Garcia On Benn: 'Getting Paid To Beat Up A Beginner'

Ryan Garcia says Conor Benn does not belong in the ring with him ahead of their WBC welterweight title fight this weekend.

Garcia, who captured the belt earlier this year after emerging from a turbulent stretch in 2024, told Piers Morgan that Benn owes his position entirely to his father's legacy. "I'm really getting paid a bunch of money to beat up a beginner," he said, per Bad Left Hook. "This dude is not on my level, he's a jokester."

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Garcia's Journey From Personal Struggles To Champion

The 27-year-old acknowledged his well-documented issues with drinking and mental health two years ago, describing the period as a boiling point of frustration and anger. Garcia said much of that came from feeling undervalued despite 15 national amateur titles and a lengthy pro resume. He called winning the world title shortly after getting his life in order a validation of his hard work.

Garcia dismissed Benn's move up to middleweight for the Chris Eubank fight as irrelevant, saying the Brit is a natural welterweight looking for excuses. He predicted a stoppage inside five rounds, citing superior conditioning and skill. "He's going to be coming at me nonstop, but I'm just a little bit more skillful than him," Garcia said.

🎟️ Get tickets: Buy tickets to Ryan Garcia vs Conor Benn on Ticketmaster →

Garcia also took aim at retired former welterweight champion Terence Crawford, calling him a "hater" who should stop commenting unless he plans to fight again. "Why are you talking if you're retired?" Garcia said. "Leave us alone unless you want to fight. If not, shut up."

The Garcia-Benn fight is scheduled for this Saturday.

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• Bad Left Hook — ‘I’m getting paid to beat up a beginner’: Ryan Garcia says Conor Benn not on his level