LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – SEPTEMBER 12: Conor Benn stands in his corner before his WBC Welterweight Championship bout against Ryan Garcia during the Zuffa Boxing event at T-Mobile Arena on September 12, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Zuffa Boxing via Getty Images)
Zuffa Boxing via Getty Images
Ryan Garcia destroyed Conor Benn with a right hand from hell on Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Garcia and Benn traded mean-spirited barbs throughout the build, but it was the WBC welterweight champion who made good on his promise to finish the British slugger inside five rounds. The end came in the second frame and it only took seconds for Benn’s rival and others to take to social media with their reactions. Let’s talk boxing.
Garcia vs. Benn Official Result
| Detail | Outcome |
|---|---|
| Winner | Ryan Garcia |
| Method | TKO |
| Round and time | Round 2, 1:25 |
| Referee | Thomas Taylor |
| Title | WBC welterweight championship retained |
| Venue | T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas |
| Note | Garcia’s fastest stoppage since a first-round knockout of Francisco Fonseca in February 2020 |
The finish is not without argument. Benn was dropped by a clean right hand and then trapped along the ropes, and multiple live blogs flagged the referee’s intervention as early, with Benn slipping shots at the moment Taylor stepped in. I initially thought it was a quick stoppage, but when I saw that Benn wasn’t protesting the ref’s call, I figured he was done. That’s an underrated barometer of a referee’s decision to stop a fight. If the fighter doesn’t complain, that speaks louder than what others outside the ring may think.
Garcia called for unification fights with Teofimo Lopez and Devin Haney in his post-fight interview.
Chris Eubank Jr. and Benn have carried on the rivalry their fathers began decades ago. While Benn manhandled Eubank in the rematch and may have effectively retired him, the latter hasn’t buried the hatchet. In fact, his post on X might be more like burying a hatchet in Benn’s back.
Eubank has long spoken about how his weight cut for the fights with Benn affected his performance. Apparently, he believes that’s what happened to Benn on Saturday.
Other fighters chimed in with their reactions. It seemed everyone from Claressa Shields to Danny Garcia, Sergio Mora, Jamel Herring and others all had takes on the result.
While many may have expected Garcia to win, it was tough to blow this one off as just another decent performance. The stoppage was electrifying.
Garcia did what he said he would do and he did it on the biggest stage. All of the sport’s eyes were fixated on this event and it was a statement-making card for Zuffa Boxing. Jai Opetaia put on a strong performance in stopping Noel Mikaelian and Garcia topped it off with his destruction of Benn.
David Benavidez squared off with Opetaia after his win and Garcia called out Teofimo Lopez and Devin Haney — both were in attendance — for welterweight unification bouts.
All things considered, it couldn’t have gone much better for Dana White and Co.
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