Full Breakdown
Ryan Garcia Stops Conor Benn to Retain WBC Welterweight Title
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event – Garcia Defeats Benn by Second-Round TKO
On Saturday night at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Ryan Garcia retained his World Boxing Council (WBC) welterweight championship by technical knockout (TKO) in the second round against mandatory challenger Conor Benn. The bout was halted at 1 minute 25 seconds of round 2 after Garcia landed a crushing right hand that sent Benn to the canvas, followed by a sustained barrage that left the British fighter unable to defend himself. The referee, Thomas Taylor, stepped in and the fight was stopped, ending the contest in under six minutes. An audience of 18,855 watched the decisive finish, which was amplified by the presence of Teófimo López at ringside.
Background & Context
Garcia entered the fight as the defending champion after winning the vacant WBC welterweight belt from Mario Barrios in February 2026 at the same venue. His reign has been shadowed by a positive test for the anabolic agent ostarine following his April 2024 victory over Devin Haney; the result was changed to a no-contest and Garcia served a one-year suspension, which his camp attributed to contaminated supplements.
Conor Benn, the son of former WBC super-middleweight champion Nigel Benn, moved down to the welterweight limit for the first time in four and a half years. He described the weight cut as “the pits of hell” but made the weigh-in at 146 lb, his lightest in seven years. Benn’s career also includes two positive tests for clomifene before a 2022 bout with Chris Eubank Jr.; he was cleared by the National Anti-Doping Panel after maintaining his innocence.
Data & Statistics
- Attendance: 18,855 spectators
- Ryan Garcia record: 26-2 (21 KOs)
- Conor Benn record: 25-2 (14 KOs)
- Reported purse: approximately $15 million each
- Benn’s weigh-in: 146 lb (lightest in seven years)
- Garcia’s weight: 147 lb (title limit)
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on the exact duration of the fight. The Guardian reports the stoppage at 1 minute 25 seconds into round 2, while Mirror and other outlets describe the bout as ending “inside six minutes.” Both accounts agree the referee intervened early in the second round, but the precise timing remains inconsistent.
Verbatim Quotes
- “We got to clear this [division] out,” — Ryan Garcia
- “The first round I was just saying, ‘Just protect yourself. He’s going to get crazy. Just really worry about just watching what he’s doing, download, download, download,’” — Ryan Garcia
- “Hopefully we get to beat Devin Haney’s ass again for undisputed,” — Ryan Garcia
- “I've always had a right hand but it's always been injured. I was so prepared and so focused, and what a performance. I knew he was going to put me under pressure in the first round so I let him have his way a little bit. ? View 2 Images Ryan Garcia punches Conor Benn (Image: Zuffa Boxing via Getty Images)” — Ryan Garcia