Eddie Hearn teases legendary date for Conor Benn title bout as preferred opponent named

Conor Benn could face Ryan Garcia across Cinco de Mayo in Las Vegas for the WBC welterweight title, with Eddie Hearn hopeful the star will face him or Mario Barrios next.

The Briton claimed revenge in his rematch with Chris Eubank Jr. at middleweight last month and now bids to return to his natural division in pursuit of a first major world title.

Benn was installed by the WBC as their top-ranked challenger this week, while former WBC interim lightweight champion Garcia is expected to face Barrios for his full crown.

If and when the latter fight is made, Hearn is hopeful that the winner will be lined up for Benn to pursue, with an early May 2026 date in Nevada earmarked as a distinct possibility.

"When we were in Saudi Arabia last week, His Excellency said the winner of Garcia-Barrios is the fight [for Benn]," he said at the Shabaz Masoud-Peter McGraill press conference.

"Conor Benn against Ryan Garcia, Cinco de Mayo, Las Vegas, we'd fill it up with Brits alone. With the WBC installing him as mandatory, we have every base covered.

"We've got his excellency wanting to make that fight, we've got the natural progression of a mandatory challenger to fight the winner. Conor is in a great place at the moment.

"I don't think [he takes an interim bout]. I think what Conor will do is spend Christmas with the family, and then the next eight weeks are all about getting that weight down.

"It's a big move back to 147lbs, especially when you saw him come in at the shape he did for the second Eubank fight. Now he's got to bring himself back.

"The science and the specialists say he can do it. We've got to listen to them. You know how hard he works. He's going to give himself every opportunity.

"He's got to get to 147, and he's got to be the same fighter there that he was at 160. He wants the biggest fights. He's got this fascination with the WBC title.

"But he's fixated with the winner of that fight, and I expect to see Conor Benn in with the winner of Ryan Garcia-Mario Barrios hopefully on Cinco de Mayo."

Analysis - Benn ready to follow in father's title footsteps

DAZN News correspondent Andrew Steel

It's no secret that Conor Benn wants a world title - specifically the WBC crown, so he can follow in the footsteps of his legendary dad Nigel, a former WBC super-middleweight champion.

His return to welterweight is designed specifically to give him the best chance of success there, and with a top-ranked slot awarded to him this week, he is in prime position.

Currently, incumbent champion Mario Barrios has no official opponent but has been widely expected to face Ryan Garcia in his latest defence, with rumours swirling on a bout.

Should it come to pass, the winner would be firmly in Benn's sights - and Eddie Hearn's suggestion for a dance across the famed Cinco de Mayo holiday speaks on ambitions too.

The weekend is closely associated with Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez - but with the latter's future up in the air after a loss to Terence Crawford, Benn could well step into the void too.

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