Connor Benn Conversation With Dan Rafael 9 5 26 | Fight Freaks Unite Podcast

0:00Well, it is my pleasure to be joining our podcast this week and see it also on our YouTube tail. I'm with the Welterweight Contender Conor Ben. Conor I'll tell the listeners and the viewers what you've got coming up. I hope they know if they're a boxing band. You're set to challenge the WBC Welterweight World Champion, Brian Garcia, and would be September 12th. And we'll headline the Zupa Boxing Card on Paramount Plus at the team Oval Arena in Las Vegas. So I know you're in California getting ready for the fight. Thank you very much for joining us today. First of all, how's it all going? I mean, it's a big one for you. Yeah, good, man. It's hard, but we're loving it. So I want to take you back a little before we get into the actual fight. It was just like just refreshing my memory a little bit on your record. And I look back and I saw it was February, 2024. You fought American time. It was early in the day in Las Vegas in a ballroom at the Cosmopolitan. At that time, you were in the midst of dealing with your PD case with the British boxing board

1:00of control. You got a decision victory over Peter Dopson, but your future was still very uncertain because of the case that was ongoing. And obviously, you know, all about all the controversies that there was. If I told you then fast forward in the midst of all that fast forward, two and a half years from then, you were in the 2025 fight of the year. It got your license back, although lost the fight to you bank, the big rivalry fight. But then you beat him easy in the rematch, you did it a second time in front of a massive crowd, then be pro gray in a massive on a massive card with Tyson Fury in your Zufid debut became the highest paid undercard fighter in the history of boxing. And they are coming back to Vegas, not to play a ballroom, but to play team mobile or in the premiere venue in the city fighting for the world title that I know you're doing about. Could you have possibly imagined what I just laid out for you? How about I could cry? I could cry. I want to make it right. Yeah, but it's emotional because that time from me was a real dark time.

2:01It was a real bad time. You know, so when you hear it from somebody else, it's like, man, you made it through a real bad period of your life where, where, almost, I just done a how I made it through. God help me for a while. I struggled so bad even getting up for that fight. I thought I didn't even want to fight. You know, and you're talking about the dancing fight. Yeah, I didn't want to fight. I was done with fighting. I was, I was, I was healing. So I was broken. I was damaged. You know, let alone having to fight. You know, so for me to be here today and have the run that I've had off the back of winning the case and, and my name being cleared, it's like I couldn't have written any better myself. I didn't go. Go ahead. Imagine if I had stopped, which I almost did before the lobster fire.

3:05I don't want to just said, you know, I'm done. I don't need to do this. You know, I know when you're going through it, obviously, you don't see the late at the end of the tunnel. Now it feels like whatever happens against Garcia, that you've come out the other end. Is that fair to say? You know what? I think to myself, when you're on the brink of suicide and there really is no way out. I've come here now. Slah, yeah, it's bad. When you point out, when you point out, and you go, you know what? I did it. I can't, I'm, I've got here. I've got here, you know, and it was a one stage impossible. And at one stage, it was just like, how enough am I going to carry on doing this? How enough am I going to just get anywhere just like just, I'm about feeling so heavy. So then now again, as you said, headline, well, I felt like headline free stadium shows

4:07in my home, obviously packed out, sold out, fired a year, I'm back and avenged that loss. So then now headlined in in Vegas in a mega five for the world's hall with slight. I just, I could have ran about myself. I think of the geography, right? Yeah. The Cosmopolitan small ballroom, now you're like a mile away, you last probably in the biggest venue in the city. I couldn't have ran about myself. If you had told me to back then, I would have said you belong in a straight jacket. Okay, well, I hope I don't belong in a straight jacket, but I hear that. So you mentioned we've discussed a little bit about avenging the loss in your, in your rematch against UBANK. You get the finally, you get the, the, the, the Ben family gets a victory in the rivalry and with the UBANKs between yourself and your father Nigel. So I'm wondering, I understand from the historical point of view, obviously if you win the world

5:09title against Garcia, that would be probably a bigger deal just in terms of what other people think about it. But from a pure point of personal satisfaction, which to you would be a bigger deal, avenging the loss in that long simmering rivalry, not go that goes back 30 some years with your father and his father or beating Garcia to win the, the world title. It's so hard to say because I'm fine for the world title now. So it's half of me to then say, Oh, well, you know, avenging the loss would have been better, but it's like, I'm fine for the world title. So right now in this current second, fine for the world title is all the matters, but there will never be anything as sweet as being UBANK's second time rough. That was like, that was like, that was like, it wasn't just beating him, it was also avenging the loss, right? Yeah, of course, because then if I had lost the second time round, it would have meant that he really is better than me. I would have had to have accepted the fact that he is actually better than me.

6:12And because it was so personal, it was just personal. It was our spite for it was, it was, I was really, it was a real mixed feeling, even of getting fired a year. It was like, it was like I lost. And I genuinely thought I'd knock him out like I lost to this guy, but I beat myself. I beat myself in there. I shouldn't have fought that fight, but the emotions were too, emotions were overwhelming. And then I had a year, quite of your take-to sting off that. It's a great honor. I mean, listen, I'd rather be in an exciting fight than a boring fight and lose. I'd rather lose an exciting fight personally, because then it's like, did you even win? They would have been no second-fire and I would have been interested. By getting this, the victory was so sweet, so, so sweet for the family name, for the legacy,

7:16for what it meant in the UK, for the, just for the, the at-tricks, it was a, yeah, it's pretty insane, but for me to now then be where I am now, dropping back down to 147 to fight for a title that I dreamed of four and a half years ago before the U-Bank StarGuard even happened. I put the World title aside for the U-Bank fight four and a half years ago, because of how much that fight meant to the, to the nation. So you mentioned a conner that you're now coming down to 147. You have not fought in that way class officially since 2022, and obviously the fights with U-Bank were in the middleweight division, you dabbled in and around junior middleweight, when you fought Regis Program in your most recent fight, it was still about 144 or so, or I mean, one was one, one was 150, 150. Yeah. So you got to make 147 for this fight. Now, how is that going? And I asked, I mean, every fighter says, you know, they're losing the way they're doing, they're, they're, they're working, they have to put in to try to make that way.

8:17But a couple of things, it's been such a long time since you've been there. But then there's this social media photo that I think Zufa put up and I've seen all over the internet where you look really skinny. Like, like people say you look sick almost. Like, how's that going for you? I mean, I see you right now on our, on our, on our, on our Zoom here, and you know, you look fine. But what, what was up with that picture? I thought it looked quite cute. All right, listen, it was, people can assume what they want or, or make up what they want. You know, is it hard making the way? Of course, it's, I've made it for four and a half years. It's going to be, but what do you want me to do? Sit here and moan about and in a fortune and sit here and moan about headline and in Vegas and sit here and moan. I'll fight for a world title. You know, if it's got to be done, it's got to be done. That's the period. You know, I can, it got fighters who, who fight for fractions of the money on small hall shows have to do a weight cut like that.

9:17And then not moaning about it. They get on with it. They get it done. You know, so how am I going to see a remodeled about it and to make weight? Of course, it's going to be hard. It's extremely hard, but it's just one of his part of the game. I know, I know what I signed up for. When you, when this process began that was, that has led to this position to get this fight, obviously you had left, matroom, contract was up. You signed up with Zufa boxing. I wonder was it, when you made that decision, was it strictly about the money, was about the things that they offered in terms of like the possible fights? What was it that went into your decision to decide and make a move? It was about the future and where the future is going. You know, so when I sat down with Nick and Dana, Harrison Ish, you know, you look at where the sports go and what they plan on doing with the sport boxing. You know, I wanted to be the first one of the first fighters to be involved. Number one, number two, the money was outstanding. And the life I want to live, which is the life I'm currently living, was on the other side that I

10:24deal. You know, I've got three kids. I've got, I've got a beautiful family. My family, my kids don't, I mean, a kids will work, but my kids' future is a set. That's my job. You know, you got fighters out there now who were struggling to make ends meet, retired fighters, or they're trying to cool up, cool up, promote as, can you get me in fight, please give me a fight, please can you get me in fight. I never wanted to be in that position. But only in my mind, the two and a half years I had out in boxing, I lost everything. I lost absolutely everything. I spent every money I had on my court case. So for me, I know, I know from the short stint that two and a half years out of boxing, what that's like. And me calling up, I'm like, please can you get me out and need money, please can you get me out and need money. So to be, I never wanted to make sure I was never that fire. Well, it feels like you've accomplished that. And when you made that decision, obviously, you know, everything that went on with such a, a, any her and a natural seem to take it so

11:27personally that you had made that decision. Do you still like marvel at like how personal what seemed to be a just a normal business decision decision was that even to this day, it feels like he's still taking it personally. Oh, it's definitely taking it personally. It's a bit bitter inside about it, I suppose. But ultimately I look at my kids. I'm just like, you think I'm going to not make a decision as best for my family for a grown man. No, I wouldn't do, who wouldn't do the same for me. You know, you got to think it's like you got to think that they do this all the time. It's they, they, you know, when I'm said and done and I'm retired, you know, who's been care about me? Your family, I hope. Who's going to be calling my phone? Oh, can't let me just give you a, you know, 100 grand just to help you with bills. Right. Let me give you 100 grand just to put the kids through school for a couple of years. I'll be lucky to get ringside seat and I've seen it. I've

12:28watched fighters who have been in 50, 55s will get you a big fight will get you a big fight. Nothing keeps it a curb, you know, and if it don't make money, it don't make sense. I don't care about the actual fire. If it don't, if it don't, if it don't make no money, we're going to put you on. Right. And that's what it is. Can you talk to me a little bit about what your manager Keith Conley meant to make in this happen? I know that because I talked them a little bit about it in the past. Obviously he works with a lot of top fighters. Several of them now are in Vahua, Zufo. What was it that he brought the table to get such a great deal for you, Don, and to get you in this position, help you through all that business? Well, funnily enough, me and Keith started working together as my cool case was just ending. And he looked at me and he said to me, and I thought this crazy American guy, he's gone to me, you're an A figure fighter, baby, you're a superstar, baby. And I was like, I'm sitting there with

13:30Lee M. Tartus, come and choose me with Keith. And I was like, yeah, we definitely think you're meant to. You can basically thought he was full of shit giving you a line. I wouldn't say, but I always go that far, but I would definitely say like, exactly how you definitely exaggerate. I'm not even through my cool case. I've just come off a mediocre fight with Dobson, went distance with a Ross Cohen hard fight. And you're sitting there saying to me, superstar, baby. But then, and Carter, if I'm not mistaken, at that point, you had not made a seven figure purse at that point, even seven figures. I made a figure from my career, but not seven figure purse. Right. What about, no. And then he had, and then we've got the U-bank fight done. Got two fights for U-bank done, which was eight figures, Regis fight eight figures, this fight eight figures. So Lee and Keith were right in saying what they saw. I just kept to

14:36prime myself in the gym, kept training hard. And they made this still happen. When they presented me with a deal, it was, it was a no brainer. It was, yeah, that's, I believe they can deliver the fights. It wasn't just about the money. I'm now headlining in Vegas with Garcia. So it wasn't just about the money. You know, this fight is here now. So, you know, I'm happy with it. Well, let's talk a little bit about Garcia then. He had a very dominating performance in his victory in February when he won this title against Mario Barrios. I have watched Ryan Garcia's entire career feel like that was by far the best performance, complete performance that he ever had. But on the flip side, he was coming off of a fight against Roli Romero, where he was a huge favorite. And, you know, charitably, it was almost like he slept walk through that fight and lost, you know, in a terrible fight. So I wonder when you look at him. So do you, as a boxing expert, not look a barrier hanging on to the WBC title by a thread?

15:39Oh, I'm coming off from free draws. Oh, you know, absolutely. I mean, but I'm saying Ryan Garcia looked fantastic beating him, doing what he did. I mean, even, you know, I'm just making the point. This is not about Barrios about Ryan's performance. It's not Ryan. Fair. Great performance against Barrios. Hidious performance against Romero. And I wonder when you look at him and you prepare for him and you have to be ready to take him on. Do you see him as the guy that's in a comment and look great? Like he did with Barrios, where maybe not as good like he looked like against Roli, or you kind of expect a guy in between. What are your expectations for the Ryan Garcia that shows up on September 12th? You know what? It's really hard to say, I don't watch my opponents. It's real. It's a real bizarre thing for my whole career. I've never watched my opponents ever. So I don't look at what he does. How my camp works is, you need to work on this. We're going to work on this. He throws a lot of this. You need to be ready to Bobbomb do this. Do that. Cool. No worries. I'll work on it. And that's it for at the whole camp.

16:42Come on. You need to do this. When he does this, sit, sit. Bobbomb. Don't do this. You know, so I just really focus on me doing what I got to do. Rather than what Ryan's doing or what he's going to bring or how he's going to come out. If he's going to come out and fight, he's going to come out and box and move. If he's going to, I don't, I don't, I don't, I, it doesn't even cross my mind what he does or what he will do. I watched your, you know, your interactions when you did your, your press conferences and that type of thing. And while, you know, obviously you guys are a little chippy with each other. You're going to fight each other. I don't, there's not like, you guys love each other. You guys don't really know each other that well. But I keep wondering myself, like, there will never probably be another time in the career that you have going forward where no matter who the opponent is, you're never going to have like the bitterness towards the guy the way you did with you bank that everything else, every other fighter you fight is going to be like a cake walk in terms of the build up and the, yeah, in the nonsense that goes on with these press conferences. So is there, is there, is there real, there's not real bad love with Ryan? Is

17:43there just like part of the show? Isn't it? It's not part of, I am why I am. Some of fire, if someone's someone I'm fighting, it's going to be cool. You think you can out for Malmme cool? Well, I'll give it to you back. It's where fighters, you know, so it could be anyone I'm fighting. I'm going to meet you like that. You know, with you bank, it was different. No, you, it was horrible. The you bank was liar. It was spiteful. It was in a nice way to be. It's not a nice frame of mine to be in, uh, for them fights. Whereas this is, this is fun. It's exciting. I'm coming in there. I want to get your title challenging yourself against the best. You know, he's getting upset because he's a no-sable kid. And, and you know, I'm just going to get in there and, and then know how we do. Now, there are a lot of people who are certainly excited for this fight, looking forward to a spectacle to what I think will be an exciting fight with the styles that mesh and I see comments from other people who say, you know what, Ryan Garcia failed the drug test. He's a dirty fighter. Connor Ben failed the drug test. He was suspended for a while. He's a dirty fighter. And they,

18:48and no matter what happens, that they, they, they just will hold that will always be a card of the identity for both of you guys. Is it? Eritage you that they look at this match and think that's just a fight between two guys who got caught losing P. E. S. People will always have something to say regardless. You know, it was, I don't deserve this. Or, are you're only where you are because you're dead or are you? So they'll always be something when there's anything of a mass scale. People are always going to try and find something to pull you down and bring you down. That's what social media is. That's what it's, that's what it's about. What the difference between me and Ryan is I fought two for now. My case, I fought two for now. I fought the case all the way. I spent every penny I had on proving my innocence. That's the difference. I didn't take a bad. Yeah, I, I, and when you're sitting there and when you're, and you're sitting there with your, your wife and your son and your newborn child throughout this case, and I'm sitting there going to

19:49my wife, they would lose everything. We could lose everything. They would lose our home, lose absolutely everything. Just as I got newborn and she looks at me and says, come, you have to fight this. You have to fight this. And, and I broke down and I said, you know what, okay, but just be prepared. Like we could lose it all. That's innocence. That's someone who's willing to spend every last penny I earned my whole career to fight this because I didn't do it. And I'll put my money where my mouth is. I'll put my whole career earnings where my mouth is. That's the difference between me and him. So people can say what they want if they know my story. It don't add up. I want to wrap up with this. You mentioned that you're fighting for the title, of course. You said for a long time your dream is to win a WBC World title because that was one of the titles that your father, the great Nigel Ben, the recent All of Fame inductee held at one point in his career. Although also held WBO title, although at a time when maybe the WBO wasn't as big as it has become. But

20:53regardless of that, what will it mean to you if you actually win to be able to hold up the green and gold world title? And what would it mean to your father? It means everything. You know, it's a dream. It's a childhood dream. You know, when I turned pro at 19, if I told 19-year-old Conor, it'd be headlining in Vegas for the WBC World title. It'd be extremely proud. You know, and to win it would be, well, it's what I've worked hard for for past 10 years. I've been in the school for a decade now. Ten years this year. I've been in the game. I'll be 30 in September and in September. So 10 years in the game, this is my moment to get the title. It means it looks to me and my family. Well, I wish you the best luck in your in your reaching your goal. Thank you. Of course, you're a great fight and thank you very much for your time. I wish you good luck in the fight. Appreciate it.