Conor Benn will not return to welterweight, his trainer Tony Sims has declared in the aftermath of a devastating second-round loss to Ryan Garcia.
Benn stepped up to challenge for the WBC welterweight world championship at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, but the gamble backfired spectacularly. Garcia caught him with a devastating shot and dropped him heavily before the referee waved off the contest on his feet in the second round, with the stoppage arriving at 1:25 of the round.
The defeat marked a crushing end to Benn's time at 147 pounds, a weight class he had called home throughout his professional career. Sims was adamant that Garcia represented the final chapter of that chapter.
Without a shadow of a doubt. He done well making the weight but it wasn't easy.
Sims acknowledged the physical toll of the weight cut, though he stopped short of using it as an excuse for the loss. The trainer revealed that Benn's preparation had been solid, with sparring sessions in the week leading up to the bout going particularly well.
There's no excuses. It was tough doing the weight of course it was. He was never going to lie about that. But he did have a good camp, the sparring the week before went really well, he was in tune, listen he just got caught with a shot. In world boxing, that's what happens.
According to ESPN, Garcia's victory marked his fastest knockout in six years, with the champion improving his record to 26-2 with 21 knockouts. Benn entered the contest with a record of 25-2 and 14 knockouts.
Sims praised the quality of the shot that ended the fight, even as he questioned the timing of the stoppage. He felt Benn showed good instincts in the immediate aftermath, grabbing hold of his opponent and maintaining his footing despite the impact.
It was a fantastic shot that he [Benn] got caught with and he done well jumping up from it really. I thought he done the right thing, Conor. He grabbed hold of him, held him and he was slipping and sliding on the ropes. I think the stoppage was a bit premature but the actual shot that nailed him was a great shot.
The magnitude of the opportunity had justified the weight sacrifice, Sims suggested. The financial rewards and prestige of challenging for a world title at such a high-profile venue would not have been available elsewhere.
But that magnitude of fight, that magnitude of money that was on the table, he wouldn't have got that anywhere else, fighting anybody else. So sometimes you've got to take risks.
Garcia's victory came in his first WBC welterweight title defence after winning the belt from Mario Barrios in February. The bout had been built as a personal contest for the champion, with ESPN describing the fight as deeply personal following a heated buildup that included a chaotic final press conference in Las Vegas.
What comes next for Benn
With welterweight now behind him, Benn faces a crossroads. According to Sky Sports, his team has already flagged a move back to middleweight as the likely next step, rather than pursuing another welterweight bout.
A shift up in weight could open the door to a third encounter with Chris Eubank Jr., the son of Benn's father's great rival. The two middleweight contests between Benn and Eubank Jr last year ended with Benn losing the first but winning the second, leaving the rivalry unresolved.
That fight's always going to be there, whether it be a year's time or 10 years' time. Because of the names together the fight will always be there. Whether Conor will want to do that or Chris will want to do that in the future, I don't know but that fight will always be there. The two names will always be combined together.
However, Sims suggested that Benn may need an extended break from the sport before considering his next move. The trainer indicated that while Benn's financial security is assured, the mental and physical demands of his recent campaign have taken their toll.
I don't think you'll see Conor talking much about boxing for a little while yet. I think he needs to have a rest from boxing completely at the moment. Don't get me wrong, financially he's set up for life but I think he's burnt out as well at the same time, mentally and physically.
Benn himself has indicated uncertainty about his immediate future, with no official next fight or date yet scheduled as he contemplates his options following the defeat in Las Vegas.
