Ryan Garcia has explained why he skipped Tuesday’s face-off with Conor Benn ahead of their WBC welterweight title fight in Las Vegas, and he is not sorry about it.
The American fighter was criticised by Benn after failing to show up for the scheduled media event at the Mandalay Bay Hotel. Benn claimed Garcia had “bottled it.” Garcia, speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, said he simply did not want to be there.
“I wasn’t there because I didn’t want to be,” Garcia said. “Look, we have a face-off at the press conference [Thursday], then at the weigh-ins [Friday] and then a final face-off literally in the ring when the refs give you instructions. I’ve been doing this for so long. I’ve had fight weeks in Vegas before. I’ve never had to do a face-off on [Tuesday]. So I have a routine to do, and it’s just something I didn’t want to do.”
He added: “It was funny seeing him [Benn] staring at himself.”
Garcia makes the first defence of his WBC welterweight title against Benn at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday night.
Garcia’s Routine Over Rivalry
Garcia framed the snub as a matter of routine. He pointed out that the fight week already includes multiple face-offs, making Tuesday’s event one he chose to skip.
The American has been through fight weeks in Vegas before and said he has a set way of doing things. Missing the Tuesday event was part of sticking to that process.
Benn, however, saw it differently. The British fighter said Garcia’s absence let the fans down.
“Ultimately it’s disrespectful to the public because they deserve it,” Benn said on Wednesday. “The public deserves us giving you guys the best. This is what we do. This is what we’re here for.”
The pair will finally meet face-to-face at Thursday’s press conference and again at Friday’s weigh-in, before the final staredown in the ring on fight night.
Benn’s Brutal Weight Cut
Benn comes into this fight as the underdog. He stepped up to middleweight to fight Chris Eubank Jr, losing his first fight against his rival in April 2025 before avenging that loss in November of the same year.
His most recent outing was a win over Regis Prograis at a 150lbs catchweight in April. Should he make weight at Friday’s weigh-in, this will be his first fight at the welterweight limit in over four years. His last bout at under 147lbs came against Chris van Heerden in April 2022.
The 29-year-old hit back at those who doubted his ability to make the weight, but admitted the process had been brutal.
“A lot of people said I couldn’t make the weight, watch me do it,” Benn said, adding that he went through 15 weeks of dieting before the fight. “I’ve done it, and that’s it.”
Benn said he felt like he had been “dragged through the pits of hell and had a fight with satan” during his preparations. He also confirmed this will be his last fight at 147lbs, with plans to move up to 160 or 168lbs after Saturday.
Garcia Warns Against Excuses
Garcia said he does not want to hear any excuses from Benn after the fight regarding the weight cut.
“All we can do is go by past experience,” Garcia said. “He cut back down to 150lbs to fight Regis Prograis. We have seen how he bloated up. Now he has an extra three pounds to go. I don’t want to hear any excuses. He doesn’t have a rehydration clause.”
“I don’t want to be hearing any crybaby s from him. He’s trying to set up a narrative, because when he gets his a* whopped, he’ll say: ‘I was drained’. I’m about to beat his a, it doesn’t matter how much he weighs.”
Garcia’s warning is pointed. He believes Benn is already setting the stage for a post-fight explanation if things go wrong. By pointing to Benn’s previous weight struggles, Garcia wants to close off that escape route before the first bell.
The Weight Question
The weigh-in on Friday will be a key moment. If Benn makes the 147lbs limit, it will be his first time doing so since April 2022. That is a long gap, and it is why so many have doubted whether he can do it.
Benn is adamant he will make the weight. He has spent 15 weeks dieting and says he has already done the hard part. The question now is whether the weight cut has left him drained for the fight itself.
Garcia has no sympathy. He pointed out that Benn has no rehydration clause.
Key Facts Box
- Fight: Ryan Garcia vs Conor Benn, WBC welterweight title
- Date: Saturday night
- Venue: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas
- Garcia’s record: First defence of his WBC welterweight title
- Benn’s last welterweight fight: April 2022, vs Chris van Heerden
- Benn’s weight cut: 15 weeks of dieting
- Benn’s recent fights: Lost to Chris Eubank Jr (April 2025), won rematch (November 2025), beat Regis Prograis at 150lbs (April)
- Benn’s plan: Last fight at 147lbs, moving to 160 or 168lbs after
The bad blood between the two fighters is unlikely to cool before Saturday. Garcia has made it clear he has no time for Benn’s complaints, and Benn has made it clear he thinks Garcia is letting the public down.
The face-offs on Thursday and Friday will give both men another chance to size each other up. But the real answers will come in the ring on Saturday night, when the title is on the line and the excuses run out.
Source: skysports.com
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