Garcia vs Benn Confirmed On Jimmy Fallon

Ryan Garcia says he will box Conor Benn in his first WBC welterweight title defence on September 12 in Las Vegas.

The promotional hurdle that loomed over the fight when Garcia first named Benn publicly has evidently been cleared. Benn operates under Dana White's Zuffa Boxing banner while Garcia remains with Golden Boy Promotions and Oscar De La Hoya — two promotional structures with a well-documented history of friction.

Garcia won the belt with a unanimous decision win over Mario Barrios in February. Benn earned his mandatory position with a unanimous decision over Regis Prograis in April.

The announcement came on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, while Canelo Alvarez vs. Christian Mbilli in Riyadh — Mexican Independence weekend — takes place on the same day.

Garcia Reacts

The September 12 date places the fight in direct competition with one of the year's other marquee bouts. Canelo and Mbilli in Riyadh on Mexican Independence weekend is a significant commercial occasion in its own right, and boxing fans on that Saturday will face a choice between two major cards.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BW8UUVu5gWc

“I can say that we are fighting September 12th. It will be in Vegas, and the opponent, let’s just say he’s from the other side… Across the pond, I’m sorry. I’ll just say his name cause I love this show. His name is Conor Benn, and he’s talking crazy. He actually confronted me at an award show two years ago. My wife was there, and he grabbed me, pressed up on me. So it’s a little personal. We’ll be ready to go get him,” Garcia said