Benn On Garcia Loss: 'I Paid The Price For Chasing Greatness'

Conor Benn has opened up about his stoppage loss to Ryan Garcia, saying the weight cut to welterweight hampered his performance and that he has no business fighting below middleweight anymore.

Benn, who dropped a bid for a welterweight title when Garcia stopped him in their September clash, told Sky Sports the drain of making 147 pounds showed in the ring. "I paid the price for chasing greatness," he said, per Bad Left Hook.

Benn Moving Up To Middleweight After Garcia Defeat

The British fighter walked around near 186 pounds between camps but forced himself down to the welterweight limit to chase the opportunity. "There's one thing making the weight and it's one thing performing your best at the weight and it showed," Benn said. He confirmed his future lies at middleweight and that he considered light middleweight but found nothing left in him even at that weight during the cut.

Benn called Garcia a phenomenal fighter and said he had no issue with the referee's decision to wave off the bout. "If he didn't think I was fit to continue then that was his call on the night," Benn said. He added that he knew the risks going in and that exciting fights sometimes end with getting caught.

Benn said he turned down a December date with Manny Pacquiao but would consider facing the Filipino legend in the first quarter of next year if the offer stands.

Reported via:

• Bad Left Hook — ‘I paid the price for chasing greatness’: Conor Benn reflects on loss to Ryan Garcia