Will Benn recover after Las Vegas gamble backfires massively?

From a financial perspective, Benn can reasonably regard the weekend as a success. He was handsomely rewarded for his efforts and headlined a genuine star-studded event in Las Vegas alongside one of the biggest names in the sport.

The blinding lights of the Nevada desert hold obvious appeal for any fighter, but when they are combined with a world title opportunity, they represent the ultimate destination in boxing. 

Professionally, however, Benn's second-round stoppage defeat to Ryan Garcia was a catastrophe from which he may struggle to recover. 

Years of being told that he could compete with fighters such as Shakur Stevenson and Devin Haney were swept aside in the space of a few minutes. One devastating right hand from Garcia changed the perception of Benn overnight.

It is now legitimate to question whether he could even prevail against some of the leading fighters closer to home, including Paddy Donovan, Lewis Crocker and Conah Walker. 

---

Big Stacks secures revenge over McCann

WATCH: Relive latest night of Misfits action

---

The warning signs had appeared much earlier in Benn's career. They first emerged in December 2017, when the unfancied Cedrick Peynaud travelled to London and dropped Benn twice before ultimately losing a decision.

Benn won the rematch the following year with considerably less risk, but that initial scare may have influenced Eddie Hearn, his promoter at the time, to bypass the British and European levels altogether. 

Instead, the strategy appeared to be focused on moving Benn towards the world stage and, ultimately, the biggest possible purses without allowing a dangerous domestic rival to derail his progress.

Hearn guides Benn to the top 

Hearn subsequently assembled a steady diet of welterweight contenders who were either past their best, lacking motivation, short on power or, in some cases, all three. There was logic to the matchmaking.

Many of those opponents had previously shared the ring with elite fighters, giving Benn the opportunity to establish his credentials through comparison.

If Benn could dispatch Samuel Vargas more impressively than Amir Khan had managed, for example, there was an obvious promotional narrative to exploit. 

Chris Algieri and Chris van Heerden were both dismantled early, and suddenly Benn had genuine momentum behind him. That led to the much-hyped 2022 showdown with Chris Eubank Jr, which gave Benn an opportunity to move up two weight classes and compete at 160 pounds.  

Matchroom Boxing

Much has already been written about the failed drug test and the controversy that surrounded that original meeting. But even in Benn's two memorable battles with Eubank Jr, the questions surrounding his true ceiling remained. 

The first encounter was an immediate classic, while their second meeting further cemented the rivalry. Yet it was also apparent that Eubank was no longer the fighter he had once been. Age, accumulated mileage and the physical demands of a long career had inevitably taken their toll on the Brighton man. 

Against Garcia, there could be no such caveats. For the first time, Benn faced a legitimate elite threat at the peak of his powers, and the questions surrounding his level were answered with startling brutality. 

Benn was in trouble almost immediately. Garcia's speed, movement and accuracy allowed him to control the opening exchanges, while his ability to find openings made Benn look increasingly uncomfortable.

Much had been made of Garcia's vaunted left hook in the build-up, but virtually every punch he landed appeared capable of causing damage.  The jab was finding its target. The uppercut was getting through. Benn's defence offered little resistance.

By the second round, Garcia appeared to understand that he was dealing with a fighter he could hurt at will. After missing with a left hand, the American immediately fired a right that sent Benn crashing to the canvas. 

To Benn's credit, he climbed back to his feet and attempted to continue. But Garcia sensed the opportunity, swarmed his wounded opponent and forced the referee to intervene moments later.

It was arguably the easiest victory of Garcia's career and certainly his most straightforward win since establishing himself at world level, dating back to his stoppage of Luke Campbell in 2021. That makes the result particularly damaging for Benn. 

Several of Garcia's recent opponents had been mentioned by Benn's supporters as potential benchmarks, including Mario Barrios and Rolando Romero.

Yet based on Saturday's performances, both would enter a potential fight with Benn as overwhelming favourites if their showings against Garcia were used as a guide. That is the uncomfortable reality Benn now faces. 

For years, his potential was discussed almost as though it were an established fact. His surname opened doors, his promotional backing created opportunities and his matchmaking ensured that he continued to accumulate victories and headlines. But potential can only carry a fighter so far. 

What will Benn do next?

Eventually, there has to be a genuine test. Garcia provided it. And in little more than four minutes, he exposed a gulf that Benn's previous opponents had been unable to reveal.

Whether Benn can ever prove himself capable of winning at the highest level remains uncertain. What is less ambiguous is that the path he has taken has left him with a remarkably valuable commercial profile, even after a defeat this damaging. 

In boxing, that can matter almost as much as the result itself. Another world title opportunity at a different weight could conceivably be arranged within the next year. Equally lucrative options could emerge closer to home, with further showdowns against Eubank Jr, Kell Brook or Billy Joe Saunders all carrying obvious commercial appeal. 

After experiencing the difference between himself and a genuine elite operator in Garcia, those fights may now be more attractive to Benn than another dangerous attempt to force his way into the sport's upper tier. That, ultimately, is the great question surrounding his career. 

Does Benn still want to find out how good he can truly become, even if doing so means accepting more nights like Las Vegas? Or has he already discovered that there is far more money to be made from being a star than there is from proving himself a champion? 

Las Vegas may have answered one question about Conor Benn. It remains to be seen whether it changes the question he asks himself next.

Sign up to DAZN Ultimate Tier to get PPVs included in your subscription 

Subscribe to DAZN Ultimate Tier to get a minimum of 12 PPV events included per year on top of another 185 fight nights and Serie A football (excludes Canada and selected regions). 

Sign up for £24.99 / $44.99 per month. More details here .