Shakur Stevenson sums up Conor Benn’s boxing skills ahead of potential Ryan Garcia fight: ‘I’ll say yes’
Shakur Stevenson appreciated Conor Benboxing ability, insisting that in reality the 29-year-old never wanted to fight him as it now appears he must face Ryan Garcia instead.
Ben jumped into the ring shortly after Stephenson’s unanimous decision win over Teofimo Lopez in January, giving the impression that he really wanted to face the four-division world champion.
However, according to Stevenson, “The Destroyer” never wanted to entertain a potential matchup between them, which is why he is now pursuing a match with Garcia.
The pair are expected to clash for Garcia’s WBC middleweight title later this year, depending on how Zuffa Boxing handles cease and desist letter from Golden Boy.
Oscar De La Hoya’s promotion claims Garcia, who is reportedly still under contract, could not negotiate without their consent.
Benn, however, is intent on earning a possible world title shot anyway, given that he is the WBC’s mandatory challenger at 147 pounds.
The Ilford man cemented and maintained that position with a points win Chris Eubank Jr and Regis Prograis in November and April respectively.
However, in terms of his credentials at the world level, Stevenson said All fighting with smoke his sense of Ben’s commercial influence explains why he is the WBC’s No. 1 contender.
“We reached out and said, ‘Let’s do it.’
“As a fighter, he’s shorter (than me). But what I will say about Conor Benn is that he’s very focused and he’s getting better – he’s not just staying in one place.
“I think Conor Benn is a great businessman – he’s a low-level fighter who makes a lot of money. (As for the weight difference), you have to understand that Conor Benn is not a super-big guy. He’s very small.”
If Garcia ends up feuding with Benn, it will be his first world title defense since dethroning Mario Barrios with a unanimous decision victory in February.
