise for Ryan doing what Ryan does and bottling it. We turn up, we’re here, ready for the face-off.” Benn added confidently, “Come Saturday, he’s in for a war.”
Garcia is defending his WBC welterweight title at the T-Mobile Arena, marking Benn’s debut in a world championship fight. The 28-year-old Garcia is favored to win and, after missing the initial face-off, mocked Benn on Instagram, saying, “Nice relaxing time as Conor wastes time showing up to a face-off. Back to the sauna you go, sausage getting cooked every way.”
The two fighters are set to meet twice more before the fight—first at Thursday’s news conference and then at Friday’s weigh-in. There is significant attention on Benn’s weight cut, as he has not competed at 10st 7lb (67kg) since 2022. Benn has fought at middleweight in recent matches and recently had a catchweight bout at 10st 12lb (69kg). Meanwhile, Garcia has moved between lightweight and light-welterweight divisions—missing weight in a recent fight—but is not expected to struggle making welterweight. Benn has also said that he does not plan to stay long at welterweight.
In the co-main event this Saturday, Jai Opetaia will face Noel Mikaelian in a cruiserweight bout. Mikaelian, the WBC champion, risks losing his title after pulling out of a mandatory challenger fight to take on Opetaia. The event is further complicated by promoter Don King, who claims an exclusive contract with Mikaelian and has issued a cease-and-desist to Zuffa Boxing, attempting to block the fight. Despite receiving the legal warning, Zuffa Boxing promoter Dana White confirmed the fight will go ahead. White acknowledged his amicable history with King but stated, “We don’t interfere with people’s contracts.”
Fan Take: This buildup showcases the intense drama and rivalries that keep fans hooked beyond the fight itself. Garcia’s no-show and Benn’s readiness add a layer of psychological warfare that could impact the sport’s competitive spirit and fan engagement leading into fight night.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
