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Add FightsATW on GoogleThe former doping fiasco seems to show no sign of leaving Ryan Garcia’s (25-2, 20 KOs) shadow. But that certainly doesn’t seem to raise any alarms for his upcoming opponent, Conor Benn (25-1, 14 KOs).
Talking to The Ring’s Vince Bonilla, Benn remained confident about facing any version that Garcia wished to bring about on fight night.
“He’s going to be himself. He can come however he wants, it makes no difference to me on my approach,” he said.
Ahead of the fight, Garcia has been subject to strict anti-doping scrutiny, particularly because of what happened after his 2024 fight with Devin Haney. He tested positive for ostarine, a prohibited anabolic agent, on samples collected around that fight and was subsequently suspended for a year. That history means there is considerably more interest in making sure Garcia is clean this time around.
Benn‘s attitude, on the other hand, is interesting because he has been through the same fire himself. He had two adverse VADA findings for clomifene in 2022, but his provisional suspension was ultimately lifted after an independent panel concluded it was not comfortably satisfied that an anti-doping violation had been proved. UKAD and the British Boxing Board of Control subsequently chose not to appeal. So, Benn knows better than most that a drug-testing story can become complicated very quickly. Going into Garcia’s fight, he has essentially chosen to focus on the man in front of him rather than obsess over the testing.
“It’s not even crossed my mind at all. I know we’re both diligently tested and that’s what’s important. But I honestly don’t even think about him, not even a thought in my head how he turns up, what his mental state is, whether he’s tested or not,” he said. “It makes no difference, I’m still going to do what I got to do, prepare as hard as I prepare, and focus on getting the victory.”
“I Got Dragged Down To Hell”
However, Benn is adamant about one thing. The Garcia fight is going to be his last at 147.
“Because the weight cut is that hard…I feel extremely strong at 160, and I feel like that’s the home for Conor Benn when this fight is said and done,” he said. “147, this camp feels like I got dragged down to hell, had a fight with Satan, and came back to life. That’s how I feel.”
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