Ryan Garcia Defends WBC Title Against Conor Benn on Sept. 12 as Rivals End Standoff
Updated
Updated · ESPN · Jul 15
Ryan Garcia Defends WBC Title Against Conor Benn on Sept. 12 as Rivals End Standoff
3 articles · Updated · ESPN · Jul 15
Summary
Sept. 12 will bring Ryan Garcia's first WBC welterweight title defense against Conor Benn at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, with Turki Alalshikh announcing the bout for Mexican Independence Day weekend.
Months of friction between Golden Boy Promotions and Dana White's Zuffa Boxing gave way after final deal points were resolved, ending a dispute that had included a cease-and-desist letter and public sparring from Oscar De La Hoya.
Paramount+ will stream the fight globally, while DAZN holds exclusive rights in the UK and Ireland for the Ring Magazine show co-promoted by Golden Boy and Zuffa.
Garcia, 25-2, won the belt from Mario Barrios in February, while Benn, 25-1, returns to welterweight for the first time since 2022 after beating Regis Prograis in April.
The matchup also marks a strategic shift for Zuffa Boxing, which had launched by downplaying sanctioning bodies but is now sending its fighters to pursue established world titles.