Johnny Nelson sums up Conor Benn’s chances of beating Ryan Garcia to become world champion

Johnny Nelson has highlighted how Conor Benn’s improvements could make for a “surprising” encounter with Ryan Garcia later this year.

The pair are expected to collide in Las Vegas for Garcia’s WBC strap, with the welterweight champion having named September 12 as a possible date.

‘King Ry’ claimed his world title in February, dethroning Mario Barrios with a unanimous decision victory after flooring his man in the opening round.

Prior to that, Garcia had suffered a points defeat to Rolando Romero after overcoming a second-round knockdown, which came in May 2025 following his year-long doping ban.

This penalty was handed to the American after he tested positive for banned substance ostarine, which caused his majority decision victory over Devin Haney to be overturned to a no-contest.

Benn, meanwhile, failed two doping tests, both returning findings of clomifine, and was subsequently removed from his showdown with Chris Eubank Jr in 2022.

The Brit would eventually face his domestic rival in April 2025, though, losing a unanimous decision before winning their middleweight rematch by the same margin last November.

Benn then maintained his No.1 contender status with the WBC, who have continued to rank him at welterweight, by outpointing Regis Prograis at a catchweight of 150lbs this past April.

But while acknowledging the 29-year-old as a clear underdog, former world champion Nelson told Boxing News that he nonetheless gives Benn a chance against Garcia.

“You’ve got to lean towards Ryan Garcia, but you can’t write Conor Benn off. Conor Benn is forever and constantly surprising many of us, with the decision making, with where he’s got in his career and what he’s done in his career.

“So do not write him off, because Conor Benn has forever been improving as a fighter. And Ryan Garcia, we know what he’s about: He’s fast as hell and we know he’s a dangerous cookie, but we also know Conor Benn is a pro that thinks, ‘I’m going to put my heart and soul into this, and I’m going to prove all of you wrong’.”

Perhaps Benn proved the majority of people wrong in his rematch with Eubank, yet it is difficult to see where else in his career he pulled off a sizable upset.