Conor Benn has criticized Ryan Garcia as a bottler after the American failed to show up for a pre-fight face-off in Las Vegas on Tuesday.
The 29-year-old British challenger will attempt to win his first world title when he faces Garcia for the WBC welterweight belt at the T-Mobile Arena on Saturday night, September 12.
The two boxers were scheduled to meet for a media opportunity at the Mandalay Bay Hotel on Tuesday, but Benn was the only fighter to appear.
Benn was joined at the venue by his father, Nigel Benn. With Garcia absent from the scheduled event, Benn jokingly squared up to his father, who mocked the champion by saying, "I'm not Ryan, I turn up!"
"Saturday can't come soon enough," Benn said on Tuesday. "I apologise for Ryan doing what Ryan does and bottling it. We turn up, we're here, ready for the face-off."
Benn issued a direct warning to the champion, adding: "He needs to get his s*** together because come Saturday, he's in for a real, real shock."
Benn Previews First World Championship Fight
The British fighter is relishing his status as the underdog ahead of Saturday's fight against Garcia. Following a protracted war of words with the American, Benn said he wants to end their verbal feud once and for all.
"I like being the underdog," Benn said. "I think I perform at my best. I think every single one of my fights has led me to this moment."
Benn credited his earlier ring experience with preparing him for the atmosphere in Nevada, stating that pressure early in his career prepared him for nights at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
"It's prepared me for the noise and the drama and the chaos," Benn said. "So come September 12, it's nothing new, nothing different."
Benn enters the championship bout following back-to-back victories. He exacted revenge on rival Chris Eubank Jr in November 2025, having suffered the first professional defeat of his career against Eubank in April 2025.
In April 2026, Benn outscored Regis Prograis at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, extending his professional fight record to 25 wins and 1 loss.
Garcia Championship Background and Contest Details
Garcia, 28, represents a step up in competition for Benn. The American fighter secured his WBC welterweight belt following a dominant unanimous decision victory against Mario Barrios in February.
Saturday's showdown at the T-Mobile Arena will mark Garcia's first defence of the WBC welterweight title since winning the belt.
Benn is attempting to emulate his father, Nigel Benn, who won the WBO middleweight title in 1990 and the WBC super-middleweight title in 1992.
Nigel Benn was one of Britain's most prominent boxers during the 1990s, holding titles across two weight classes during a career that included a famous rivalry with Chris Eubank Sr, the father of Conor Benn's recent opponent.
The World Boxing Council is one of the four major international sanctioning bodies in professional boxing alongside the WBA, IBF, and WBO. The welterweight division carries a strict weight limit of 147 pounds.
Both venues for the pre-fight events are located along the Las Vegas Strip in Nevada. The Mandalay Bay Hotel regularly hosts boxing media events, while the T-Mobile Arena serves as a primary venue for major championship combat sports.
The championship bout between Garcia and Benn takes place on Saturday night, September 12, in Las Vegas.
